Four Male Piggies Bonding Help!

[elena]

Hello everyone! Need some help/opinions mostly about what to do with my 4 boys. Basically, I have:



1. 4 years old

2. 3 years and 8 months old

3. 1 year and a couple months

4. 6 months old



I neeeed help with bonding. You'll see, (i hope this is understandable) I used to have my 4yo with the 3yo one till I adopted the 1 yo one, then apparently their bond (4&3) broke and I had to separate the 3 yo from them (i hope this is understandable).



>>Then, when I adopted the 6 months old (I was planning him bonding with the 3yo that was apart from the rest), but from ONLY listening to him, the 4 yo and 1 yo broke their bond and fought, my 4yo even got his lipsies injured. Need to highlight, I didn't try bonding them 3, they simply broke their bond by listening to the baby or, I assume, maybe the 1yo reaching adulthood.



I reunited the 4 yo and 6 months old without issue because older male piggies always love babies (who doesn't?!). Thing now is, I have two separated boys and I feel terrible for them.



Matches I have tried:



I have tried bonding between the 3yo and 1yo (fight)...



Have tried fixing the bond of the 3yo and 1yo (separated never the 3 of them) with my 4yo (fight)



Tried bonding the 1yo with the 6 months old and surprisingly he fought with the baby! the BABY!



I really do not know what to do, do u guys think it may be that I am definitely doing something wrong? Should I simply stick with my 4yo and 6 months old together (for now, lets see if their bond doesnt break in the future) and just accept my other two boys will have to be separated? I saw that Scotty's Animals said this may simply be the reality since male bonding has a 20% chance of occurring.



If thats the case, what do u guys think I did wrong while trying to fix the bonds? It was neutral space, big bonding area, lots of hay but the second I added the other one a fight would occur. And wow, 4 cages it's gonna be rough, but what makes me feel worse is them living separately

 

[Bill & Ted]

It sounds like you have tried everything. I think I would be included to let your single boys live side by side. Once an injury has occurred it’s classed as a failed bond and no matter what you try these two individuals are not likely to work as a pair. Hope your 4 year old and 6 month old make it though

Have a look at the bonding guides and boar guide, it’s really useful info
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Unfortunately, despite your best attempts, by far not all piggies will go together. With pairs and small groups it all comes always down to whether they are character compatible and whether they want to be together. You can never make to.

Your 'baby' is currently a teenager at the life-time height of his hormone output and at the most difficult time for boar bonding. Just to put that into perspective. The teenage months run from around 4-14 months. Adulthood starts around 15 months when the hormones settle down again somewhat but can still cause the occasional short-lived spike.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars (see chapters on the different ages and companionship options)
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Please keep your remaining working pair together and try to work out a 'company through bars' set-up for the other two - whether that is next to the bonded pair or in adjoining cages/pens on a different level, depending on your space options. Please make sure that your single boys have company through the bars for round the clock full body sight, smell and vocal interaction and constant stimulation (i.e. full communication).
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities (see chapters on fallen-out singles and interactive needs)

Most boar quartets end up with 2-1-1 combo in our long term experience, so you are pretty much running to form and not doing anything wrong, considering that you live in a country where you cannot rescue date for a personlity match before bringing home a new companion.

 

[elena]

It sounds like you have tried everything. I think I would be included to let your single boys live side by side. Once an injury has occurred it’s classed as a failed bond and no matter what you try these two individuals are not likely to work as a pair. Hope your 4 year old and 6 month old make it though

Have a look at the bonding guides and boar guide, it’s really useful info
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Thank you! You are def right, fingers crossed the baby and 4yo work!

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry your bondings have not worked out. I used to have four separate cages after a pet shop told me 4 boys could live together. They all fell out in the end. It was sad but they all managed fine living next to another piggy for company.

So you have a pair and 2 singles? They will be fine as long as they can see, hear and smell a friend.

I don’t think you did anything wrong. They have decided they don’t want to live together anymore. Good luck.

 

[elena]

Hi

Your 'baby' is currently a teenager at the life-time height of his hormone output and at the most difficult time for boar bonding. Just to put that into perspective. The teenage months run from around 4-14 months. Adulthood starts around 15 months when the hormones settle down again somewhat but can still cause the occasional short-lived spike.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars (see chapters on the different ages and companionship options)
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Please keep your remaining working pair together and try to work out a 'company through bars' set-up for the other two - whether that is next to the bonded pair or in adjoining cages/pens on a different level, depending on your space options. Please make sure that your single boys have company through the bars for round the clock full body sight, smell and vocal interaction and constant stimulation (i.e. full communication).
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities (see chapters on fallen-out singles and interactive needs)

Most boar quartets end up with 2-1-1 combo in our long term experience, so you are pretty much running to form and not doing anything wrong, considering that you live in a country where you cannot rescue date for a personlity match before bringing home a new companion.

Thank you thank you! I'll be reading those articles, it's a shame they will have to be separated but I didn't knew it was kinda common. That's a relief (lowkey).. Thank you again, from me and my boys

 

[elena]

I’m sorry your bondings have not worked out. I used to have four separate cages after a pet shop told me 4 boys could live together. They all fell out in the end. It was sad but they all managed fine living next to another piggy for company.

So you have a pair and 2 singles? They will be fine as long as they can see, hear and smell a friend.

I don’t think you did anything wrong. They have decided they don’t want to live together anymore. Good luck.

Thank you for the answer! 4 cages woahh, lots of work! I hate pet shops, they should srsly be regulated. And you! fingers crossed the small one won't grow into a meanie with the older one...