Question Concerning Bonding And Lap Time

[NavajoChikondi]

Hello, I just wanted to ask some questions as I'm a new pig owner and still need to learn lots!
First of all I wanted to ask about my baby guinea pig. I've had him for about a week now. He is quite the brave pig and at lap time he is now running around on my lap, sniffing a lot, making little noises, that sometimes get louder and than he starts nibbling my skin.. I don't have a clue if that means that he enjoys lap time or absolutely hates it..

The other question is about bonding my two boars,
first I thought, they'll get along nicely in a short amount of time. But they don't seem to like each other. They seem stressed, especially my older one. He doesn't let me pick him up anymore or goes into the tunnel to let me get him out. He also chattered his teeth at me ones. I can only take the little one out.
They don't talk to each other, they steal each others food, when I clean their cage they go nuts and chase each other, nipp at each other and pull each others hair. The little one also 'attacks' the other one with jumping in front of him, and sometimes even onto his face. Their is always teeth chattering going on between them.. I know that if there's no blood, everything is ok, but they just don't seem right for each other.. Should I try to find a new cagemate for one of them. Or even get one neutered and get a female (even though I really don't want my pigs to get surgery done if there's no need)?
Some advise would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds like they are not the happiest of pairings; however they are still very much in the dominance phase of bonding, so you have to put up with a fair deal of dominance behaviour. Mounting head on is something boars do.

If you really feel that they are not getting on, you can try a short trial separation. If one of the boars is perking up visibly as soon as he is on his own, it is a sign that he is not happy with the bond; if the bond is functional, they both want to be back with each other, especially if they are both very young.
You may find the tips in this guide here helpful (although it takes consideration to the fact that unlike in Germany, boars in the English speaking world are only neutered once their testicles have descended). Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Which part of Germany are you in? There are some good rescues dotted around.