Fighting Chances of being able to rehouse my adult boys together again in a bigger cage?

1stTimePiggyMom · Apr 29, 2014

I adopted 2 adult males (estimated age 1 and a half years) who had been teeth chattering & chasing each other while with their foster mom. They were housed in a store bought guinea pig cage and the thought was because the cage was so small they were more aggressive towards each other. I bought the Midwest Guinea Pig cage that comes with the dividing panel & lid. They were getting at least an hour of playpen time a day except for the first two days after they came home but about 4 days ago one went after the other with intentions to bite (my hand protected my other piggy since I had no time to grab a towel). He kept chasing the other piggy so I ended up putting the dividing panel in. Since then they both have been pacing the divider and teeth chattering at each other. There was even a small part of fur at the divider and since their noses can partially fit between the panels slots I'm sure one pulled it from the other but it's white & they both have white fur areas so I'm not sure what happened. I don't see a bald spot but it wasn't much hair. I was using the canvas dividing panel cover for the bottom section but one piggy undid all the velcro and began trying to eat it so I had to remove it.

I had planned on upgrading their cage to a 2x5 C&C one after sensing the Midwest is really too small for them but I have to wait to get the money for the coroplast (can't find it locally

). But after having to separate them I am thinking about doing two 3x3 C&C cages with them sharing the middle dividing panels so they could still see,smell,interact with each other. My hopes are that with the extra space I can take out the dividing panel so they can live together. What do you think the chances are of them being able to live peacefully together? Any tips on how to reintroduce them if it's needed?

Starthecavy123 · Apr 30, 2014

Okay first off do not seperate them unless you see blood. For guinea pigs they are herd animals and need a boss pig and that is what it sounds like they were doing. Chasing, mounting, nose raising (highest nose wins) are some of the things they will do and is okay. They need to sort this out before they can live in harmony. Males are more territorial than females so are harder to bond but can be done. Every time you divide them and put them together again is very stressful and confusing. And dividing them and putting them back together does not help and will just start them doing what they were doing again. So basically they have to figure out who will be the boss all over again. Also a larger cage for males helps because they have more room.

Edit: try introducing them on neutral ground a place in the house where none have been. Also a buddy bath is a great option because baths are already stressful they will bond without knowing it.

Starthecavy123 · Apr 30, 2014

The old myth was males can't get along which is simply not true. Guinea pigs are herd animals and almost always need a friend. On the rarest of occasion some guinea pigs would rather live alone. But almost always you can find them a friend. Sometimes especially with males they may just tolerate one another. Proper introductions are done on neutral ground because they are territorial if they have scent marked they will see as the other is invading the others territory. I kind of wonder why the foster didn't introduce them. Usually rescues only adopt out pigs that are already bonded especially if your new to pigs.

1stTimePiggyMom · May 18, 2014

I have since made a 2x6 cage with a divider and moved them in. I had some household issues so I haven't been able to read or respond until now. I definitely will to try to reintroduce them on neutral ground using all of the information provided so thanks everyone!

1stTimePiggyMom · May 18, 2014

Starthecavy123 said:
The old myth was males can't get along which is simply not true. Guinea pigs are herd animals and almost always need a friend. On the rarest of occasion some guinea pigs would rather live alone. But almost always you can find them a friend. Sometimes especially with males they may just tolerate one another. Proper introductions are done on neutral ground because they are territorial if they have scent marked they will see as the other is invading the others territory. I kind of wonder why the foster didn't introduce them. Usually rescues only adopt out pigs that are already bonded especially if your new to pigs.

The rescue took them in as a pair and the previous owner said they had lived together for about a year. But the rescue only had what little information the foster mom had learned while she kept them for 2 months. Whether or not they're related and how long they've actually been living together is really not known. They also weren't sure about separating them but told me that if I see any actual biting to separate them immediately which is what I did.

melynda · May 18, 2014

I have two boars that couldn't get along in a MidWest either. I had custom built a second level to the cage hoping it would help, but it didn't. They fought horribly (blood drawn, separation required). I saved up money and purchased a 2x5 C&C. Rearranged my entire living room to fit it in!
I was so nervous to reintroduce them. If it didn't work I had no idea what I was going to do.
They've been together since the end of March in their 2x5.

they are proof it can work and Poe and Elliott now staunchly advocate cage expansion for squabbling boars.

1stTimePiggyMom · May 18, 2014

Aww

I hope my boys can be friends again too. I do have a question about trying to reintroduce them, if blood does end up being drawn(which I hope that it doesn't), what can I use as first aid? I haven't been able to find any Styptic powder.

animalmadlover · May 19, 2014

When my two boys Charlie and Tigger started fighting, and I saw blood on Charlies lip, I seperated them for two days. I kept trying to reintroduce them but they would grind their teeth at eachother whenever they saw eachother and tried to attack eachother on my lap. On the third day I set up a fun play area in the bathroom and placed a pen in the middle. Charlie and Tigger could have each side of the bathroom, be able to see eachother but they couldn't get to eachother. Or thats what I thought. I came in later to find that one of them had jumped over the side of the cage and was sitting happily with his brother. I haven't had a problem with them since. Maybe they just needed a bit of space from eachother for a while. Maybe they have bad days just like we do

I hope that your boys become friends again.

1stTimePiggyMom · Jun 15, 2014

I took all of your awesome advice and did what you all suggested but sadly when I put them in together it wasn't long before they begin to fight

and John bit Thomas' ear causing a wound which bled a little. I've asked another question about his injury because I'm not sure how to treat it. Please read.

Kttvix · Jun 15, 2014

I thought this webpage was cute and informative.

https://www.wikihow.com/Introduce-Two-Guinea-Pigs-to-Each-Other

Other thoughts would be using food to distract them, loud noses to prematurely stop fights, and you can hold a small fence ready in order to quickly put it between the two guinea pigs before the nose dive at each others' faces.

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Fighting Chances of being able to rehouse my adult boys together again in a bigger cage?

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