Fighting

Pixiedust111

Pixiedust111

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Hello. We have 3 guinea pigs, all male. One lives alone ( aged 5, his brother died 2 years ago) the other two ( also brothers aged 1) live in an adjoining cage. The younger two have started fighting and it’s become a real problem. One is very aggressive, the other submissive but it’s got to the point where the dominant brother is preventing the other from eating/ drinking/ even moving around the cage. Would it be worth trying to move the submissive brother in with his older neighbour? Or will I need 3 cages? They definitely need to be split up, his life is becoming a misery and he’s losing weight. Thanks in advance. Any advice? Thanks in advance.
 
It sounds as if the pair no longer have a working bond so separating them is the best thing to do.

You could try one of them with your single boy but as a successful bond comes down to character compatibility, whether any bonding will work is entirely down the piggies. If you do try it, then you must do so on neutral territory.
If you can’t get one of them to bond with your current single, then yes you will need three cages

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
If I try to put the submissive boy in with the older one what is the best approach?
 
Pixiedust111 said:
If I try to put the submissive boy in with the older one what is the best approach?
Click to expand...

The guide I linked in above - bonding and interaction - details the procedure for how to carry out a bonding.

Do not put the piggy into your older boys cage. It must be done on neutral territory. If you put a piggy into another piggy’s cage then it will be seen as a territory invasion
 
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