Behavior Please help! New pig not getting along with others!

[ambstanxo]

I had two guinea pigs for about six years now, one recently passed away... To help me feel better, my boyfriend got me two new piggies that are about 3 months old for my birthday about a month ago! They're both very skittish, which I expected. But my older pig was FINALLY happy again! I introduced them before putting them in their cage (C&C) and they all seemed to get along, but it was obvious Bean (one of the new ones) decided he was in charge (humping, chasing, VERY dominant behaviors). My guinea pig who passed away was the same way. However, Bean will NOT stop annoying and bothering the other two! Gizmo, my older piggie, CONSTANTLY wheeks. A few times he even screamed, but no fighting tornados or visible scratches or even showing teeth. At first we thought Gizmo was trying to get our attention for more food, hay, or water, like he usually does, but he has way more than enough at all times!! I have two large food bowls always filled with Timothy hay pellets, two very large water bottles, and tons of extra hay, always. They also have two large houses in their cage, but there's still plenty of open space. We were getting so annoyed with their running around and wheeking that I put Gizmo and Spaghettio in extra floor time and kept Bean in the cage. This is the quietest they've been in days!!!! Bean is finally calm too! Would a bigger cage be the solution? I don't want to keep them separated!!! (Actually, as I'm writing this, Spaghettio is trying to escape the play pen to get to Bean.......they seem to get along apparently, so it must just be Bean and Gizmo). What can I do?????

 

[bpatters]

It almost never works to put three boars together. The two younger ones are in the throes of puberty and trying to establish dominance over the other two, and that's going to go on for months.

How big is the cage? A larger one may work, it may not. it depends on the pigs. But a cage for three boars needs a minimum of 13 square feet, and bigger is better. Much bigger is much better.

If you've got three pigs, you need four hideys (or something like a hidey, like a fleece forest). Every one of them should have more than one door.

You could get another cage and another pig, and have two pair, which would work better. But you've still got adolescent boars, and no guarantee that they're ever going to get along.

 

[ambstanxo]

It almost never works to put three boars together. The two younger ones are in the throes of puberty and trying to establish dominance over the other two, and that's going to go on for months.

How big is the cage? A larger one may work, it may not. it depends on the pigs. But a cage for three boars needs a minimum of 13 square feet, and bigger is better. Much bigger is much better.

If you've got three pigs, you need four hideys (or something like a hidey, like a fleece forest). Every one of them should have more than one door.

You could get another cage and another pig, and have two pair, which would work better. But you've still got adolescent boars, and no guarantee that they're ever going to get along.

Thanks for the insight! I had no idea three was a bad number! I’ll definitely get a bigger cage and two more hideys; if that doesn’t work, does it matter how long I wait/don’t wait to add another pig? Is younger or older better? I just want all my piggies to be happy!!!

Also, what’s your opinion on lofts with ramps? I’ve heard good and bad things...

 

[lissie]

I would not add a loft for boars who are fighting for dominance. They can trap each other/block the ramp, which can cause fights.

 

[ambstanxo]

That’s exactly what I was thinking, but I wanted them to have even more space. Thanks!!!