Guinea pig advice

[phoebe jenkinson]

Hello
So I need some advice. I have four male guinea pigs separated into two pairs. My parents named gizmo and ghost who I bought from the same cage and have lived together since. have started fighting they have always been fighting like brother fighting but never anything like this. I noticed it was getting more aggressive the other day now one of my guinea pigs has recently been to the vets which means the separated required a few hours. I don’t know if that had something to do with it or if it’s cause one Megan guinea pigs is poorly but I’ve recently noticed the other ones ears were really really red so I got them out to have a look and he’s got trunk taken out the side of his ears and they are red I tried to go to the pet shop and get a temporary enclosure for one of them but I live in a very quiet village and all the pet shops are small and don’t really stock my guinea pig cage is a two level one and it does have a door that collapses down in the middle to separate the top of the bottom so I’ve done that and put weight on it to stop them from getting to each other my short head won’t ghost has also gone crazy. It’s like he’s gone feral running around the cage fighting on all the edges trying to get out.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Did you take the piggy to the vet because his ears are red or was it for another reason?

A medical issue can sometimes cause a disruption in a bond. An underlying tension can be brought to the surface if a dominant pig is unwell and unable to defend their position: thus allowing a disgruntled submissive to seize their chance to take over. Ultimately this can break a bond.

We also would always recommended bonded piggies go to the vet together. Separations between boars aren’t recommended.

If they are actually fighting and causing injury to each other then sadly it means their bond is most likely over and they could need to be separated permanently.

Two level cages are not really advisable. It isn’t how piggies live and can actually cause problems between boars with territories being formed.
If it is a commercial indoor cage then also two storey commercial cages are simply not big enough for two boys living together (there are no commercial cages really big enough for two boys). Two boys need a single level cage of 180x60cm. Anything less doesn’t provide enough room.

If they are required to be permanently separated due to a bond breakdown, then they cannot live in a one up/one down cage. I understand the current one up/one down separation is an emergency measure but should it need to become permanent then it’s not a long term living solution.
Being separated above and below removes all ability to interact and they can become lonely. Separated piggies must be side by side with each cage being a minimum of 120x60cm

If a piggy is upset by a separation it can sometimes be because they are upset at being prevented from fighting.
This depends on the hierarchy - which is the two is dominant and which one is most upset by the separation. If it is the instigator of any fights who is most upset by the separation you need to ignore it, they are going to be upset but it doesn’t mean they can go back together.

I’ve added some guides below which may help you further with potential bond issues and what to do next

Thread 'Bonds In Trouble'

Oct 30, 2017

1 Causes for bonds to fall apart
2 Bonds in Crisis
- What are the signs of a dysfunctional bond?
- Bullying
- How can I test whether a bond is no longer working?
3 Failed bonds and what next?
- What to do if my piggies have had a major fight?
- When rebonding doesn't work out


1 Causes for bonds to fall apart

Every fall-out has of course its own...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Bonding & Fall-outs

• 

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

May 22, 2015

1 The hormonal teenage months
- What are the most difficult times?
- What are your boars' chances of making it together?
- What can help to boost your boys' chances?
- What does NOT work?
2 Fighting, bullying and when to separate
- What are the signs of a dysfunctional bond?
- How can I test whether a bond is no longer working?
- What to do if your boars had a bloody fight?
3 Life after...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

 

[phoebe jenkinson]

They ware wooden and kettle hutches the vet visit wasn’t to do with his ears it was the other Guinea Pig one of them keep swaying the back end side to side looking across into the other cage where my other 2 guinea pigs are he seems stressed out

 

[Piggies&buns]

I don’t know what you mean by a wooden and kettle hutch.

What was wrong with the other guinea pig?

The swaying is the back end (you may also see him shifting his weight from side to side) is called rumblestrutting. It’s a perfectly normal dominance behaviour, nothing to be concerned about.

 

[phoebe jenkinson]

The other Guinea Pig went to the vets because he had a grass seed stuck behind his eyelid which caused an ulcer
It’s meant to say a wooden and metal hutch
The one doing all the swaying is ghost and gizmo was the one that used to be like the boss dominant one until he came home from the vets