Keeping 2 males

[gooddogs74]

Hi there,

I just got a buddy pig for my 6 month old pig. The baby is 4 weeks old. I kept them separated for the first day, but then put them together and they are doing fine. My 6 month old is showing some dominance behavior, like grumbling and stiff legged walking, but no specific aggression problems. They get near each other and lay down and eat near each other. I guess my biggest questions are
1. Should they continue to be ok together and is there anything specific I can do to promote good behavior and... 2. Would neutering my older male and the baby (when he gets a bit older) help to prevent any problems and/or provide other benefits?

Thanks for any advice,
Alanna

 

[loves2travel]

ummmm, the quarantine period is supposed to last 3 weeks, not one day..........

 

[gooddogs74]

ummmm, the quarantine period is supposed to last 3 weeks, not one day..........

Don't jump to conclusions about people. I am a veterinarian. My baby is from an excellent client and I have been providing care for her cavies since she got them, including the babies. They are all in excellent health. This baby did not come from a pet store or other unknown source. Their care has also included a home visit. I am seeking advice regarding behavior, please speak up if you have some to offer. Thank you.

 

[loves2travel]

all right. im sorry. I just thought i should offer my two cents worth, but it looks like you already know what you're doing and have a good footing on things. Sorry i couldnt be more useful!

Good luck with everything!

; )

 

[Treen]

Have you seen this page https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Introductions - listes 'introductory' behaviours that are normal. Might help as sometimes do get quite frantic, even when everything is fine and there's nothing to worry about. Knowing what might happen in the name of sorting out who's boss (if you're not already familiar with what they can get up to) can help stop you separating them unnecessarily.

Space is the most important thing as far as the chances of them getting along long term go. Follow the cage size standards on this site (https://guineapigcages.com/) and fingers crossed everything will carry on going so well.

Neutering only affects their fertility, it doesn't affect behaviour in the same way as it does with animals like dogs. So the only reason to do it is if you plan on housing them with females. Here's some more information on it if you're interested https://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm.

Welcome to the forums and good luck with your piggers!

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

Umm...if you're a vet, wouldn't you know the behavior?? Just a thought.

 

[Treen]

Being a vet isn't the same as being an owner of a pet - the way you really get to know what any animal is really like (behaviour-wise rather than how their insides work!) is by having them in your home and spending loads of time with them. Besides, we're all still learning, so there's nothing wrong with anyone of any level of experience or expertise asking for advice - let's keep the thread on topic!

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

I didn't want to come off as beign rude...

 

[gooddogs74]

Thank you, Treen for your responses. They were very helpful. I will probably hold off on neutering for now. From what I've read, all behavior now is normal and they are doing fine. I have a large enough C&C cage and don't really want to separate ever. The only reason I got the baby is to keep B.C. company--I would have been happy with just one. And all vets are not experts on every behavior on every species. While I consider myself very knowledgable on medical issues that affect cavies, and am competent in treating them, I am still learning behaviors as an owner. Reading and studying behaviors in a book is one thing and observing them first hand is another. That's why I came for some extra info. I'm sad to see that 2 of the 3 posters, instead of giving thoughtful, kind responses, respond with sarcasm or flippant posts. This is the kind of thing that keeps people away from boards like this, not brings them to them. I have recommended this site to clients in the past, but not sure if I will if they will be treated like that. Alanna

 

[CavyCrazyMom]

I'm really sorry that my comment was rude, as I read back on it now I wouldn't have posted it if I were thinking...very sorry. I realize how totally rude and inconciderate it probably sounded. I really didn't mean to sound that way, I just tend to post without thinking sometimes. Seriously it wasn;t a dig although it did sound that way. I didn't have anything else to add because, as always, Treen had it covered. She's super smart when it somes to advice, so I really didn't have anything else to add or I would have. Please keep recomending this site because it is a great resorce for people, and I promise to think before I post!

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

Congrats on your new piggy! It will take time for them to get along. They have to determine which of them is the dominant male.
Thats awesome that you are vet! Your piggies will always be healthy and if they aren't you can treat them your self! Very cool! I guess you won't really have vet bills lol.
Well congrats! What kind of piggies do you have?

