Looking After Friend's Pigs And Experiencing Behavioural Problems!

[catslovelycats]

Hi all.
I'm after some advice please!
I've just taken in 2 unneutered boars while my friend is on holiday. One of them bullies the other and blocks the food and water. I countered that by adding another 2 bowls to the cage.
They are in an indoor cage that is 150cm long and easily twice the size of the little hutch they usually live in.
There is a lot of tooth chattering and rumble strutting going on and when I put them out in the run they fight. Full-blown fighting that I can only end by throwing towels over them to split them.
My friend says they get on well "apart from" the bullying. The pig that gets bullied in the cage seems to be the one insitgating the fighting in the run. (?)

I've texted my friend to say there are problems and have separated them for now as they can't be together without fighting. I do have girl pigs but they are shut up in the shed, but could they be the problem? The boys stayed with me last year and I had no trouble with them, but they are now 2 years old and I wonder if that makes a difference?

Any advice? I know separating them a long time will make it impossible/very hard to out them back together again, but I can't watch them 24/7 so think keeping them uninjured is the priority, until my friend gets back to me.

Feeling really stressed over this. I feel like I've failed!

Thanks for advice

 

[rosie and bramble]

As long as blood is not drawn you will be better leaving them to it. Just add big piles of hay,plates of veggies as distractions. You could also try a buddy bath it can cause more damage by seperating them x

 

[catslovelycats]

They have loads of hay and veg. In the run edrward was so intent on fighting and chasing Ben that they ignored the veg. They ate what I gave them last night, but I ended up putting it in 2 piles. I can't stand over them and am worried that blood WILL be drawn. I'm sure it would have been had I not split them earlier this morning. They didn't stop biting each other - even when I was standing right over them shouting and banging. I feel responsible that under my care the pigs shouldn't get hurt. I hope my friend will get back to me soon, but in the mean time I'm really not sure what's best.
At the moment they are in separate runs next to each other and Edward is pacing and tooth chattering at Ben all the time.