Can’t get along.

[SquiglyPiggy]

We adopted Pumpkin and Peanut around 5 months ago. When we got them from the rescue they said they were a father-son bonded pair, so we assumed they got along decently. At first, Peanut was in his adolescence months, so we assumed the fighting was because of the hormones. Now Peanut is past those times, and they still fight when they get within a foot of each other. I’m starting to worry that they just can’t get along, in which case we would have to separate them and find new partners. The fighting has escalated to a point that blood has been drawn once, and sometimes fur is pulled off. Usually it’s more of a bicker, with the nose raising contest or a lunge without any contact, but there have been incidents like I stated above. The problem with this is that we don’t have enough space to get two more piggies, and my parents already had to compromise with two. On top of that, vet fees and food prices for two more guinea pigs will really add up. What should we do?

 

[Siikibam]

When you say fighting, were they going for each other? I think since blood has been drawn and they’re pulling hair then the bond won’t work long term. They likely were bonded but unfortunately teenage hormones can bring out the true nature of a bond. The issue is you can’t know how the young boar will act once it hits the teens.

You have one option with regards space. If you bond them both to another boat, they could live in a stacked cage. Remember they need minimum 150x60cm cage. Food won’t be that much more for two more piggies but you’re correct to consider vet fees.

The other two options are to have them living wide by side so that they can still have the interaction through the divider that they need. They would each need a 120x60cm cage. Otherwise the last option is to surrender one of them to a rescue and bond the one you decide to keep. I think that would be W very tough decision so perhaps see if you could do the former of them living as neighbours.

Sorry it hasn’t worked out. They’re really complex creatures!