Ohno! Max and Scruffy have been fighting! what should i do

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moonie8404

moonie8404

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Ihave been away in london this weekend and just came to my parents(who are piggysitting) who informed me last night that Max and scruffy had a spat - and little Scruffy has a bitten nose, mouth and the corner of his mouth has been ripped.

Apparently it started with Max kept climbing on top of Scruffy head trying to hump him! and Scruffy was getting annoyed, so started pushing under Max, and then the teeth chattering, chasing, etc started and then all hell broke loose.

Mum and dad stayed up til very late to make sure they were okay - they are fine and not fighting anymore but Scruffy is really sheepish today. This is the second fight they have had this week but first time blood has been drawn. Its ever since I moved house a couple of weeks ago.

Do you think this could be the reason why, do you think maybe I should get Max done as he's the one that tries to hump scruffy all the time!

Scruffy is the dominant one and the eldest, i just dont get it! they've been together a year and nothing and then suddenly it starts happening

MY poor baby boy, i have been bathing this injuries with mild salt water - any other suggestions?
 
Neutering a male won't stop fighting, as it doesn't inhibit the hormones, only the tadpoles...

But the move could easily have upset them, so they are more on edge. Guinea pigs are very aware of their surroundings, and any changes need time to get absorbed.

Hopefully, they can settle down again. Would it be a help if you separated them for a day or two, so they feel really sory for themselves, and them reintroduced them on neutral territory with lots of space?
 
PLEASEHELPSAVEboris said:
go to the thread "fighting piggies" in behaviour, boureki has given some good advice on there and a website you can visit to help xxxxx
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Just had a look there - i think its the change of house, its all a new environment. I m going to keep close watch but poor little Scruffy looks so down, i cant help but keep cuddling him.

Max is quite a fiesty little man, hence my thinking maybe he might have to have a castration, but i really dont want to put him through that unless really necessary!
 
I know blood has been drawn them but I would be reluctant to split them unless it starts again. Where the boys in your mums house? It could have been a new environment if so.

I would monitor closely but if it happens again I would split them which is an absolute pain in the backside. I'm currently watching Sunshine and Radley and Milo and Twinkle as S&T keep pinning R&M against the bars to hump them!

It must be humping season at the mo!

Now Max and Scruffy be good boys, you look like butter wouldn't melt as well! x
 
Hopefully it will die down, but if the fighting is escalating they will need a lot of monitoring! Perhaps try seperating with a mesh divider for a few hours for a bit of time away, it may help, or a DAP plug-in near the pigs so it wafts over them.

It could have happened because of the move, are their immediate surroundings (cage and toys etc) all still the same? It could be spring in which case the pheremone plug-in may calm them, their ages, or it could be all of it combined. Neutering isn't supposed to help calm aggression or dominance in pigs though apparently.
 
BeckyP said:
Thing is neutering only takes away the sperm, not the boar behaviours :(
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it calmed down my rabbit i had before when he was castrated, I thought it would be the same for guinea pigs?
 
Nope them, neutering doesn't alter behaviour. Nutty is still the same as ever after his neuter, still humps anything in sight! :(|)
 
boureki said:
Hopefully it will die down, but if the fighting is escalating they will need a lot of monitoring! Perhaps try seperating with a mesh divider for a few hours for a bit of time away, it may help, or a DAP plug-in near the pigs so it wafts over them.

It could have happened because of the move, are their immediate surroundings (cage and toys etc) all still the same? It could be spring in which case the pheremone plug-in may calm them, their ages, or it could be all of it combined. Neutering isn't supposed to help calm aggression or dominance in pigs though apparently.
Click to expand...

Thanks, what is this plug?! where can you get it? sounds brilliant and could calm down Max possibly as hes the only one whos getting like it!
 
thanks guys.

Lou - you would think so wouldnt you! butter wouldnt melt...lol

yes am i at my parents at the moment, going to be moving them back later. I live in a studio so they are in with me so will be able to watch them closely. they are not fighting at all now and just sulking.
 
If necessary let htem have play time togeter, but sleep separately; sometimes that works. Hopefully, they'll settle down again when they are in their usual environment.
 
The DAPs are supposed to be effective, but are not cheap! You can get them from your vets usually but will pay through the nose for them there, or could find them cheaper online. It HAS to be the dog one thought, not the cat one.

It's like the air freshener plug ins: http://www.doggiesolutions.co.uk/d-a-p-dog-appeasing-pheromone-497-0.html scroll down a bit to see the actual product :)

It's probably just the pigs adapting and re-establishing the order after the move and there is a reasonable chance that they could calm down once they have sorted it out. Good luck!
 
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