Males and dominance!

[flintstones]

hey,

My boys are getting on good but tonight we had an episode. Fred lies in a cardboard box you can only go in the front so I gave Fred a bit of carrot in there when I put the veg out. The veg bowls were full I can only think Marvin saw or heard Fred munching the carrot he flew in there and took the carrot off Fred. Fred went to get the carrot back never seen my boys try to get there heads so high flicking there heads in between the flicking of the heads Marvin was still eating the carrot... then I think only think there was some chatter wasn't very loud the next thing they were balls of fluff. No one was hurt and yes when I startled them Fred managed to run off with the carrot. Reading the behaviour they say loud chattering, yawning and lunging, they just lunged does this mean it wasn't serious I'm so confused and Fred hasn't came out his box all night and MArvin was not backing down he is only 13 weeks and big for his age could he have hit hormones already? I actually think he might be bullying Fred is this crazy?

Anybody have an opinion.

 

[LesaC]

I actually see my girls do something akin to this more than my boys. My boys tend to lift a piece of veg each out of the bowl and just happily munch away; the girls are more prone to try stealing pieces of each other even though there is plenty to go around for everyone, they get into this tug of war situation until someone comes up victorious and gets the piece of veg all to themselves. They will either just walk away from each other and that will be it or the victor will set it down to eat it and someone else will walk up and steal it.

I don't think you have anything to worry about at the moment and don't think it has gone as far as bullying. Marvin could well just be trying to throw his weight around and it's very normal to see one piggy to try to steal food from the mouth of another. I'd suggest not putting any veg in a hidey and just leave it out in the open cage in bowls. However, you might find Fred is inclined to take it to the hidey anyway if that is what he likes to do. Do cut a second exit/entrance out in the cardboard hidey so that Fred can't be cornered in it.

 

[flintstones]

Fred seems to like it like that I may do that but they don't fight in the box just outside it... Fred has a cut on his side but I have watched him scratching and were he is scratching is were the scab is! Could he have hurt myself scratching?

When I came in this morning they were both squashed in the box but I think they got startled by the bands walkin down the street so I think that was though fear more than anything!