Introducing A New Boar To An Existing Boar.

[louwhiskyy]

Stuey is our existing pig (male).
He is around a year old and just recently lost his twin brother Huey, who he was very close to. He seemed quite depressed about that and we decided we wanted to get him a friend.

Poe is our new addition. Also male, we got him from a rescue and we are unsure of his age, though it's believed he might be under two. Poe also lost his life time mate at the pound (who apparently was also male) and it just seemed right to join these two lonely boys together.
Poe is neutered, and was housed with females at the rescue.

These two piggies are confusing us greatly. On the car trip home they lay side by side with no arguments. In a run on the floor in our living room the two chose to lie together in the same house but now have begun to fight. This was yesterday afternoon, and we left them for most of the day in this large pen just chilling. My parents then decided it would be a good idea (while i was out) to put them back in Stuey's cage - which hadn't even been cleaned - so they started chasing each other, teeth chattering and all that. ( though some of this was happening in the run). We decided for the night to separate the two, leaving Stuey in his cage and Poe in the run and then this morning re introduced Stuey back into the run. Sometimes they are cuddled together in the same house, and at other times Poe is tugging clumps of Stuey's hair out.

All bowls, house's etc. have been cleaned with vinegar.

Anyway, at this point in time they are just lying in their separate houses ignoring each other. Enough research has told me that they need to sort out their differences.

What should we do?
should we take their houses out and encourage them to sort out their issues?
any other advice would be really helped.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for your loss! You are very welcome to post a tribute to Huey in our Rainbow Bridge section.

It is lovely that you have gone rescue to find Stuey a new friend.

However, bonding adult males or boars of any age on spec is always rather a hit-and-miss affair. It takes on average about 1-3 boars to find "Mr. Right", but it can take even longer with very dominant boys. Your situation is not helped by Poe having lived with sows, which means he has to deal with a reduction in status, too.

Guinea pigs that are afraid will always hunker down and snuggle up, like yours in the car.

As your two haven't had bloody fights with bites, I would not yet give up, but be aware that it can happen and that you need to think about a plan B in case the bonding is not working out. Please also note that every separation forces your boars to restart the bonding process/hierarchy sort out right from the beginning; with boars it is unfortunately not a stop and go, but a ride-the-tiger thing!
You will find these information threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/

With members from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county/city to your details, so we can always tailor our advice to your local conditions and options straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thanks!

 

[louwhiskyy]

Thank you!

We have had Poe for three days now and I think introductions have so far gone well, and though I am sure they will have little spats in the future, I am relatively sure this is going to work out.
We experienced a lot of the behaviours that were outlined in the behavioural info you linked. That was very helpful to us.

We found in the end that we just had to let them sort out their issues (as was described) and put them in the pen together with no houses. I admit it was quite distressing because Stuey was crying out, but he wasn't being hurt and now they seem to get along really well! Today we had cuddles with them both laying on each other.

To be honest, I think they were both lonely and once the hierarchy was sorted they seem glad to have each other. They follow each around. Especially Stuey as he seems to have perked up a lot, though Poe definitely has position as the top guinea pig.

Today we were anxious about putting them together in the main cage (not quite as neutral a space) but after vigorous vinegar cleaning it seems to have gone all right! I am very relieved.

The only issue is that we noticed a small scab between Stuey's nose and mouth - presumably from the first day together, that regrettably somehow we missed. Though at this point we aren't too concerned about fighting - though aware we should keep an eye on it, we are still a little bit concerned.
It's not bad, but how should we treat the wound? Will it be ok on it's own?

Thank you for all your help.

 

[JRS1990]

My Ozzie once had a scab in that same place after being nipped. The vet advised us to keep it clean and it will heal. The vet took the scab off and wiped it down then we cleaned it twice a day. Perhaps try sterile salt water? I'm not a vet myself though.

Glad your boys seem to be getting on better

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you!

We have had Poe for three days now and I think introductions have so far gone well, and though I am sure they will have little spats in the future, I am relatively sure this is going to work out.
We experienced a lot of the behaviours that were outlined in the behavioural info you linked. That was very helpful to us.

We found in the end that we just had to let them sort out their issues (as was described) and put them in the pen together with no houses. I admit it was quite distressing because Stuey was crying out, but he wasn't being hurt and now they seem to get along really well! Today we had cuddles with them both laying on each other.

To be honest, I think they were both lonely and once the hierarchy was sorted they seem glad to have each other. They follow each around. Especially Stuey as he seems to have perked up a lot, though Poe definitely has position as the top guinea pig.

Today we were anxious about putting them together in the main cage (not quite as neutral a space) but after vigorous vinegar cleaning it seems to have gone all right! I am very relieved.

The only issue is that we noticed a small scab between Stuey's nose and mouth - presumably from the first day together, that regrettably somehow we missed. Though at this point we aren't too concerned about fighting - though aware we should keep an eye on it, we are still a little bit concerned.
It's not bad, but how should we treat the wound? Will it be ok on it's own?

Thank you for all your help.

Glad that all is going well so far!

A small scab is much more likely from an accidental swipe than from a bite and nothing to worry about. You can disinfect with hibiscrub, sterile saline solution from the pharmacy or by making you own saline; simply mix 1 teaspoon of salt into 1 pint of boiled cooled water. Keep an eye on the scap just in more unlikely case there is going to be a widening bald area around the scab in the next few days (i.e. fungal or ringworm).

The loud squeaking is submission and not a hurt piggy; it tends to throw owners who have never experienced it before.