Bonding Bonding boys question - new boy and existing boy immediately fought

[4boipigs]

I tried to introduce Talwar (unknown age - he weighs 1.5 lbs right now and I can see his balls lol but he's still a baby - estimated 15 weeks) and Gungnir (probably around 1.5 months). It only took a minute before they were lunging at each other. I put them in a neutral area (old guinea pig cage) with clean fleece, but it was still around the other separated boys' cage.

Gungnir is from a rescue. He went into the rescue w/ a friend and they had a falling out. Gungnir was great with Amigo, but Amigo was a very submissive, noncombative pig. I've noticed Gungnir will try to bite the other separated boys thru the bars when he has to be removed from the cage and put on the floor for a minute while I change his fleece. I do make sure that doesn't happen now.

Gungnir is very quick to bite, and admittedly he's even bitten me trying to remove him from a possible biting situation. That was a very bad bite on my finger, that has since healed but I can't full bend that finger. I even went to urgent care for it lol. When I removed him from the neutral area during the lunging/possible biting, he was chomping down on the towel.

Gungnir seems to be doing quite fine w/o Amigo. He and Talwar will sniff thru the bars and sleep by bars/along the coroplast. But once they got put together, they tried to fight.

I'm guessing everyone will have to be separate for now. Talwar may very well be going thru puberty. My back up plan if I couldn't bond Talwar/Gungnir, is try to bond another separate boy with Gungnir - but both Maple Leaf and Trishula seem to enjoy each other thru the bars, and they get upset when the other one gets removed from the cage. Could I be ruining a bond if I switch them around?

Should I just wait til everyone is done with puberty, since I know they do well living in divided cages?

 

[bpatters]

An old cage isn't nearly large enough for introductions for any two pigs, far less two in puberty. And yes, I'd wait until puberty is over.

 

[4boipigs]

Sorry I should have clarified, it is around 2ft by 4 ft long. I'll probably buy a play pen or something in the future.

 

[bpatters]

It's still not big enough for an introduction. They need room to run around and tire themselves out, and to get out of each other's way. I always did at least 15 square feet when introducing females.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I always used a folding C & C cage when I did introductions. All of the grids were zip tied together except for the adjoining two. Its 4 grids by 4 grids, roughly 16 square feet. Just fold it up into a stack when you're done and put it away. Never had a bad introduction but obviously that's just me. Every pig is different. My boys cage now that they live in is 4 grids by 7.

 

[4boipigs]

I decided to leave them side by side for now. I cut down the coroplast between the cages so the two can see each other now. Talwar is more pleased with being able to see Gungnir. Talwar also has started being friendlier with me and is coming to the side of the cage for treats.

 

[CavyMama]

Enough room and enough time are key, particularly with males. I always introduced in an entire room. Blocked off escape routes, pile of hay in the middle, plate of veggies, toys and tunnels and hideys scattered about.

Give them several hours (supervised, of course) to explore. It should aim to be done in one session (that's why several hours). Making it multiple "playdates" won't help because each time you start again, it's like they are meeting a stranger again.