Hello so I have got my three males, I split them up because in the travel carrier on the way home that had a fight. So all three are split up because they drew blood. But the two that are okay with each other are now chuttering and rumbostrutting at each other and I don’t want them to hurt each other even more. What should I do?
Is chuttering and rumbostrutting normal?
- Thread starter Je12
- Start date
I’m sorry to hear the falling out has happened already. Unfortunately there was always this risk in taking on three teenage boars.
As I think I mentioned on your other threads, moving to a new environment causes them to reestablish their relationship. In tense and unstable bonds (and a boar trio is one of the most unstable) the move can cause a breakdown in the relationship. In two compatible piggies and a bond which is functioning they will still reestablish. It will see a bit of extra dominance behaviour but it should settle after around two weeks.
Your boys now need to reesstablish but also establish as a new hierarchy as a pair.
Rumblestrutting is a normal dominance behaviour and, on its own, is not a reason to separate. However, you need to take their behaviour as a whole to gauge their relationship. They will need to come to an agreement between them over which one is the dominant and the other has to be prepared to back down. If he does and they are compatible then they will likely be ok as a pair. If he doesn’t, then their pairing will also fail and they too will need to be separated.
The first guide below explains the levels of dominance and the behaviours you might see at those levels.
The second guide explains how to spot a dysfunctional bond and how to test it. The temporary separation for a few days and neutral territory reintroduction is a one time thing - it allows them to make their own decision as to whether they actually want to be together. You should not repeatedly separate and reintroduce boars.
The third guide explains teen boars in more detail.
Do give them all a read as they explain everything more fully than we can repeat in every post
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
As I think I mentioned on your other threads, moving to a new environment causes them to reestablish their relationship. In tense and unstable bonds (and a boar trio is one of the most unstable) the move can cause a breakdown in the relationship. In two compatible piggies and a bond which is functioning they will still reestablish. It will see a bit of extra dominance behaviour but it should settle after around two weeks.
Your boys now need to reesstablish but also establish as a new hierarchy as a pair.
Rumblestrutting is a normal dominance behaviour and, on its own, is not a reason to separate. However, you need to take their behaviour as a whole to gauge their relationship. They will need to come to an agreement between them over which one is the dominant and the other has to be prepared to back down. If he does and they are compatible then they will likely be ok as a pair. If he doesn’t, then their pairing will also fail and they too will need to be separated.
The first guide below explains the levels of dominance and the behaviours you might see at those levels.
The second guide explains how to spot a dysfunctional bond and how to test it. The temporary separation for a few days and neutral territory reintroduction is a one time thing - it allows them to make their own decision as to whether they actually want to be together. You should not repeatedly separate and reintroduce boars.
The third guide explains teen boars in more detail.
Do give them all a read as they explain everything more fully than we can repeat in every post
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Ok thank you I have read all the articles. They seem gentle to each other after I removed the fighter. They chew at the bars and give nose rubs to each other through them. I’m just not sure because the skinny pig wasn’t fighting but got the worst end of it with some wounds to the face and rear from the other two fighting. I think I will let them reestablish their dominance while monitoring them today. Would it be best to do a bonding session or just watch them in the enclosure?
As long as the enclosure is new then it is neutral so there is no need to move them from their enclosure
Seven7
Forum Donator 2024/25
I have three boys and Finn and Bear live together while Ben lives next to the two bonded boys. Ben being right next to the two boys works well for us, less stress.
Finn and Ben are bonded so they get along but boys will be boys, so they fight a little.
Finn and Ben are bonded so they get along but boys will be boys, so they fight a little.