 

[gooddogs74]

Apologies accepted.

My pigs are B.C, a six month old American shorthair black and white male (named because he looks like a Border Collie). And my new guy is Kevin Bacon--I think he is a mix of an Aby and something. Longer hair than B.C., and softer but doesn't have the little whorls in it. He is what I would call a calico or tri-color (black and white with some tan on his head and his rump)

Alanna

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

My pigs are B.C, a six month old American shorthair black and white male (named because he looks like a Border Collie). And my new guy is Kevin Bacon--I think he is a mix of an Aby and something. Longer hair than B.C., and softer but doesn't have the little whorls in it. He is what I would call a calico or tri-color (black and white with some tan on his head and his rump)

Alanna

Aww they sound cute. Is B.C. the one in your avatar?

 

[mncavylover]

Sorry you weren't greeted with gusto, but we had no idea about your situation. We get a lot if people on the boards that come in knowing absolutely nothing about cavies. And while I think it's great that you're a vet, not all vets are absolutely wonderful, that's why we were worried. If someone else kept them apart for only a day, that would be unsatisfactory, would it not? Not to sound offensive, sorry if I come off that way. We just try to inform people of everything we know to try and help. Glad to hear your pigs are doing well, good luck with them!

www.guinealynx.info is also an excellent site to find information on.

The cavyspirit link is excellent, it explains all about neutering. It doesn't change anything behaviorally at all, unlike in dogs and cats. As long as the buddies are the same sex, it should be fine.

Oh, and just a couple of questions:

What feed do you use/recommend? What hay? Thanks!

 

[gooddogs74]

I feed Oxbow pellets and timothy hay, which we sell at our clinic. I also give lots of fresh foods daily--lots of assorted greens, bell peppers, tomatoes, citrus, berries, kiwi, carrot, etc. They eat me out of house and home. And I understand that they are a lot of unknowledgable people out there, as well as bad vets (although the vast majority of us are really good people, despite what you hear from some). I guess the problem I had with the posts is that the posters came off as sarcastic and take the assumption that people don't know anything. There are nice ways to get across information and not make people feel like they have to defend themselves. Treen's post is a good example of that. Just offers information that tries to help. That's all. I know that tone is sometimes difficult to ascertain in e-mails, but there are effective ways of helping people without making them feel stupid. And a lot of people won't mention that, either, they just won't come back to the site.

And yes, BC is in my little picture, from when he was a baby.

Alanna

 

[mncavylover]

That's great! You take great care of your pigs, I see. Your avatar's so cute! I'm sorry if I came off as rude, I just want to make sure everyone's taking great care of their pigs. Thanks again. =)

 

[loves2travel]

I guess the problem I had with the posts is that the posters came off as sarcastic and take the assumption that people don't know anything. There are nice ways to get across information and not make people feel like they have to defend themselves.

Im sorry. I know you are referring to me. Thats the problem with posting, though. I was trying to be as gentle as possible, but when its read from paper, it can be taken in a number of different ways. I suppose you found it offensive, that is certainly not how i meant it.

 

[poggy2]

I am a new member. I decided to have a look at this site to get some tips and advice before getting my guinea pigs.
There are some great messages on this site and there are some really horrible ones! I'm sure that the majority of people looking at these pages look after their pets very well and care about animal welfare...that's why I'm so suprised at the tone in which some people deliver their advice. Point scoring, defensive, making assumptions about people. Surely there are nicer ways of being constructive...

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Didn't you realize when you opened this thread that the date on it is from 10-19-04. You can't judge people by posts that are 8 months old. If I had been the first one to respond to gooddogs question, I would have probably said something similar about quarantining. Nowhere did gooddogs say he/she was a veterinarian when they first posted.

This is your very first post here and you criticize the members based on an 8 month old post.

 

[carrotflavour]

ummmm, the quarantine period is supposed to last 3 weeks, not one day..........

I never did that and mine are fine.

I think that only should apply if one pig is coming from a different home or shelter...