Fighting Boars - Used To Be Friends, Now They Hate Each Other!

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Wheek! Wheek!

Wheek! Wheek!

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Hi, I bought my boys, Archie and Elmo, 9 months ago. I got them as a pair who were housed together, and when I brought them home they were in the same cage very happily for around 2 months. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, they had a full on fight during daily floor time, and they've never bonded since. I've tried different things over the months - buddy baths, 2 dishes, 2 water bottles etc, putting them in their run with mesh down the middle so they can slowly get comfortable with each other again. I've had to house them in separate cages, although they are right next to each other and they sniff and almost touch noses through the bars. They now have separate cuddles with me and separate floor time, which I feel sad about as I used to love seeing them cuddled up together in the early days. Today, for the first time, I put them together in the run on the grass - each had their own hidey tunnel at opposite ends. Luckily I was prepared with a blanket and my gardening gloves, as despite starting off okay, they ended up locking together in a vicious fight. I separated them - no injuries apart from to me - I got a nasty bite through my gardening gloves which drew blood!

I've read about people who specialise in bonding piggies - is that worth a try? Or do I need to accept that my little guys are better off living separately?:flag:

Advice very welcome. Thanks!
 
I read otherwise, that the 4-8 months is the worse of the spikes, mainly the 4 month mark when their balls start to drop and the grease gland becomes active. From what I've read it's less likely for boars who survived that first hit together to fall out because of hormones later in life. Falling out because of personality clashes is however a totally different thing. If they just don't like each other than unfortunately there isn't much you can do. Just like humans there are some people we just don't get on with, same with our piggies. Hopefully you can find them more suitable friends or have them live side by side happily with a divider
 
Wheek! Wheek! said:
Hi, I bought my boys, Archie and Elmo, 9 months ago. I got them as a pair who were housed together, and when I brought them home they were in the same cage very happily for around 2 months. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, they had a full on fight during daily floor time, and they've never bonded since. I've tried different things over the months - buddy baths, 2 dishes, 2 water bottles etc, putting them in their run with mesh down the middle so they can slowly get comfortable with each other again. I've had to house them in separate cages, although they are right next to each other and they sniff and almost touch noses through the bars. They now have separate cuddles with me and separate floor time, which I feel sad about as I used to love seeing them cuddled up together in the early days. Today, for the first time, I put them together in the run on the grass - each had their own hidey tunnel at opposite ends. Luckily I was prepared with a blanket and my gardening gloves, as despite starting off okay, they ended up locking together in a vicious fight. I separated them - no injuries apart from to me - I got a nasty bite through my gardening gloves which drew blood!

I've read about people who specialise in bonding piggies - is that worth a try? Or do I need to accept that my little guys are better off living separately?:flag:

Advice very welcome. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi! You may find the advice in this link here very helpful in determining where you stand with your boys. They are currently in the middle of one of the most difficult teenage periods.
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
Keiko The Pig said:
I read otherwise, that the 4-8 months is the worse of the spikes, mainly the 4 month mark when their balls start to drop and the grease gland becomes active. From what I've read it's less likely for boars who survived that first hit together to fall out because of hormones later in life. Falling out because of personality clashes is however a totally different thing. If they just don't like each other than unfortunately there isn't much you can do. Just like humans there are some people we just don't get on with, same with our piggies. Hopefully you can find them more suitable friends or have them live side by side happily with a divider
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Sorry! I meant 14 weeks
 
Cookies&Glitter said:
From what I understand once boars have had a serious fallout their isn't much hope for them, you could contact a rescue and see if you could bond each of them separately but then you need enough space for 2 large cages. I'm certainly not a boar expert as I have sows so this is what I could find I'm sure you've already read them
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
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Thank you, I've read the info and there's some really useful info there. Lots of good ideas to try!
 
Keiko The Pig said:
I read otherwise, that the 4-8 months is the worse of the spikes, mainly the 4 month mark when their balls start to drop and the grease gland becomes active. From what I've read it's less likely for boars who survived that first hit together to fall out because of hormones later in life. Falling out because of personality clashes is however a totally different thing. If they just don't like each other than unfortunately there isn't much you can do. Just like humans there are some people we just don't get on with, same with our piggies. Hopefully you can find them more suitable friends or have them live side by side happily with a divider
Click to expand...
Hi, my boys are about 12 months old, so it could just be a personality clash! They seem happy enough with their cages right next to each other, so that might end up being the best option.
 
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