Separate the guineas?

[Tonisita]

Can anybody advise me? One of my two guineas displays dominance behaviours but today he 'humped' the other guinea but head on! The other one has a cut on the side of his mouth too. I have separated them in different pens but don't know whether to do this long term or what I can do to stop this. I found it quite upsetting.

 

[Wiebke]

Can anybody advise me? One of my two guineas displays dominance behaviours but today he 'humped' the other guinea but head on! The other one has a cut on the side of his mouth too. I have separated them in different pens but don't know whether to do this long term or what I can do to stop this. I found it quite upsetting.

Hi

Can you please specify what gender and age your piggies are? Humping from any side is more characteristic for a boar experiencing a hormonal surge during ttenage or younger adulthood but it can also apply to a sow in the grip of a very strong season before she is ready to mte at the end of it. .

A cut to the side of the mouth can be the result of a misjudged back foot swipe (which is seen as an accident) or it can result from an instinctive defense bite.

Please separate your piggies for a couple of days to allow any hormone spikes and any pain from an injury to die down. Disinfect the bite wound with a mild antiseptic, like homemade saline solution if you haven't got anything ready made at hand. Any deep bite or any partly ripped off wound should be vet checked.
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency

Formally reintroduce your piggies on neutral ground again. You should see very quickly whether they are still bonded or whether the grudge factor is too high and the bond has become dysfunctional and requires a permanent split. Any re-introduction while emotionals are still too high will usually result in a permanent split so it is important to wait. It is also important to eliminate any territorial/scent marking considerations in a re-introduction, so you cannot do that in the cage. 'Neutral territory' describes an area that is not a regular part of any piggy's scent-marked territory and that allows them to meet on an equal footing. Have thick oven gloves at the ready and never get between riled up piggies with bare hands.
- Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
- Bonds In Trouble (advice for all genders and ages)

All the best.

 

[Tonisita]

That is so helpful! They are both boys and are getting on for a year old. When Pickle bullies Smudge he popcorns, as though he is enjoying being a nuisance! I will do what you suggest and see what happens. I know that guineas are not supposed to be kept singly but they never interact with each other, except for Pickle rumblestrutting, and don't seem to mind being separated. I could put the pens next to each other, so they can see but not touch, then let them have floor time together. Would that be a good idea? I do appreciate your advice because I don't like to see Smudge being bullied.

 

[Tonisita]

Hi! I put the boys together in a pen while cleaned both of theirs. Pickle immediately started rumblestrutting and Smudge kept sniffing Picke's bottom. When Pickle tried to throw his weight around, Smudge retaliated, which he has never done before. They are back in separate pens and I'll try this approach at pen cleaning time, so they at least interact with each other sometimes and to see if they 'grow out of it'. Does this sound a sensible approach?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi! I put the boys together in a pen while cleaned both of theirs. Pickle immediately started rumblestrutting and Smudge kept sniffing Picke's bottom. When Pickle tried to throw his weight around, Smudge retaliated, which he has never done before. They are back in separate pens and I'll try this approach at pen cleaning time, so they at least interact with each other sometimes and to see if they 'grow out of it'. Does this sound a sensible approach?

If your piggies are a fully fighting when you tried to reunite them , then it is a sure fire sign that they do not want to be together now.
This means that they need to remain separated permanently. Their cages must be side by side so that they can interact through the bars only, at all times. If they are fighting, then they can never be together again - you cannot put them together at cage cleaning time as will just cause stress and more fights.
They don’t grow out of it - if their bond has failed they won’t change their minds about each other so can never live together again I’m sorry to say

 

[Tonisita]

That's so sad! It wasn't a full on fight, a bit of push and shove, but I've not seen Smudge push back before I was hoping Pickle might calm down a bit if Smudge stood up for himself.

 

[Piggies&buns]

That's so sad! It wasn't a full on fight, a bit of push and shove, but I've not seen Smudge push back before I was hoping Pickle might calm down a bit if Smudge stood up for himself.

If the submissive piggy ‘fights back’ then it is usually only a matter of time before an actual fight occurs. They can get to the point where they just have had enough.

I have a separated pair of boars myself. They had a fight, caused injuries to each other but now have lived happily side by side for well over a year, (probably 18 months now)

 

[Tonisita]

That's very reassuring! I must say, I don't know how Smudge has put up with it so long! I often took him out for a cuddle to give him a break!