Fighting boars

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Theanette

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My boys, 8 and 6 and a half months old, have started fighting. Drawing blood, bullying amd tufts of hair flying. They have always seemed a bit agutated by each other, but it has never been this bad. What do I do??
 
You will need to permanently separate them. Put them side by side so they can still interact. Unfortunately the teen months can test even the strongest of bonds. So if one doesn’t want to submit there’s nothing that can be done. I’m sorry it hasn’t worked out.
 
This is the worst news. I had so much hope for them. They are such lovely, cuddly boys, but thank you. I will do so
 
What is their cage size? This can be important because too small can cause them to fight more.
 
The compatibility and ability to form a working hierarchy is down to them and unfortunately some just don’t make it through their teens. They will be happier apart.
 
Cage size can play a part but an unstable bond won’t be helped with more space.

@Theanette I’m sorry it didn’t work out. Don’t let it out you off boars in future though. Many of us on here have well bonded boars, including me. Where did you get them and how long were they together?

Also remember that they won’t be lonely. Interaction is about more than sharing a space. There’s smell and body language involved as well. Sight to an extent but not as much because they can’t see that well.
 
Siikibam said:
Cage size can play a part but an unstable bond won’t be helped with more space.

@Theanette I’m sorry it didn’t work out. Don’t let it out you off boars in future though. Many of us on here have well bonded boars, including me. Where did you get them and how long were they together?

Also remember that they won’t be lonely. Interaction is about more than sharing a space. There’s smell and body language involved as well. Sight to an extent but not as much because they can’t see that well.
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I got the eldest at a pet store which also sold me a too small cage. After reading up about cavies I understood that he needed a friend and got tjey younger one from a rescue. They were put together on neutral territory and allowed about an hour before we decided to bring them home. They have been together for about 5 or 6 months
 
Theanette said:
I havent actually seen blood but find scars and scabs on their bodies and have seen them fighting. What size cage do you recommend for each.
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Hi

Please take the time to read the green link about teenage boars and especially the chapter about 'what next' after a fall out. It lists all your options with their various pros and cons.

Most teenage boar fall-outs are caused by lack of space (the under-boar can not move out of the territory and is forced to fight). Sadly more people buy their guinea pigs for looks and not for which two same sex piggies are hanging out together most; this means a much higher risk of personality clashes once the big testosterone spikes happen. More than half the number of boar pairs do make it to adult hood together but you can never predict which ones.
Cage size is never as important as during the teenage months. Since guinea pigs are a ground roaming species, they need all the space they can get and much more than most people think or shops are required to provide cages for. :(

How big is your current cage and have you had your boys checked for a potential fungal (i.e. ringworm) or mange mites issue, just to make sure? These two issues can cause scabs and scars, too, and can make an appearance, especially in stressful situations when exposure has happened before you got them. Without access to your piggies and any pictures, we can only give you our own information so you do your own investigation and make as informed a decision as possible.
Cage Size Guide
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
 
Theanette said:
I got the eldest at a pet store which also sold me a too small cage. After reading up about cavies I understood that he needed a friend and got tjey younger one from a rescue. They were put together on neutral territory and allowed about an hour before we decided to bring them home. They have been together for about 5 or 6 months
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I'm glad you did your research! Petstore employees often don't know a lot of info.
 
Okay. You went about it the right way but I think it’s just an unlucky draw in this case. They can still be friends, just those who can’t live together 🙂 please don’t take it to heart. They’re complex animals with characters more complex than they’re given credit for. I guess it’s a bit like when us humans meet someone but we rub each other up the wrong way for no apparent reason.
 
They were both recently treated for parasites as a precaution not because they had any though. I also keep track of their weight and they are both picking up, but I have sort of been over compensating with food as Ive seen Dusty (the eldest and also the one doing most of the mounting) steal food from Bubbles (the youngest). The scab has come off but here is a pic20210211_232702.webp
 
Taking food from each others’ mouths is completely normal. However, I would say that you shouldn’t treat preventatively. This can lead to the parasites building up a resistance to the medicine.
 
I'm picking up the second cage tomorrow morning, but after yet another day of pulling out clumps of hair and another bloody scar I have one last question. What about their free play time outside. I let them play outside in the garden. Would they still be able to do that together from time to time as there is enough space to run free, hide among plants etc or is it absolute seperation from now on?
 
I'm glad they seem happier.
Nothing better than sleeping in a pile of hay if you're a piggy! (and that's why I dont use hayracks at all, they simply love running through and being amongst large, loose piles of hay!)
 
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