Please help my Boars are fighting!

[Sunnyandbutch]

My two boars have been fighting constantly for the past hour. The alpha pig is picking on his younger brother and I am hearing lots of complaining noises, rumble struts and teeth chattering. They have been together since birth and ever since we got them 8 months ago they have never fought for this long. I have a C and C so should I split the cage in two while I go to work to make sure one does not try to block the other from food? Will this hurt their bond?

 

[Bradshaw Piggies]

Hello,

If they are 8 months they are well into what I like to call their 'teenage hormonal' months Rumble strutting and displays or dominance are perfectly normal behaviours (within reason of course). If there is teeth chattering, biting or lunging then we have a problem.
Do you also regularly weigh your piggies to make sure no bullying is occurring with one restricting the other from food?


How much space do they have? Do you have two of everything and lots of hay piles?

Sorry for all of the questions. If fighting continues, then yes they may have to live separately. Depending on age and hormone levels, sometimes boars can be re-bonded after a short separation. If not, living as neighbours and interacting through the bars is the next best option.

 

[Wiebke]

My two boars have been fighting constantly for the past hour. The alpha pig is picking on his younger brother and I am hearing lots of complaining noises, rumble struts and teeth chattering. They have been together since birth and ever since we got them 8 months ago they have never fought for this long. I have a C and C so should I split the cage in two while I go to work to make sure one does not try to block the other from food? Will this hurt their bond?

Hi!

Please split the cage asap for at least 2 days until the current hormone spike has died down and then do a formal re-intro on neutral gound afterwards. You should know pretty quickly then whether the bond is broken or not. Have thick oven gloves and a carrier box on stand-by. The longer you leave them scrapping, the higher the risk that things get into permanent fall-out country.

In the end it all comes down whether your boys want to be still together or not. There is no magic wand measure that can make them. It is a tiger you have to ride with every bond the way you have to ride a human marriage - success is never guaranteed.

More detailed practical information on the teenage months, temporary separations and re-intros: Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

All the best!