Fighting Fighting - help needed

wilko · Jun 16, 2012

Hi All,

I have 2 guinea pigs boths males 9 months old. Until two weeks ago both of them got on fine. However two weeks ago we found bit marks and blood on the smaller guinea pig. We took him to the vets who gave us anti biotics and told told to seperate them for a week. We have now put them back together and straight away the bigger one bite the smaller one and drue blood. We have now seperated them again and don't know what to do know. They live in a two story hutch 60cm by 120cm. Can anyone offer advice

bpatters · Jun 16, 2012

That's a really small cage for two male guinea pigs, especially in the middle of adolescence. I'd try to increase the cage size to at least 10.5 square feet on one floor, and more is better. See the Home page of this website for recommended cage sizes.

Also, once they've been separated, you have to reintroduce them again. It doesn't usually work to just put them back together. You need to clean the cage thoroughly, have NOTHING in it that smells like either pig, and hideys that have both entrances and exits. You may need to do a buddy bath before putting them back together in the cage. Read Guinea Pigs Social Life for information on introductions -- it's about halfway down.

Zuidy · Jun 16, 2012

If blood is drawn, you need to separate them. But DO NOT put them together as short as 2 weeks apart.

It is in the best interest of the pigs to stay separated after blood is drawn. It is not a good idea to put them together. The antibiotics are good, but you do not need to put them back together.

Also, a hutch is not proper housing for Guinea Pigs. Can you move them inside and build them a C&C cage?

bpatters · Jun 16, 2012

But DO NOT put them together as short as 2 weeks apart.

@Zuidy, where did you get this information?

Zuidy · Jun 16, 2012

bpatters said:
@Zuidy , where did you get this information?

I thought that if Guinea Pigs have issues getting along it is best to stop re introducing them?

bpatters · Jun 16, 2012

@Zuidy, you don't repeatedly separate and reintroduce, such as on a daily basis. But I never heard of having to wait two weeks before trying again.

If someone has tried an unsuccessful introduction that didn't work because something was done wrong (no intro on neutral territory, cage not cleaned, not enough room, hideys where a pig could get trapped, etc.), then there's nothing wrong with correcting the problem and then trying again.

What you don't want to do is put them together, then separate them immediately/soon because someone got chattered at or mounted, put them together again the next day and the next and the next in exactly the same circumstances. That's what's stressful, because the pigs never get to work out the dominance hierarchy. But there's no set amount of time you should wait before reintroducing if you've fixed the problems.

Zuidy · Jun 16, 2012

bpatters said:
@Zuidy, you don't repeatedly separate and reintroduce, such as on a daily basis. But I never heard of having to wait two weeks before trying again.

If someone has tried an unsuccessful introduction that didn't work because something was done wrong (no intro on neutral territory, cage not cleaned, not enough room, hideys where a pig could get trapped, etc.), then there's nothing wrong with correcting the problem and then trying again.

What you don't want to do is put them together, then separate them immediately/soon because someone got chattered at or mounted, put them together again the next day and the next and the next in exactly the same circumstances. That's what's stressful, because the pigs never get to work out the dominance hierarchy. But there's no set amount of time you should wait before reintroducing if you've fixed the problems.

Sorry! I had the mindset from when I found my foster Lila a good home, she bit the other pigs nose and it bled terribly. So she separated them immediately. I was not thinking about he fact that blood wasn't drawn in this case. Sorry!

wilko · Jun 16, 2012

Hi,

i will increase the case size next week. What shall i do about putting them together again. At the moment they have been seperated. When can i bring them together. Shall i do it gradually?

bpatters · Jun 16, 2012

Since they've squabbled before, I'd just leave them separated until you get a larger cage. But then I'd do a complete reintroduction, as if they'd never met before. Do it at a time when you have enough time to watch them a while and make sure they're ok.

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Fighting Fighting - help needed

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