when should i split up my guinea pigs?

[evictedpig]

hi! i adopted my two boys in october 2022 from the RSPCA and they were born in april 2022. this makes them 16 months old. they are not neutered. they have been perfect and friendly with eachother up untill last month, where they have began arguing! the predicament is that one of my pigs [called harvey] is bullying the other pig [called cameron]. cameron is a really sweet boy who is actually much bigger than harvey but he just wont stand up for himself.
they are still eating and drinking and exercising through the fighting. they are a normal weight and have a normal appetite too. theyre kept in a 2x5 c&c cage and always have enough hides so they dont fight over them [usually about 4 or 5], always 2 pellet bowls, always 2 hay areas, 2 water bottles. they get floor time too every day.
harvey bullied cameron and gave him a nasty wound on his nose! I'm really worried and I'm not sure if i should take him to the vet as its on his nose. ive cleaned it properly and will monitor it, but i dont want harvey to hurt cameron any more severely. it seems a bit late for these to be teenage squabbles in their life, but theyve randomly just started arguing this last month after being best friends!

sorry if this post is worded badly I'm just very worried, stressed and confused, thanks for reading :]

 

[Piggies&buns]

If you are concerned that their relationship is not a happy functioning one, then the best thing is to carry out a trial separation. If Cameron perks up and is happier being on a cage by himself (side by side with Harvey with bars between them) then that is often the answer you need to say their bond isn’t working and that they should stay apart permanently. Harvey will be upset by the separation but it is not his reaction you gauge anything by.

If you are not sure, after a few days apart you can carry out a neutral territory reintroduction and see if they happily go back together. If they don’t, then immediately separate and they will then need to live apart permanently.

The fact Cameron has an injury is a red flag. Did the injury come about as a result of an actual fight rather than a misplaced swipe?
If it was an actual fight, then you do need to separate immediately and do not attempt a reintroduction.

Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

 

[evictedpig]

If you are concerned that their relationship is not a happy functioning one, then the best thing is to carry out a trial separation. If Cameron perks up and is happier being on a cage by himself (side by side with Harvey with bars between them) then that is often the answer you need to say their bond isn’t working and that they should stay apart permanently. Harvey will be upset by the separation but it is not his reaction you gauge anything by.

If you are not sure, after a few days apart you can carry out a neutral territory reintroduction and see if they happily go back together. If they don’t, then immediately separate and they will then need to live apart permanently.

The fact Cameron has an injury is a red flag. Did the injury come about as a result of an actual fight rather than a misplaced swipe?
If it was an actual fight, then you do need to separate immediately and do not attempt a reintroduction.

Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

thank you for the response :]
my pigs' enclosure is on top of a custom sized platform so i cant put a second cage next to it. would it be okay if i put him in the same room, but not right next to eachother? i am able to make another 2x5 cage but it will have to be on the floor, not on the platform. the other option would be to split my current 2x5, but 2x2.5 is a very small amount of space for my piggies and i dont think thats ethical.

I'm not sure wether the injury was on purpose or not but it was definetly caused by harvey as there is nothing dangerous in my cage and i didnt see it happen, i just heard a loud noise of them scuttering about and turned around to see them teeth chattering very loudly at eachother with cameron squeaking and hiding and harveys head up high.

 

[Piggies&buns]

thank you for the response :]
my pigs' enclosure is on top of a custom sized platform so i cant put a second cage next to it. would it be okay if i put him in the same room, but not right next to eachother? i am able to make another 2x5 cage but it will have to be on the floor, not on the platform. the other option would be to split my current 2x5, but 2x2.5 is a very small amount of space for my piggies and i dont think thats ethical.

I'm not sure wether the injury was on purpose or not but it was definetly caused by harvey as there is nothing dangerous in my cage and i didnt see it happen, i just heard a loud noise of them scuttering about and turned around to see them teeth chattering very loudly at eachother with cameron squeaking and hiding and harveys head up high.

I’m afraid single piggies do need to be side by side to allow full and constant interaction between the bars.
If one is on the platform and one is on the floor then they lose all ability to communicate and risk loneliness.

(The only way they could live like that is if each one has their own new friend to live with. Whether that is a new boar friend each or both being neutered and then having a sow each).

You’re right, a 2x5 can’t be spit in half. The smallest size a single piggy should be in is a 2x3.

 

[evictedpig]

ive got supplies to make the cage platform bigger, ive been planning this upgrade for a while so i know what to do. after ive upgraded it i will put a divider inbetween them