Next steps after separating boars

[Taratjj]

After having to separate 2 males due to bullying last month everything seemed calm with them living side by side bit of rumbling and chattering but nothing unexpected. Until a few days ago, Theo the bully starting nipping through the bars separating them pulling Jeff’s long locks out at every opportunity and stinking out the house several times a day he rumbles at Jeff pretty much constant to the point I covered the divider earlier just for some peace! But that was short lived he just made more noise. He spends his whole time free roaming at Jeff’s bars rumble strutting and leaving his stinky stench all over and has become impossible to handle and he was ok before never any issue with grooming now he’s squirming away and nipping at us. Jeff’s pretty happy minus the nipping and and he ignores the rumbling etc he is eating better piled all his lost weight back on and then some the little chunk! He is much more relaxed and his cheeky personality has really come out.

I’m so unsure on what to do next. Would getting him a neutered and a female roomy calm him? Move him away from Jeff? I’m open to all suggestions that would make both piggies happy and content. I am just at a loss. I had 1 unhappy piggy being bullied now the other is unhappy because he can’t bully

 

[Piggies&buns]

How old are they?
I’m wondering if you’re dealing with teen hormones and potentially spring fever.

You can move them slightly further apart (enough so he can’t reach him through the bars), or double up on bars to make the gaps smaller - but they still need to be next to each other for interaction.

If you can manage more piggies then neutering and getting sows is an option.
It’s not necessarily going to calm him down, he will still show all the same dominance behaviours as it is normal.

if you neuter one and bond with a sow but don’t do the other, then you need to ensure the cage is very secure so the unneutered single boar can’t escape the cage and get in with them (will obviously cause a pregnancy and a fight between the boys).

 

[Taratjj]

Theo started out with just normal dominant behaviour that seems to of progressed and he’s turned into a completely different pig. Poor Jeff wasn’t allowed to eat drink use beds eat hay even though we had at least 2 of everything etc he lost so much weight and had so many bites and hair loss. I’m afraid of getting Theo a lady and he is still a bully. Obviously I could then neuter Jeff and try that way as he’s such a sweetheart and so calm. Complete opposites

I didn’t think to add another layer of bars! Thank you I can do that right now on the divider part. Both boys were born late May 2023 so do we have long left? I’ve teenage sons and they haven’t caused me as much stress as our T. Any tips on nail trimming while he’s acting like he’s been tortured would also be handy. He’s never really minded before now.

Spring fever? I haven’t heard of that?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Just because Theo bullied a boar doesn’t mean he will bully a sow. It also doesn’t actually mean he would definitely bully another boar. It may just have been that he had a problem with Jeff.

They are teenagers until 14 months of age but hormones don’t end then. Ie some rescues wouldn’t attempt boar bonding until they are over 18 months of age and would instead recommend you neuter and bond with a sow.

Spring fever - we find some boars just go a bit crazy around spring time. Piggies don’t have a breeding season now (they will breed year round) but their wild ancestors would start breeding from spring and we do find some boars just still have a bout of that instinct and become a bit of a handful!
I have four boars (a pair and two singles) and when my pair were younger, I noticed a bit of an uptick in dominance during spring.

 

[Taratjj]

Late reply sorry! Thanks for info I’ve successfully bonded Jeff with an older male this week who was a friends and recently lost his cage mate and she didn’t want another piggy, no humping no rumbling no nothing it’s been so lovely, obviously Theo is quite annoyed by this! We did think about trying Theo with Biscuit but the connection was so perfect with Jeff, both are so laid back. So it’s time to find him a friend too.

I’m worried about adding a female next to or above Jeff and Biscuit as I’ve read the smell can cause them to fight? I don’t have space in another room so needing peoples opinions? The boys cage would be under ted and his potential wife’s cage but all have different free roam time so would see each other through bars.

Spring fever would explain a few things with Ted he’s been a little better today I’ve managed to cut his nails and have a nice snuggle. I do think he is a bit lonely though and I’m desperate to make him as happy as the other 2.

 

[Piggies&buns]

You ideally do not want to ever introduce sows into a room where boars live. It can cause the boys bond to be ruined.
When you have a boar pair the safest option is to only ever have boar pairs - Ted really needs a boar friend to be safest

If you absolutely must add a sow, then you should stack cages and the sow/boar cage must be at the bottom. This is to stop anything sow smelling falling downwards. However this is not a guarantee that the boar pair would not fall out.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars