Some reassurance really.....

[tiggywinkle]

I'm currently looking after two male pigs for my friend. She warned me that they sometimes fight and I had noticed some old wounds on both of them. Last night they started fighting and it turned really nasty. One had a deep cut to his lip and the other had a bite on his back. I've ended up separating them as I was worried what might happen if I left them any longer. Do you think I've done the right thing as I might cause my friend problems when she takes them home as they normally live together. Would you be happy if I'd done this with your pigs? Thanks

 

[boureki]

I think if blood has been drawn and this has happened before, then you have done exactly the right thing. Boys do have a tendancy to not get on, and if you have females around it makes it worse, but many boar pairings are very successful having said that! I'm sure your friend would prefer to take home two safe, separated uninjured pigs rather than two still together but taking lumps out of each other. It could just be they need a bit of time to cool off, and may get back together, but I wouldn't hold out hope if they have fought really badly, though never say never! Hopefully your freind will appreciate you have had to make this decision and will be able to accomodate potentially two seperated boars.

Edited to add - I recently picked up two fighting boars whose owners didn't want them because they were fighting and too much trouble, they had been near females and got to the stroppy teen stage (between around 4-12 months) so it was a bit of a recipe for disaster. We are tentatively trying to re-bond them now so we can rehome them as a pair but it won't happen over night, and may not happen at all. Who knows with these little chaps!

 

[MemberX]

I agree with Julie I've six boars and they can be little monkeys! 2 of mine drew blood and had to be seperated. They lived side by side in a Nero 3 each until I could rebond them with new pigs.

You did the right thing. If pigs are fighting and drawing blood they must be seperated as sores can turn nasty and you don't want that.

 

[tiggywinkle]

Thanks for this - I've ended up taking Charlie to the vets as his wound is all infected and they have advised me to keep separated especially as its a new environment and my girls are there too! Thanks for your help. Jane

 

[boureki]

Aw no, poor Charlie! If the wound is infected it must have happened a while back, depending on how long you have had them for, I doubt if it would have got infected in the last day or so? The fighting boars I mentioned earlier, one had an open hole the size of a 5p out of his flank, luckily with a week's course of Baytril it staved off any infection. Unlike your surrogate pigs there, these boars were not even taken to the vets by their previous owner so I think your boys there were very lucky to get you looking after them!

It may have been the girls that set them off again, or the change of environment - sometimes they just fall out for no reason...

Does your friend have sows? It may explain why they started fighting a while back.

Edit - Depending on when your friend gets back, may I suggest contacting Chrissie at Gorgeous Guineas? www.gorgeousguineas.com She has wonderful creams and lotions specially forumulated for piggies that will aid healing and scarring. I would also recommend some Vit C supplement to aid the healing process as well if you can get some, pet shops often have a Vit C supplement for pigs

 

[Goldie]

Shaun and Stuart were litter brothers who lived happily together then puberty took hold and the fighting started. It was covered up at first, because they were long-haired and then I discovered the bite wounds on Stuart's neck and back which turned really nasty!

I think you did right to separate them if one of them was in danger of being hurt ... unfortunately the problem may be greater for the owner when they came back as it might be difficult to re-introduce them together.

If no sows were around then perhaps the two boars would not get along in the future and need separating, or it might just be a phase.

My best bondings with boars have been between father and son. I guess it is because the two don't have hormones popping at the same time!

Keep us posted!

 

[tiggywinkle]

I think the wounds were old as Lucky (the other pig) has a tatty ear and there are no girls living with them before. I've been giving Charlie his antibiotic and started to clean out the wound with cold boiled salty water. I got out a piece of dead skin with some fur attached to it so I'm guessing that was how the infection started. There is still some fur inside the wound - do you think it will heal properly if I can't get it out? The owners are collecting them tomorrow. I might suggest another visit to the vet to try and clean it out a bit better than I can! The vet also suggested neutering the boys which could help them settle down hopefully - I'll suggest that too!

At the moment I've got my three pigs, the two boys and another three (two girls and a neutered boy!) staying for a couple of weeks oh and I nearly forgot the chinchilla who's here for a week for his holiday!

 

[shazyf]

ouch just read your message i rescued mine from rspca and the boy had big thunks of ear bitten off coz the old cruel owner had 36 guineas in a cage and the males all fought to be top pig hope this helps

 

[boureki]

Many people say neutering doesn't usually alter behaviour in guineas, so as long as you are aware it may not work!

 

[tiggywinkle]

They've gone back home today - my friend was very grateful for taking Charlie to the vets. I managed to get more hair out whilst bathing his wound today and it looks much healthier. She's definitely going to separate them now as she didn't realise they were fighting quite as badly as they actually were. I showed her the old wounds which she was really upset about. Hopefully they'll be more happy living side by side from now on! Thanks for all your advice - I definitely made the right decision by separating them.