Their first big fight

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Dee

:(Well tonight myself and hubby were watching TV, Bart & Snowy were playing in their cage doing their usual squeaks, snowy has really come out of himself the last 2 weeks he is out of the house all the time and sitting and stretching and Bart on the other side, they cuddle up to each other all the time and sleep right next together, tonight a few squeaks and a bit of nibbling on their carrot sticks and the squeaks became like a chant, it got so loud that I looked at my hubby and said "this doesn't sound good" I went over to the cage and the 2 of them were facing each other they were 'chanting' like really really fast deep squeaks and trembling, I was so afraid, I said to hubby I need to separate them but he said don't put our hand in the cage, they are ready to snap off something, well next thing they were jumping in the air and bashing themselves of each other, I could see right into their mouth, all i could think of was where was my spray and of course someone had taken it earlier to use it for something ? so I clapped my hand really loudly and they ran to each end of the cage but still chanting it was so frightening, I wanted to separate them but I've no where to put one if I take one out, they were chattering for about 10 minutes and now are quiet but keeping away from each other. Gosh I don't know what to do, that was so scary that it was the first time I really wasn't happy with them, it was sheer terror. What do I do ? please help me..
 
Ok dont panic! How old are they? This may have been just a tiff or the start of the demise of their friendship.
I have 2 brothers who do this about once every couple of months. I distract them, like you did, by telling them off (not in a bad way) or clapping my hands. Their fave treat is a good distraction too. Keep a towel handy to throw over them if they properly fight.
Make sure they have plenty of room and 2 food bowls and a hidey place each and see how it goes. If they do it regularly or draw blood, you will have to seperate so perhaps get another cage just in case!
 
They are 11 weeks old now, they are cuddled up to each other again now ? I tell you it was so scary, i never knew they could open their mouths that wide :o :o, if I hadn't of been there god only knows what they would have done to each other.

Thanks for the calming word's just got such a fright, I was proper scared.
 
Well they were both alive this morning but when they woke they started nose bashing again, I am furious at them, what are they fighting about ? there is no way a 2nd cage is coming here if it keeps up 1 is going to have to go :( :( today myself and my son are going to make another house, it will cut down on their play area but if they want to fight then they are going to have to sacrifice something to get separated living areas. :tickedoff:
 
At that age, they are going through piggy puberty. There is nothing you can do except distract them when they face off at eachother. It often passes when they are a bit older or if they are both dominant boys, they may not work it out.
Stay calm as they can sense when you are anxious. Take a no nonsense approach. I just tut tut at mine and tell them they are silly boys and distract them or I take one out for 10 minutes for a cuddle until they cool off.

If it continues, they can be seperated but you can have them living next to eachother as piggies still need company of another piggy, so either 2 cages or a c & c cage split down the middle. It seems unfair to rehome one when they are only doing what comes naturally :-\
 
I agree with LJ, no point being angry with them - that what happens with boys, whether it results in permanent seperation or just a tiff. I have a pair that rattle round each other constantly, and distraction is the best way, I too "tut tut" at them but come meal times, play time and night time decide they quite like each other!

Do you have two of everything for them? you have to give them that to give them a chance, cutting down on their living space may make matters worse, they have to have enough space to spend time on their own and chill out after an arguement. :(
 
Dont worry to much, my boys have done this lost, but now one of them is the top dog and the other know's his place. I also got them castrated just incase they did need seperated they would be able to get paired up pretty quick. Hasn't really changed the behaviour in any way but they are a lot friendlier now. You should consider that as an option. also have they got enough space? They could be bored hence the fighting. If i miss a day of letting them in the run the next day the seem to argue a little. Just a thought. x
 
The arguments are not little tiffs that they are having a rant at each other, this is full blown jumping int the air and bashing themselves of each other, they are making high pitched screeching sounds and opening their mouths really wide, a little hard to not get afraid but that comes naturally to me with animals when i see them fighting, maybe Ia m just not used to animals trying to rip each other apart and I will try harder to just give out to them.

Their Cage was the biggest I could get for indoors, any bigger and it would have had to go outdoors in the cold, I'd feel really bad for doing that, they have plenty of food, toys, nibbles and fresh fruit and veg every day. Their cage is scrubbed and cleaned and changed everyday, maybe I am spoiling them.

They were at it again when I went to clean their cage, they were really getting ready for it, backs arched and the hairy went really fuzzy, I tried to take one out and ended up getting nipped on the finger. they settled after about 30 minutes.

I made a shoe box house with my son today and put it in, it doesn't take up too much space there is still a good bit of movement space and climbing and the two of them nearly hit the roof with their popcorning, now they are fighting over who gets in first and the other big fancy house is lying there empty.

I really couldn't afford another cage, I have no where to put another cage, space is tight, I hope they do sort it out, don't get me wrong someone said I was angry, When I said I was furious I should have said I am just annoyed at myself for not understanding them and I know now I shouldn't have gotten the 2nd one I should have stuck with just buying the 1, they were so good together and I know all humans and animals have fights but this was like one wanted the other dead.

I tried the two bow land the 2 bottles and they just kept using the one, even when they are fighting they use the one so took the 2nd of everything else out.

They get one hour day time floor time and approx one hour + with adults in the evening playing and cuddles., should I be giving them more ?

It would kill me loosing one but if it keeps up and the actually draw blood then i will have to consider it, my poor son is now saying that he is afraid of them and he wouldn't even help feed them today like he always does, he was scared rigid even walking over to the cage, he normally sits with them with his hand in the cage and rubbing them and feeding them, he is my main priority and I have to make sure he is not scared too much.

hopefully they get on now and now that they both have somewhere separate to go maybe it will calm things.
 
