Dominance actions?

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OneDaySale

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Background: Simon and Garfunkel are two young boars. Have had them for about 5.5-6 months, not 100% sure how old they were, but they've grown a fair amount (probably by ~40%).

I've heard them chitter their teeth before when scared, but much of the morning today they've been seeming a bit feisty with each other, with different sounds than usual. I've attached a video, hopefully you can hear them. They have been doing this face off, similar to how when you walk in the same path as someone coming towards you, and neither will turn or shift sideways and you end up chest to chest staring at each other. It's happened a few times this morning, but then they go back to eating hay next to each other or doing laps around the cage (a 5x2 c&c style cage). Sorry for the long background.

My Qs as a noob cavy dad:
1) is this just normal dominance stuff of teenage boars? They've chased each other around before, it just seems to have dialed up in intensity and sound and frequency today.
2) one of the two water bottles started leaking, so they're down to one water bottle, but it's been a few days and they hadn't seemed to have an issue sharing - could it be related to that? (None of the aggressive actions seem to be happening around drinking time/area
3) is there anything I can/should do to deescalate things when it's happening or now, when it isn't? Move stuff around the cage? Add a water bowl? (I did that the last two days, but it just becomes a poopy mess so quickly).

Hopefully you all will tell me I'm just being a nervous Nellie... but I really don't want them to fight and have to separate them.

Thank you!
 
You will have to upload the video to a third party site such as youtube or facebook, then paste the link into a reply.

To me it just sounds like normal boar dominance. I have had a pair of boars who look like they hate each other but then two seconds later theyre sat eating hay and cuddling. I will attach some links to guides on dominance and boar pairings you can have a read through to learn a bit more about it, as it can all be a bit nerve-wracking at first.
I would not think the dominance is due to the bottle, but it would be best if you get another one to replace it asap as boars work best with 2 of everything. There is not much you can do to de-escalate normal dominance aside from providing plenty of space and two of everything.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonds In Trouble
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
 
Based on a rough guess of their age - you’ve had them 6 months and they are young so potentialky; what, 8-10 months of age?

Leave them to it for now. They need to be able to sort things out for themselves.
Watch for any flags in behaviour - this guide will help Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

At a rough guess of their age, if you think they could be around 8-10 months, then there is a chance it is a hormone spike.
Usually it comes and goes with just dominance and nothing comes of it.
Sometimes but less often and in less stable bonds, a spike at this age can bring about their downfall. It happens but not as often as when they are younger teenagers (at around the 6 month old mark)
 
piggl said:
You will have to upload the video to a third party site such as youtube or facebook, then paste the link into a reply.

To me it just sounds like normal boar dominance. I have had a pair of boars who look like they hate each other but then two seconds later theyre sat eating hay and cuddling. I will attach some links to guides on dominance and boar pairings you can have a read through to learn a bit more about it, as it can all be a bit nerve-wracking at first.
I would not think the dominance is due to the bottle, but it would be best if you get another one to replace it asap as boars work best with 2 of everything. There is not much you can do to de-escalate normal dominance aside from providing plenty of space and two of everything.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonds In Trouble
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Click to expand...
that explains the video, thanks.
I dove into some of the links when I first got them, will reread and refresh, thank you for that also.
And a new water bottle is on the way, just ordered that (and a kitchen scale for their weights, been meaning to order for a while)
Thanks for the quick reply
 
Piggies&buns said:
Based on a rough guess of their age - you’ve had them 6 months and they are young so potentialky; what, 8-10 months of age?

Leave them to it for now. They need to be able to sort things out for themselves.
Watch for any flags in behaviour - this guide will help Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

At a rough guess of their age, if you think they could be around 8-10 months, then there is a chance it is a hormone spike.
Usually it comes and goes with just dominance and nothing comes of it.
Sometimes but less often and in less stable bonds, a spike at this age can bring about their downfall. It happens but not as often as when they are younger teenagers (at around the 6 month old mark)
Click to expand...
I think that's a good guess of their ages, maybe 8-11 months.
I appreciate the distinction/detail re 6 months vs the current age. They've been really good together, so far, and I would hate to have something happen to have to separate them, or cause an injury. And also the note to let them figure it out - it's tough not being a helicopter parent, lol

Thank you also for the quick reply.
 
It’s hard - their behaviours can look borderline and sometimes downright mean but it’s all normal to them!
With any luck this is something and nothing and things will go back to normal soon.

I would avoid cleaning their cage out fully during this time - you don’t want to remove their scent and cause an issue.
 
OneDaySale said:
that explains the video, thanks.
I dove into some of the links when I first got them, will reread and refresh, thank you for that also.
And a new water bottle is on the way, just ordered that (and a kitchen scale for their weights, been meaning to order for a while)
Thanks for the quick reply
Click to expand...
You’re doing great by them. Hopefully things will calm down soon enough x
 
Hi and welcome

We are not part of social media and do not have our own upload facility, considering that we run on voluntary member donations and doing this for free in our own free time. Any pictures are best uploaded via the Attach Files button under the post when you write it.

You may find our teenage guide and our behaviour guides very helpful in working out whether things are OK or not.

8-10 months of age is another phase of teenage that can be tricky to manage. Fall-outs are not quite as common but some boys can be right up there nearly all the time.

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection (recommended for bookmarking, browsing, reading and re-reading at need)
 
I find YouTube is easiest for hosting videos to play on here. You can make them Unlisted so that they can only be accessed via the link, if you don't want them to be public.

Watching your pigs, do you have any idea who is the boss? To have a stable relationship as they grow up, they'll have to decide who is the leader and who is second pig. That is probably what they are working on just now. Unless it escalates to actual violence with blood drawn, it's best to just let them get on with it.
 
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