CRAZY AGRESSIVE GUINEAPIG (REPOST)

[madisanimals]

Realised my last post was a bit hard to read

So I have now 5 male guineapigs. I originally rescued 2 of them and then I went to a pet place that was closing down and there was only one baby guineapig left that they couldnt get rid of in time so I took him home. He was super shy good natured and got along with my guineapigs fine. It's been 2 years and over this time the cage has gotten bigger and bigger currently it is 3m x 1.5m (9ftx5ft) so I don't think size is the issue. They have 4 beds and 3 hiddees and get fed just under a kilo of Veges a day as well as timothee pellets and I have 2 hay racks as well as two food bowls so they don't have to share .



Okay so this is going to be a bit of a story I'm sorry. So I have Bo (he is bullying my other guineapig little one who is at the bottom of the pecking order) and Hugo who is on top of the pecking order (he gets along better with bo then little one in the herd but he's never done anything to little one).


Okay so I've had them for 2 years bo was introduced as a baby he never even attempted to challenge the pecking order he kind of just naturally slid into the middle. Over the last month he has been getting a bit snappy at little one then a few nights ago I woke up to him relentlessly chasing little one around the cage. I let it play out and it just didn't stop. Little one is fine with being at the bottom of the pecking order given he is the smallest and shyest he's also fairly okay with just going off and being on his own and doing his own thing he's never tried to fight back at Bo.


I took him out of the cage and he chilled with me for the rest of the night he was happy about that but obviously I am not a guineapig and I'm not always here so I was faced with fact I might have to separate them which I didn't really want to do. The next morning I put little one back in for feeding time just to see what would happen it was fine but as soon as the food was gone Bo started chasing him again. I put them outside to see if that would change things it didn't Bo still chased little one and little one was in the corner for the whole day not going out and eating grass.


I realised i might have to separate them I ended up getting little one a set of baby twins he absolutlely loves them and they have been hiding behind him and everything he was popcorning and licking them so it was really good to see he had his energy back. I introduced Hugo in and there's was hardly any dominance behaviour he was just fine and little one did get a bit more reserved but he was okay.


I left it a few hours with hay and grass and Veges they all got along well but Hugo was still off to the side and little one was less energentic then I tried to put Bo in to see if the new guineapigs would make him leave little one alone. It didn't he still chased little one around and this stressed Hugo out and upon running into Hugo, Hugo lunged at Bo and bit his lip he is fine just a little blood.


I removed bo and things calmed down but Hugo was now pretty stressed out and sitting in his own corner teeth chattering at everyone I put him with Bo and they seemed okay together. I know that hugo prefers to be with bo as they are often found close to each other while little one is often on his own.


I decided to split the c and c cage in half and I put Hugo and bo on one side and little one and the babies on the other. Bo literally broke the C and C grid just to get into the other side and scare little one out and smell the babies. I got a new c and c grid and put wood sheets on either side bo ripped these off and got to the other side. I put him on the couch while I took out the grids realising it's not going to work and he jumped into the cage from there and started chasing little one and then I took Hugo out to give him some company while I fixed the cage and he still jumped in to the cage to have a go at little one.



I realised I really don't think I have room for 2 separate c and c cages like to put in different rooms so they don't see eachother. Hugo and Bo aren't getting along great they are getting very irritated with each other.


I don't know what to do because it was not fighting it was chasing but I don't know if there's any chance of them figuring it out i also just don't want to put little one through that stress but Hugo is getting a bit nippy and grumpy at Bo but Hugo doesn't really seem to be fully happy with little one and the babies but he's not necessarily bothered by it either so I don't really know what to do .

Does anyone have any idea how I could merge them back together or why Bo has this sudden crazy aggression when he's never had it before or if it's maybe best if I surrender him? The only thing is at this given point I don't really have space to have two separate guineapig cages I do move out in July however in which I can get a space that offers that but I don't know . I don't want to get rid of him but that's how it is kind of looking

[Sef]

What you are trying to do is doomed to fail. It is not natural to have a "herd" of males all living together, and I have seen very, very few cases of it being done successfully. Certainly not with five. The more natural arrangement is a group of females and one neutered male, or all-females. Generally with males, though, the best arrangement is for them to live in pairs in large enough cages so that dominance doesn't become a major issue. I honestly don't think you'll ever have a cage large enough to fix the problem of five males all living together and, in the meantime, somebody may end up getting badly hurt (or worse).

