Hump-a-thom

[AidaB]

I am worried.
Hector and Hamish are roughly3yrs old.

Bit of background first, Hamish hurt himself on Wednesday night, he was limping & not weight bearing on his front foot. He has very swollen front elbow joint.
We went to the vets yesterday, he’s on Metacam & was using his paw a little more this morning.
However, I just put the boys in the playpen while I clean out their home and we have a full on hump-a-thon.

The boys are usually pretty chilled towards each other and it’s hard to tell who’s boss, we thought it was Hamish.
I have removed everything except the hay pile, and they have been going for 5 mins. Hector currently has had the last hump- Hamish is laying down eating. …. No he had just been mounted again.

Really concerned that Hamish has an injury-I don’t really know how long I should let them try to settle their differences.
I am sure Hector is challenging Hamish as Hamish is not well.

Any ideas welcome.
How long do I give it before separating and using neutral territory? (The playpen is exactly the same as last night, plenty of used bedding).

 

[AidaB]

Boys are laying down away from each other in a corner. Not far way. Our play pen is a wobbly shape. Both look done in. Glad the mounting is finished for now.

 

[AidaB]

All is a little calmer & I feel less on edge. Boys have eaten and slept a bit. Still the occasional mounting going on, mostly Hector mounting Hamish.
When do you think it’s safe to return houses & tunnels?
I guess lawn time is a bad idea today.

What’s best for letting the boys go home? I was mid clean- so they can have a totally clean home or some old smelly fleece pads back in.
This was earlier- now they really are napping away from each other.

 

[Wiebke]

I am worried.
Hector and Hamish are roughly3yrs old.

Bit of background first, Hamish hurt himself on Wednesday night, he was limping & not weight bearing on his front foot. He has very swollen front elbow joint.
We went to the vets yesterday, he’s on Metacam & was using his paw a little more this morning.
However, I just put the boys in the playpen while I clean out their home and we have a full on hump-a-thon.

The boys are usually pretty chilled towards each other and it’s hard to tell who’s boss, we thought it was Hamish.
I have removed everything except the hay pile, and they have been going for 5 mins. Hector currently has had the last hump- Hamish is laying down eating. …. No he had just been mounted again.

Really concerned that Hamish has an injury-I don’t really know how long I should let them try to settle their differences.
I am sure Hector is challenging Hamish as Hamish is not well.

Any ideas welcome.
How long do I give it before separating and using neutral territory? (The playpen is exactly the same as last night, plenty of used bedding).

Hi

It can well be that Hector is dominance mounting if the hierarchy has switched. The injury does however not sound very serious if he can put weight on his foot again today; likely just a sprain. Hamish will assert himself again when he's had enough.

Just let them get on with it and sort themselves out. The more you interfere, the more you upset the balance further.

 

[piggieminder]

I would put some used pee pads back in the clean cage so it's not all completely new. Nothing stokes a humping session like a clean cage! With my pairs I've always changed main fleece one day, pads the next. I absolutely love boars but sometimes Good luck!

 

[AidaB]

Thank you both.
If the boys were toddlers they would have been given time outs at 8am this morning!
Both were mounting each other every which way possible, felt like it was never going to end.

Peace currently reigns, a couple of houses have been returned & we have had no mounting for just over an hour.

I usually give them a few old smelly pads on clean out day, so will do so as normal and keep my fingers crossed.
They can stay in the playpen for now as I have to go out soon and I would rather we had calm than chaos.