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Next: bumblefoot
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External
Since: Aug 08, 2007
Posts: 13
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(Msg. 1) Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:21 pm
Post subject: brothers started fighting - what to do?
Archived from groups: alt>pets>guinea-pigs (more info?)
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Hello
Our two GPs are litter-brothers, and we got them in August time when they
are perhaps 4-5months old. The two boars, both un-neutered seeing as we
aren't introducing females, got on fine until maybe a month ago when they
started bickering, but nothing too serious.
However, when the weather turned colder and we moved them inside to a
smaller cage, they started fighting and one of them is on the receiving
end - he makes the "wheek" sound whenever his brother goes near him - and
when the two are close together, the aggressive one lunges at the scared
one.
We have now moved them back outside so that they have a latrge hutch and a
paddock area to run around in, privded with various boxes to go inside and
lots of hay to sleep in , especially inside the hutch in order to keep warm.
They are still fighting - the wheeking sounds are pretty upsetting to hear.
What can we do to stop them from fighting? Maybe being back in the original
larger cage will calm them down. In people's experience, is that likely to
happen? If not, what should we be doing?
Thanks in advance (again) for any help proffered.
DDS |
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External
Since: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 238
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(Msg. 2) Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:04 am
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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It is possible the original larger cage will help, however i don't think
GP's are particularly "territorial"...because they are herd animals,having
their own "space" may not be something to fight over.....it is more likely
the "status" of the pig is the thing which can trigger conflict...ie: I'm a
more important pig than you thing. Sometimes they just can't work things
out and the fighting can become awful. If your two dont settle down
seperating them may be the only option....even if it's just using a
partition to divide their larger cage.
kelvyn
No Guinea Pigs were harmed during the writing or sending of this post. |
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External
Since: Aug 08, 2007
Posts: 13
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(Msg. 3) Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:29 am
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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> It is possible the original larger cage will help,
They do seem to have settled down a little bit, I am glad to say.
> Sometimes they just can't work things
> out and the fighting can become awful. If your two dont settle down
> seperating them may be the only option....even if it's just using a
> partition to divide their larger cage.
The fighting has (luckily so far) been more a case of the one charging
towards the other, and the victim running away. However, we're keeping a
close on eye on thigs to make sure the situation doesn't worsen. Separation
via a barrier may well be a solution should the relationship deteriorate, so
thanks for the information and help.
DDS >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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External
Since: May 02, 2006
Posts: 65
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(Msg. 4) Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:42 am
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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> They are still fighting - the wheeking sounds are pretty upsetting to hear.
What I don't understand is why you just let them continue while hearing
those sounds. Just seperate them, at least none of them will get hurt...
Then you can think of a more permanent solution for the problem.
Michel >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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External
Since: May 02, 2006
Posts: 65
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(Msg. 5) Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:48 am
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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>>>
Separation via a barrier may well be a solution should the relationship
deteriorate
<<<
That is exactly what we had to do. We have a female that came from the
animal protection agency. For some reason she is easily upset. She can't
live with another guinea pig without starting a fight (and I mean a REAL
nasty fight!). But she can't stand begin alone either. So we seperated
her with a fence. The result is that she can still have contact with the
mates while not being able to have a go at them. This situation proves
to be working for almost 2 years now. All piggers are happy, and the
funny thing is, that they even touch noses through the fence. I can't
take it away though, not even after 2 years. They are a sort of "living
apart together" :o)
Michel >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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External
Since: Aug 08, 2007
Posts: 13
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(Msg. 6) Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:39 pm
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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>> They are still fighting - the wheeking sounds are pretty upsetting to
>> hear.
> What I don't understand is why you just let them continue while hearing
> those sounds. Just seperate them, at least none of them will get hurt...
> Then you can think of a more permanent solution for the problem.
Simply because the advice here and in some of the forums, and in a number of
books, suggests that after a short while there is a chance that the fighting
will die down, on account of it having kicked off due to them being shifted
into a much smaller cage.
Now that they are back in their familiar terriitory (their normal large
hutch and paddock), the scrapping has indeed quietened and they now seem to
"bicker" sometimes rather than fight, and they do spend quite some time with
one another. Thankfully the fighting never lead to them trying to bite each
other.
In finishing, I felt it would have been a knee-jerk reaction - an overkill,
if you will - to immediately separate them. We left them to work it out for
a couple of days and thankfully, it looks like that has done the trick.If
they had continued to fight then obviously we'd have separated them, no
question. I also appreciate that it may still be necessary should they start
up again!
Fingers crossed though.
DDS >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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External
Since: May 02, 2006
Posts: 65
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(Msg. 7) Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:39 am
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
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OK, then indeed is not as bad as with the female in our "guinea-clan".
When she starts fighting, it is for real! Think of "rolling on the
floor, bits of fur flying around". Once that happens, it is time to take
them apart FAST.
But like you said yourself: Fingers crossed!
better keep an eye on them...
Good luck,
Michel
Duncan Di Saudelli schreef:
>>> They are still fighting - the wheeking sounds are pretty upsetting to
>>> hear.
>
>> What I don't understand is why you just let them continue while hearing
>> those sounds. Just seperate them, at least none of them will get hurt...
>> Then you can think of a more permanent solution for the problem.
>
> Simply because the advice here and in some of the forums, and in a number of
> books, suggests that after a short while there is a chance that the fighting
> will die down, on account of it having kicked off due to them being shifted
> into a much smaller cage.
>
> Now that they are back in their familiar terriitory (their normal large
> hutch and paddock), the scrapping has indeed quietened and they now seem to
> "bicker" sometimes rather than fight, and they do spend quite some time with
> one another. Thankfully the fighting never lead to them trying to bite each
> other.
>
> In finishing, I felt it would have been a knee-jerk reaction - an overkill,
> if you will - to immediately separate them. We left them to work it out for
> a couple of days and thankfully, it looks like that has done the trick.If
> they had continued to fight then obviously we'd have separated them, no
> question. I also appreciate that it may still be necessary should they start
> up again!
> Fingers crossed though.
>
> DDS
>
> >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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External
Since: Aug 08, 2007
Posts: 13
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(Msg. 8) Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:55 pm
Post subject: Re: brothers started fighting - what to do? [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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> OK, then indeed is not as bad as with the female in our "guinea-clan".
> When she starts fighting, it is for real! Think of "rolling on the floor,
> bits of fur flying around". Once that happens, it is time to take them
> apart FAST.
Gulp! I hadn't realised that they can fight as viciously as that! Certainly
we would have separated them immediately, so I can understand your concern
earlier in this thread. Thanks for the warning.
> But like you said yourself: Fingers crossed! better keep an eye on them...
> Good luck,
So far, so good. They seem to be living together in peace once again as of
this evening's observations.
We'll be keeping an eye on them for quote some time to come though. Thanks
for your help.
DDS >> Stay informed about: brothers started fighting - what to do? |
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