Aggression Pancake is a bully!

[Mrs_Ames]

I have male 2 piggies, Pancake (7 months) and Blueberry (11 weeks). They have been together about a month. They get along fine. Pancake would always grumble around sometimes but they cuddled and got along. 3 days ago I got a third piggie, Butters. He is around 8 months (I believe). Butters and Blueberry get along great. There was never any rumbling or anything, and they love to sleep together. Pancake has become a bully! He is always chasing both piggies around. Rumbling, teeth chattering...I really think he is scaring my other piggies. Is he just trying to show dominance? I think Butters is afraid to eat. Blueberry will go eat and Pancake will get on top of him and Blueberry just squeals. I feel so bad for them! What should I do? Any advice? I just don't understand because Pancake liked Blueberry before, now he is bullying him! Help!

 

[Thumper27]

How did you introduce them? How big is your cage? Did you quaratine the new pig before introducing?

It sounds like dominance for sure, and if one isn't eating there's a big issue. But somebody with more exsperiance will have to explain more, I'll look for the intro link, but do answer the questions, because it's basic info we will need.....

 

[Thumper27]

Guinea Pigs Social Life there's the link....

 

[pinky]

The first thing I would do is make sure they're all males. The second thing would be to make sure you have enough room for all three. They're adolescents so there's bound to be some rumbling going on. Make sure you have extra water bottles, food dishes and hay piles so they all can eat. Take out huts with only a single opening. It's natural for them to work out their hierarchy. Anytime you add another, they have to work it all out again and the top dog might not still be #1.

 

[Thumper27]

The first thing I would do is make sure they're all males. The second thing would be to make sure you have enough room for all three. They're adolescents so there's bound to be some rumbling going on. Make sure you have extra water bottles, food dishes and hay piles so they all can eat. Take out huts with only a single opening. It's natural for them to work out their hierarchy. Anytime you add another, they have to work it all out again and the top dog might not still be #1.

Thanks Pinky! I can always count on y'all to come along with more info/better info then I have! I've grown so much to trust that somebody will come along and help out!

 

[Mrs_Ames]

I introduced them on neutral ground. I also clean out the cage and everything before putting them together. I have a 2x4 c&c cage with my large store bought cage attached. So its like 2x5 or a bit bigger. I quaratined for a while and then introduced. I am really worried about the youngest piggie. He is so little and he keeps getting trampled on and squished up against the pigaloo walls as the other two grumble and teeth chatter.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

The first thing I would do is make sure they're all males. The second thing would be to make sure you have enough room for all three. They're adolescents so there's bound to be some rumbling going on. Make sure you have extra water bottles, food dishes and hay piles so they all can eat. Take out huts with only a single opening. It's natural for them to work out their hierarchy. Anytime you add another, they have to work it all out again and the top dog might not still be #1.

Thanks. I have double checked and they are all males. I have two water bottles and 2 food bowls. Should I do 3 of everything? I have a huge pile of hay. I will take out the pigaloo with only one enterance, the other has 2. I will get a new one. My cage is big enough. I just hope they work it out soon! Its stressing me out!!

 

[Kimberly713]

Your cage base is still a 2x4 which is small for 3 pigs, especially males. The old cage is basically a large hidey house or litter box. If they run in there they are likely trapped, which is not good for a trio settling heirarchy. I would recommend either a 2x6, or a 3x4 sized cage. Remove any one exit hideys. No pigloos, huts, etc. Use only tunnels, maybe a step stool, anything with 2 or more exits. Make sure you have at least 2 bowls, water bottles, and hay areas. It doesn't sound like he is a bully at all, it's rare for them to immediately get along there is always a dominance battle. Let them work it out and things will improve with time.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

Your cage base is still a 2x4 which is small for 3 pigs, especially males. The old cage is basically a large hidey house or litter box. If they run in there they are likely trapped, which is not good for a trio settling heirarchy. I would recommend either a 2x6, or a 3x4 sized cage. Remove any one exit hideys. No pigloos, huts, etc. Use only tunnels, maybe a step stool, anything with 2 or more exits. Make sure you have at least 2 bowls, water bottles, and hay areas. It doesn't sound like he is a bully at all, it's rare for them to immediately get along there is always a dominance battle. Let them work it out and things will improve with time.

Well the base is 2x4 yes. I have my old cage as the "kitchen" area. I will eventually extend it. I don't have anymore grids or coroplast right now. I just am running in there constantly. I keep hearing squealing, grumbling. Hope they work it out soon!

 

[LuvsMyPiggies]

No matter what I tried w/ any of my males they my boys are naughty, naughty, naughty.... They are sweet as pie w/ me but around each-other they are so mean... So they are housed close to each-other but have the floor time separate and not allowed to be together. They say hi to each-other if I am holding one and put them near them between bars where they can't cause any harm.

 

[bpatters]

Just weigh them daily to make sure they're not losing weight. And if they're not, and there aren't any bites, then let them alone. Rumbling and teeth chattering aren't anything to worry about, and neither is humping, chasing, etc.

