Behavior Male Humping

[Lunar_Piggies]

I currently have 3 males and they have lived together for sometime with no problems however the more dominant male recently has taking up humping and i do know it is a sign of dominance showing he is in charge but it has gotten to the point where he has stress the other 2 out no matter what they do he is always chasing and humping them, he won't let them eat, drink or sleep in peace without him terrorizing them he even herds them into 1 corner of the cage and not them leave, he even bother them in hides and chases them out to terrorize them, at this point i don't know what to do with him and i just feel it has gone way over trying to assert dominance and he is just being a jerk at this point and i don't feel its fair to the other 2. my cage is a 5x3 C&C i was told was large enough for 3 pigs i have looked into getting him fix but i haven't found a vet that will do it or i have been told it wouldn't fix it, i have taken him out or spilt him off separately from the other 2 so they could have some peace

 

[Mizz P]

From what I have read, neutering a male guinea pig is unlikely to stop this type of behavior. You may need to split them up, 2 in one part of the C&C and the humper in the other part. I recommend you take a look at the Photos section of this site. There are a lot of cage setups where pigs are separated but still close enough to enjoy each other's company.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I'm sorry I missed this one.

I hate to be the one to break you the bad news, but three boars is a definite no-no. It will usually work while they are young, but once they hit puberty (as it sounds like your boys are) the problems will start. Trust me, I have tried it myself. Neutering will NOT solve the problem.

You have a few options, but leaving all three of them together isn't one of them. You could rehome the odd one out (not an option for me personally) or you can keep two together, build a separate cage and adopt another boy who needs a home to pair with the single boar.

The longer you leave all three together, the greater the chance for injury to one, or even all, will be.

 

[Lunar_Piggies]

I'm sorry I missed this one.

I hate to be the one to break you the bad news, but three boars is a definite no-no. It will usually work while they are young, but once they hit puberty (as it sounds like your boys are) the problems will start. Trust me, I have tried it myself. Neutering will NOT solve the problem.

You have a few options, but leaving all three of them together isn't one of them. You could rehome the odd one out (not an option for me personally) or you can keep two together, build a separate cage and adopt another boy who needs a home to pair with the single boar.

The longer you leave all three together, the greater the chance for injury to one, or even all, will be.

these are my first pigs i bought them from someone else back in end of January who was rehoming them, when does do they hit Puberty? they are over 2 years old i was told and they have lived together there whole lives no problem up till recently, you are the only person who has ever said it was Bad to have 3 boars together, i don't really want to rehome him since i am already his second home but i don't have the funds right now for a 4th pig to care for and if i could get another what if he just does this with another boar i try to house him with

 

[bpatters]

Your pigs are past puberty, so that's not the issue.

But @Guinea Pig Papa is right, three males almost never works, and we never recommend trying it. It sound like you've been one of the very very few lucky ones who's had peace in the cage for even a little while with three boars.

Almost anything can set off a change in behavior with pigs -- rearranging the cage, changing the bedding, moving the lamps in the room, whatever. You may never know what set off your trio, so the only thing you can do now is try to fix it. Unfortunately, your best bet may be to get another pig and another cage and have two pair rather than a trio.

If you do get another pig, make sure the cage is large enough. Males do need more room than females, so you'll need at least 10-12 square feet, and more would definitely be a lot better.

 

[Mizz P]

Wow, I also didn't know that three males is a no-go. Since Lunar_Piggies has a 5x2 cc, would it be worth inserting an additional 2 grid wall creating a connected 2x2 and 2x3 (humper in the 2x2 and the other 2 in the 2x3)?

 

[Lunar_Piggies]

i do have plans to expand the cage in the future to make it bigger i can section him off with a wall so he can still see them but not get to them

 

[bpatters]

A 2x3 isn't nearly large enough for two males. You need a 2x4 at a bare minimum, and even that is chancy. I wouldn't go less than a 2x5.