Fighting boars that were previously ok

[Mum of gizzmo]

Hi,
We have 2 male Guinea pigs obtained from same breeeder but not sure if brothers. They were tog from January 2022 until August 2022 when we went on holiday and paid an animal boarde to look after them. They had never fought until then. When we collected them they both had wounds to their faces and they were not in the same hutches had as when we dropped them off and were surrounded by lots of other Guinea pigs. They were very cramped.
On returning home they fought and we have had to keep them separate since. They seem ok and not lonely but will they ever bond again? I am scared to put them together as when we brough them indoors in the winter and into a new cage they fought again so have been kept separate ever since, We also have 4 girls in another cage but when they are all outside in their pens is it worse if they see the girls or is it good for them to interact. We let the boys each free roam ( separately) before putting them back in their hutches and they go str to the girls patch of grass.
How would you suggest introducing them again? Or are they best kept as lone Guinea pigs?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

Once boars have had a full on fight and injuries caused, sadly their bond is broken and they will need to remain separate permanently.
Provided separated piggies can live with with bars between them at all times, then that is an acceptable way for them to live.
You mention hutches. Hutches, being solid sided, don’t easily lend themselves to the necessary side by side living requirements for separated piggies. Are you boys able to interact with each other with wire between them?

Your alternative, should you wish to do so, could be to neuter each of the boys and then have the necessary six week post op wait. Once infertile, split the girls up and put two girls with each of the boys to make two separate trios. Provided each cage is big enough (that is a 6 foot hutch for three piggies) then that would enable everybody to have companionship.

 

[Mum of gizzmo]

Hi, thanks. I did consider getting them done and adding to 2 girls each but the 4 girls get on so well I felt it woukd be a shame and then they might not be accepted anyway.
When the boys are outside I have started putting them bars together, they walk up and down and go nose to nose and for one of them his but gets bigger! Is that him trying to dominate? So you think they will never accept each other again?

 

[Mum of gizzmo]

Would they bond with another boy do you think? Like you said, they can not live side by side when in their wooden hutches( we have massive ones) btw.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi, thanks. I did consider getting them done and adding to 2 girls each but the 4 girls get on so well I felt it woukd be a shame and then they might not be accepted anyway.
When the boys are outside I have started putting them bars together, they walk up and down and go nose to nose and for one of them his but gets bigger! Is that him trying to dominate? So you think they will never accept each other again?

That is dominance and territory marking. Nothing to worry about.
No sadly they won’t. A full fight is bond breaking.
Their bond broke down because they were not compatible and that sadly doesn’t change.

Would they bond with another boy do you think? Like you said, they can not live side by side when in their wooden hutches( we have massive ones) btw.

Any bond comes down to character compatibility. So, yes they would accept another boar each but you need to find the right boar. Doing so with the help of a rescue centre via dating is safest. They would ensure a compatible bond before you commit.
If you just go out and buy more piggies from a breeder or pet shop, then you do run the risk of them not being compatible with their new friend and then you could end up with more failed bonds and subsequently needing more cages so they can remain side by side

What you cannot do is put three boys together.

The hutch size needed for a bonded boar pair is 6ft.

 

[VickiA]

I’m sorry that your boars have fallen out. Please do not attempt to reintroduce them. This could lead to serious injuries. They have obviously had a full on fight and drawn blood and there’s sadly no going back from that.
It’s likely that the move to the holiday boarding sparked their fall out. Any change of environment (including boarding or a new cage) brings about the need to establish dominance again even in well bonded piggies. Similarly if there were sows within scent of them that could have sparked a battle for dominance. Either way they cannot now live together so you will need to plan for their futures separately.
Neutering each, waiting 6 weeks and finding them a sow companion would be the best way forward.

 

[VickiA]

Boar dating is always a matter of compatibility. Personally, with them having fallen out this badly, I would only entertain boar dating through a rescue in a controlled supervised manner. I certainly wouldn’t advocate getting another young boar from a shop or breeder as if the bond ping doesn’t work you then have an extra solo boar to accommodate.

 

[Mum of gizzmo]

If I get them both neutered are th likely to be ok with a pair of girls each? My four girls get on fine as a group, would they be ok split into pairs with a boar each?

 

[Piggies&buns]

If I get them both neutered are th likely to be ok with a pair of girls each? My four girls get on fine as a group, would they be ok split into pairs with a boar each?

How old are the sows?

Splitting the sows won’t cause any issues for them

The guides below explain a bit more about groupings. The second guide explaining how to carry out the correct neutral territory bonding should you go ahead with the neutering and bonding

A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[Mum of gizzmo]

They are all the same age. We got of them Jan 2022 as babies. Thought we had 4 the same sex but 1 was a boar so then had to get him a companion from same litter (or same hutch at least)! One female then had a baby girl. Never wanted 6! Personally I want to rehome the boys but feel bad and I am always the rescuing animal sand have bender rehomed one!