I do feel for you and it is hard to know what to do for the best. I originally had just the one boar who I rescued from terrible conditions and once he was settled, I got him a 6 week old boar as a companion. It was pretty clear from the start that the baby was dominant and within 2 months, they were fighting like your two are. I seperated, re introduced etc to no avail. So I built a bigger cage (c & c) and they lived next door to eachother. My older boar was happy on his own but Timmy wasnt. He pined and chewed bars etc so I carefully chose a 5 week boar for him, making sure he was the shyest of the group. Part luck, part careful choosing but 6 months on, they are still best of friends. An occasional rumble but nothing much. Timmy is boss.
One has to be boss and it sounds like neither of yours are backing down. Can I ask what size the cage is? Is it possible to put a metal cooling rack or something similar in the middle so they can see eachother but not fight? :-\
 
The cage is a 'Nero 3 de luxe' it says it is 100 X 50 x 47 cm, maybe it's too small. I could try the metal rack, I have a few spare ones from my oven I could use.
 
It is a little small for 2 growing boars, they tend to need more room than sows.
Try the grid idea down the middle perhaps and see how you get on with that? Maybe you coud look at buying some grids and connectors in the near future and you could make a bigger cage and then sell your nero on ebay? Just a thought :)
 
It sounds like they just don't like each other, which as LJ says does happen, its unfortunate and nothing you have done, they just don't like each other!

They could settle down as they are still young but it sounds like neither one wants to back down! If you had the space you'd proably find they would be happier on their own, side by side, is there no way you could divide their cage up and then let them out together for floortime to see how they go?

I've found that if boys don't like each other it usually happens immediately or something triggers it off like bringing more boys into the same room -different smells and sounds etc.

Its sooo tough with boys! But you'll just have to monitor it, but if it gets to blood letting - they won't be able to stay together at all. :(

Keep us posted!
 
lavenderjade said:
It is a little small for 2 growing boars, they tend to need more room than sows.
Try the grid idea down the middle perhaps and see how you get on with that? Maybe you coud look at buying some grids and connectors in the near future and you could make a bigger cage and then sell your nero on ebay? Just a thought :)
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I will ring the store I got the cage cos the girl told me it was large enough and that it may even be too big, the cheek of her, i am really annoyed at them now, that cage cost me €150.00, I'll ring them now.
 
piglover said:
It sounds like they just don't like each other, which as LJ says does happen, its unfortunate and nothing you have done, they just don't like each other!

They could settle down as they are still young but it sounds like neither one wants to back down! If you had the space you'd proably find they would be happier on their own, side by side, is there no way you could divide their cage up and then let them out together for floortime to see how they go?

I've found that if boys don't like each other it usually happens immediately or something triggers it off like bringing more boys into the same room -different smells and sounds etc.

Its sooo tough with boys! But you'll just have to monitor it, but if it gets to blood letting - they won't be able to stay together at all. :(

Keep us posted!
Click to expand...

they were born from the same mother, they lived together in the shop until they were 11 weeks old, when they came here one was shy the other a little domineering, I think cos the shy one ain't so shy anymore that this is now causing arguments. bt they got on great

I went down about 10 minutes ago and the two of them are snuggled up beside each other sharing a piece of carrot... I just don't know what to think, one minute they are looking like the want to kill next they are best of friends. I can try one of my oven racks in the cage and see if it makes things better. just of now to phone the shop I bought them in.
 
Dee said:
I went down about 10 minutes ago and the two of them are snuggled up beside each other sharing a piece of carrot... I just don't know what to think, one minute they are looking like the want to kill next they are best of friends.
Click to expand...

:o maybe they just need a bit more space for their mad moments!
 
I phoned the pet shop and spoke to the girl that sold me all the items and the guineas and she said to me that the cage I got is actually a rabbit cage and bigger than the normal size for guinea pigs, she told me that they only do one more that is larger and that is the nero 4 she got the manager and he said that the cage I have is big enough and that the staff would not sell me a cage that was too small, I was livid with him on the phone, I told him that I was new at this and she took advantage of me and probably sold me a cage that wasn't selling, he told me that the Savic cages are the most popular cages.

What am I going to do, I'll have to sell it, I seen a bigger one online but it's €280.00, It would fit in my utility room, I rang my dad to see if he would lend me the money and he said if I wanted to give him one of the guineas he would take one, I don't know what to do, I have put a grid in between them and I can her them crying, it sounds like crying,

I am up the walls here, I am pregnant and I am so stressed with all this.
 
Hi, Please dont be stressed at all its not worth it. I know that stress in pregnancy isnt got as i have done it twice. My two boys were the same. Just half an hour ago one jump on the other, showing teeth and was ready to bite but settle in minutes. Mine are in a 100cm cage and have a massive indoor pen that they go in every night once i get my toddler and baby to bed. Unless there is blood i wouldn't worry to much. Just distract them when you see it happening. They are proberly trying to sort out who the boss is. they should be ok just give them some time. Dont give one up just yet
 
Thanks everyone and thanks for the PM's..

I took the grids out of the cage, they were really crying badly, they stopped the minute I took out the gird and the two of them went running about together and were doing some popcorning, they ate something and they both went into each of the houses so they are resting now and hopefully that is the end of their argument. They are worse than a married couple. ;D
 
Aww I am glad :) Dont let it stress you. I was the same as you when my two fought, I was so upset but you get used to piggy ways and there is a lot to learn. With cages, bigger is always better-the bigger you can afford, the less chance they will bicker. The c & c`s I mentioned would be way cheaper than a purpose built cage and you can build it as big as you like!
Have a look at this site www.cavycages.com
 
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