But do take the pigloos out. Pigs who are working out dominance issues don't need any hidey that only has one entrance/exit to it -- they always need a way to escape. You can use cardboard boxes for the time being -- just cut the bottoms out and cut holes in the end.

And do please enlarge the cage as soon as you can. You're likely to have problems so long as you have three boars in that small cage, and it just increases the likelihood that someone will get bitten.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

Just weigh them daily to make sure they're not losing weight. And if they're not, and there aren't any bites, then let them alone. Rumbling and teeth chattering aren't anything to worry about, and neither is humping, chasing, etc.

But do take the pigloos out. Pigs who are working out dominance issues don't need any hidey that only has one entrance/exit to it -- they always need a way to escape. You can use cardboard boxes for the time being -- just cut the bottoms out and cut holes in the end.

And do please enlarge the cage as soon as you can. You're likely to have problems so long as you have three boars in that small cage, and it just increases the likelihood that someone will get bitten.

Yes all this I understand. I was so glad that this site was so helpful...Until you closed my other thread. It was NOT the same story it was different. More has started happening and I wanted input because I am worried...Instead of being helped I was shut down. Thanks.

 

[Kimberly713]

I saw your other thread, and I don't know why it was closed either. It seemed to me you were looking for emotional support, which I know many will give.
You pig's screaming you were talking about is just him giving up sort of. He's the more submissive one in your pecking order and he's squealing to tell your other pig to leave him alone. I promise you, it will stop with time if that's all that's happening. It sounds like your boys are going to get along fine, but you really need to expand that cage to speed things up. They need space to get away from one another.

EDIT: Keep watching them making sure everyones eating and noone has major injuries. If this happens you may need to separate them.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

I saw your other thread, and I don't know why it was closed either. It seemed to me you were looking for emotional support, which I know many will give.
You pig's screaming you were talking about is just him giving up sort of. He's the more submissive one in your pecking order and he's squealing to tell your other pig to leave him alone. I promise you, it will stop with time if that's all that's happening. It sounds like your boys are going to get along fine, but you really need to expand that cage to speed things up. They need space to get away from one another.

EDIT: Keep watching them making sure everyones eating and noone has major injuries. If this happens you may need to separate them.

Thank you! Yeah I HATE listening to him squealing like that! I am going to be getting more grids and coroplast ASAP and hopefully it stops. Makes me feel terrible!! I have been watching to be sure that they are all eating, and they are.

 

[bpatters]

No, you weren't shut down. You're talking about dominance issues with your pigs, and that's what this thread is about. You're free to post here about those issues all you want.

It's very hard for people to keep up with what your pigs are doing, or who they are, or what they've done in the past if you keep opening new threads about them. It's much easier to scroll down and find the pertinent history if it's all in one thread.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I am hoping that anyone considering adding pigs to their already established herd will read this and make sure their cage is large enough. Cage size is extremely important with males. I am glad, Mrs. Ames, that you are going to enlarge yours asap. Unfortunately many people don't find this out until after an expensive vet bill.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

I did not say I was shut down. I said you closed my thread. So anytime I have a dominance issue I have to stay on this thread? I just assumed if I had an issue I could post it for answers. That really bothers me that you just closed it! I was so stressed about my piggies behavior and needed some response and you just decided that my issue wasn't important enough and didn't let anyone respond. You could have said to me "could you please post this on your previous thread so people can follow your story." Instead I get a "I am closing this thread because you already asked ....." and whatever else it said. Have some heart, Moderator! I will take my issues elsewhere...To a site ran by someone who thinks ALL guinea pig issues are in need of responses.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

I am hoping that anyone considering adding pigs to their already established herd will read this and make sure their cage is large enough. Cage size is extremely important with males. I am glad, Mrs. Ames, that you are going to enlarge yours asap. Unfortunately many people don't find this out until after an expensive vet bill.[/Q]

They have a 2x4 and then a kitchen area attached. So its really a 2x5..I am planning to make it even bigger yet, see if it helps.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I am sorry you feel that way. I think you are missing the point that when you keep your related questions on one thread, it helps those who want to help you. It's extremely frustrating to have to go back and search for threads to find out all the background information on a topic.

No, it's not really like a 2x5. It's a place where the pigs can get trapped, it's not uninterrupted space they can run around in. It is not counted in the total square footage.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

I am sorry you feel that way. I think you are missing the point that when you keep your related questions on one thread, it helps those who want to help you. It's extremely frustrating to have to go back and search for threads to find out all the background information on a topic.

No, it's not really like a 2x5. It's a place where the pigs can get trapped, it's not uninterrupted space they can run around in. It is not counted in the total square footage.

I understand why it was closed. It is awful the way it was closed. No explanation..Just rudly shut down. I logged on this morning to see what people had replied and all I got was the rude message by the other moderator. Next time when you all feel the need to close a thread perhaps a reason for doing so would be a nice thing to do.

I don't see how my piggies can get trapped? Anyway I am going to make the cage bigger.