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Bonding Reunion after being separated for 2 weeks surgery

aden_al

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My dominant baby Altaria had a minor surgery to get a sebaceous cyst removed. On Christmas Tuesday, the doctor said she could be reunited with her sister because her wound was much better. I gave her 2 more days and decided to do a reintroduction in a neutral place, big, etc.

Altaria lost weight and Oktavia, the submissive and timid, gained a lot of weight, so now she's much bigger than Altaria. Point is Oktavia would do nothing, but Altaria would get close and chatter. Everything seemed fine after a couple of hours that I noticed they started skirmishing a lot more, so I separated them using my kitchen-baking glove (they bit it, I could feel it). So, I put one inside the cage (no division), and put the other one on the other side hoping she would stay there until I finished setting up the grid wall again. However, she decided to go to the other side to attack her post-surgery sister, it got violent and I just broke the fight by grabbing the fleece.

I checked them and noticed the two of them had ugly bits with blood in their back (kind of close to their ear). I tried to be thorough, but I could only find one bit there (same area in both guinea pigs). Cleaned the wound and left them separated.

Questions:

1. Altaria the post-surgery was the dominant and she's very aggressive, but now she's smaller and Oktavia won't allow her to attack her. Will they ever be able to get back together? I assumed they would since they would spend a lot of time in the grid division.
2. Any tips to find any additional wounds? I noticed by chance the bit.

Thank you.
 

aden_al

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My dominant baby Altaria had a minor surgery to get a sebaceous cyst removed. On Christmas Tuesday, the doctor said she could be reunited with her sister because her wound was much better. I gave her 2 more days and decided to do a reintroduction in a neutral place, big, etc.

Altaria lost weight and Oktavia, the submissive and timid, gained a lot of weight, so now she's much bigger than Altaria. Point is Oktavia would do nothing, but Altaria would get close and chatter. Everything seemed fine after a couple of hours that I noticed they started skirmishing a lot more, so I separated them using my kitchen-baking glove (they bit it, I could feel it). So, I put one inside the cage (no division), and put the other one on the other side hoping she would stay there until I finished setting up the grid wall again. However, she decided to go to the other side to attack her post-surgery sister, it got violent and I just broke the fight by grabbing the fleece.

I checked them and noticed the two of them had ugly bits with blood in their back (kind of close to their ear). I tried to be thorough, but I could only find one bit there (same area in both guinea pigs). Cleaned the wound and left them separated.

Questions:

1. Altaria the post-surgery was the dominant and she's very aggressive, but now she's smaller and Oktavia won't allow her to attack her. Will they ever be able to get back together? I assumed they would since they would spend a lot of time in the grid division.
2. Any tips to find any additional wounds? I noticed by chance the bit.

Thank you.

I started inspecting Oktavia (the big submissive) and she had 3 bit marks (the one I had found and two more). One on her back and two on sides close to her mouth. One is horrible! like if she had been stabbed. I decided to inspect the post surgery Altaria, but she apparently had no other bit marks besides the one I had found. I do not think they will be able to be back together. These marks on Oktavia are really really bad.

I cleaned all the wounds, but I feel terrible. I should not have put them back together.
 

bpatters

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How long did you leave them in the neutral area? And did you thoroughly clean the cage so that nothing smelled like either pig?

I'd leave them separated for a few days, then try again. You might also do a buddy bath, and put a teeny drop of vanilla on each nose and butt before you put them in the cage.
 

aden_al

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How long did you leave them in the neutral area? And did you thoroughly clean the cage so that nothing smelled like either pig?

I'd leave them separated for a few days, then try again. You might also do a buddy bath, and put a teeny drop of vanilla on each nose and butt before you put them in the cage.

It was a little more than 2 hours. The attack occurred in the neutral area.

I actually feel really really bad because my submissive baby has actually 5 wounds with some blood. Altaria the one who just got surgery was very very aggressive in the neutral area, I am not sure I will ever consider putting them together. I think the life my Oktavia may be in danger; given the attacks of Altaria, Oktavia could have lost an eye or her nose, I won't just expose her again to that kind of danger.
 

petluv

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It was a little more than 2 hours. The attack occurred in the neutral area.

I actually feel really really bad because my submissive baby has actually 5 wounds with some blood. Altaria the one who just got surgery was very very aggressive in the neutral area, I am not sure I will ever consider putting them together. I think the life my Oktavia may be in danger; given the attacks of Altaria, Oktavia could have lost an eye or her nose, I won't just expose her again to that kind of danger.
I understand your concern. How hard that must be for you as they are both your babies. If she just had surgery she may be in a lot of pain, possibly for awhile. Do you have the space to make them cage neighbors until you feel comfortable trying another reunion?
 

aden_al

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I understand your concern. How hard that must be for you as they are both your babies. If she just had surgery she may be in a lot of pain, possibly for awhile. Do you have the space to make them cage neighbors until you feel comfortable trying another reunion?


Yes, thanks for your understanding. So they live next to each other; the cage is a 2x6, and it is divided in the middle. They see each other all the time and bite the division, but based on what happened yesterday, I think I'll just increase it to a 2x8 to have 2x4.
 

petluv

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I think this sounds like a good idea. You’re keeping them together, they can still talk/socialize through the gate. I know I will get rotten tomatoes thrown at me, but sometimes circumstances change and it’s best they live separately. Those cage dimensions still far exceed the minimum.
 
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