Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Introductions Two Boars Fighting During Intros

Amarynthea

Member
Cavy Gazer
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Posts
3
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
3
We adopted Merlin as a rescue after someone found him in an alley. My mother overheard that he needed a cage mate, so she went ahead and adopted one we named Pluto. Merlin is an adult, whereas Pluto seems to be a teenager. Both are male.

I followed Cavy Spirit's introduction advice. The neutral introductions took almost 7 hours. 4 hours in they seemed to be fine, so I cleaned the cage. During this time, they started having a dominance struggle that seemed to be resolved 3 hours later. When I returned them to the fully cleaned cage (a 2x4 C&C cage, I've been saving money to buy a bigger one), they continued some of their dominance struggle. (Merlin rumble strutting, both chattering, both nudging, both mounting, and both chasing.) A few hours in, they finally started having a roll-around bout that did not draw blood. Merlin also headbutted Pluto about 30 minutes after that. They started having another fight right before bed, which was probably 2 hours later. All they had in the cage was two hay racks, two hides with exits, two water bottles, and two food bowls. The only time they fought near the food was when Merlin head butted Pluto for trying to take the food from his bowl instead of the other one.

I wasn't confident in them staying together overnight until I knew exactly what to do in this situation, so I put Pluto back in his quarantine cage in the same room as Merlin. I know that the usual consensus with boars is only to remove them if there is blood, but since these are my first two Guinea pigs, I wanted to make absolutely sure I wasn't endangering them.

Pluto is usually skittish with us humans, but Merlin is rather social. Today Merlin isn't feeling social with anyone but me, and even then he is still acting really reserved and would rather hide away.

Is there anything I can do? Was I wrong to separate them? Should I wait until Pluto is out of puberty, or should we return him and try to find a far less dominant companion?
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Don't put them together again until you have a larger cage. A 2x4 is the bare minimum for two females, and it's not nearly large enough for two males.

You might also try a buddy bath and a tiny drop of vanilla on both noses when you try introductions again.

Here's the current bible on introductions: https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html
 

Amarynthea

Member
Cavy Gazer
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Posts
3
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
3
Awesome, thank you so much! I really like these little guys and I was really worried that I messed up by separating them.

Would it be a good idea to keep them in the same room for now until I can reintroduce them, or should I keep them in separate rooms?
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
It doesn't really matter, whatever is most convenient for you.
 

Amarynthea

Member
Cavy Gazer
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Posts
3
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
3
Thank you so much!
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

P
Replies
8
Views
439
ItsaZoo
ItsaZoo
Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Replies
2
Views
235
Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Extraterrestrial
Replies
7
Views
541
Guinea Pig Papa
Guinea Pig Papa
A
Replies
1
Views
374
gpihgos
gpihgos
Top