Fighting gp's

[Dale22]

Hello. I have 2 male pigs about 5 months old. They had an awful fight a few days ago where one was bleeding and in total shock. I thought he was going to die but he didn't. They are now of course separated but both seem to have had a complete personality change since. The attacked pig has gone completely docile, slow and like he has a head injury (is this possible) and the other one is extremely anxious, hyper, vocal and desperate to get out of his cage gnawing the mesh. I do think we need to remove one of them but my daughter who is 8 and who bought them is distraught at that suggestion. I suppose 2 questions- can a fight cause personality change and is there any point trying to gradually re introduce them to each other? At the moment they are both scared of each other

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I’m sorry to say a reintroduction following an injury causing/blood drawing fight is not possible. Such fights usually occur because of a character clash and if you were to try to reintroduce them it would likely just cause another fight - once piggies decide they dont like each other, they don’t change their minds.

Its quite normal for the aggressor to be upset at the separation, bar chew etc (it can simply be because they want to fight again), but things should calm down in time when they get used to their new living arrangements.

Single piggies will need to live side by side so they can interact through the bars only to prevent loneliness.
You will need to make sure each cage is a minimum of 120x60cm so they each have enough room in their respective cages.

When you say remove one of them, do you mean rehome?

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

If you are at all concerned about the injuries, please do see a vet

 

[weepweeps]

I'm so sorry your piggies have had a fight. They will be fine living separately. I used to have four piggies all living alone after they all fought.

 

[Dale22]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I’m sorry to say a reintroduction following an injury causing/blood drawing fight is not possible. Such fights usually occur because of a character clash and if you were to try to reintroduce them it would likely just cause another fight - once piggies decide they dont like each other, they don’t change their minds.

Its quite normal for the aggressor to be upset at the separation, bar chew etc (it can simply be because they want to fight again), but things should calm down in time when they get used to their new living arrangements.

Single piggies will need to live side by side so they can interact through the bars only to prevent loneliness.
You will need to make sure each cage is a minimum of 120x60cm so they each have enough room in their respective cages.

When you say remove one of them, do you mean rehome?

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

If you are at all concerned about the injuries, please do see a vet

Sorry yes l meant rehome! The hutches are big and originally they could see each other but this was upsetting the injured one so for now l have stopped that but l can change it once things calm down.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Piggies&buns]

Living side by side is the normal course of action for separated piggies and they can be happy like that.
Hutches make side by side living and through the bar interaction more difficult but positioning them so they can still interact (and bearing in mind interaction is through smell and sound more than sight given piggies eyesight isn’t the strongest sense) is important for singles once they have settled from the fight.