Unfortunately, my suggestion would be to divide four of them up into two pairs and re-home the lone male.

[madisanimals]

I know that male guineapigs often don't work in herds but I have managed to have all male herds for most my life (3 up to 6) and they've all got along great I definitely have one much bigger or dominating guineapig and the others just find their place and I always introduce them as very little babies so I've never had problems ever this is first time ive ever had bullying or fighting so i was being a bit optimistic that maybe i could do something but I think I will have to pair off Bo with Hugo and see if that calms down if not I will get Bo neutered and put him in my roommates female herd

[Sef]

Then you have been very lucky. It's generally way too much testosterone in one place, and in the years that I've been here, I only know of a couple of people who have done it successfully. One may have had free-range pigs; the other had an enormous (possibly room size?) enclosure, if I remember correctly.

It's not to say that it can't be done; it's just rare and the odds of someone getting bullied or attacked are pretty good.

I think your solution sounds reasonable. Good luck!

[Renonvsparky]

It's hard enough just to get 2 boars to get along together. I can't imagine 5 of them. My paired guys are brothers from the same litter; not that it makes any difference because they have their disagreements. It's mostly over who gets first crack at the food but it usually clears up very quickly with a minor nip or lunge by the dominant one. They otherwise get along well most of the time but it's something I watch very closely and I'm prepared to separate them if necessary.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that you have to get rid of any of them, but I wouldn't rule it out either. You can first try pairing them in groups of two and keeping the odd man out like Sef suggests. If you're able to place their cages in close enough proximity so they can see, hear and smell each other they'll be ok. I'd recommend setting it up with the single pig's cage in between the two paired cages. That way he'll have the most contact with the others. If that isn't possible or it doesn't work, you may have to give the odd one of them up. For me that would be a last resort.

In all I have 4 boars with two paired up and two lone ones. The two lone guys are happy by themselves. I actually think they like it that way. One of them, Mr. Bubbles refused to pair up despite my best efforts. The other one, Barry Jenkins, or BJ as we call him was paired with another PEW at the Humane Society and had to be separated because he was beating up his cage mate. Some piggies are just meant to have their own space and that's okay as long as they get plenty of love and attention from you.

[daisymay]

I normally just have girls, but have you thought of having one cage on top of the other to save on room? It would just be for 3 months till you move. Just an idea.

I know I couldn't get rid of my girls. We have 5, Jewel and Jinx sisters live alone but can see and smell each other. Jill is alone due to her lost of her sister Jaffa BUT she is next to the whipper snappers Jay and Jersey. This seems to be the way the girls want it and they are happy. Don't give up! Hope you can work it out!

[madisanimals]

So far I have 4 of them together as Bo and Hugo started fighting so i put Hugo in with the little one and the twins and i extended the width of the cage and theres been no problems they are really happy but I am ready to separate them if anything goes wrong. I went and bought cast iron grids so Bo couldn't break them and attached them to the cage so Bo can be next to the other pigs and interact with them. He's been angrily digging at the ground, biting the bars, walking up and down the bars rumblestrutting trying to get to the other pigs. I attempted to house him away from the pigs and he showed very depressed behaviour rarely coming out of his hidee and not eating much hay or all his veges so i don't know which one is better. Due to corona virus I can't even get him desexxed right now I don't know why he's is so aggressive and so persistent in trying to get. to the other pigs but its been 2 weeks and he's still trying and his aggression isnt calming down.

[daisymay]

I would perhaps suggest to vet hormone injections? It works for females so why not males? I am surprised your vet won't desex him right now(NOT that I would anyway as all surgery carries a big risk on piggies!).

One of our pigs Jill needed X-rays and to be sedated for this by gas, I made appointment, when I got there I rang them in car to let them know I was there. When they were ready for me they rang me back. I took Jill in, she was checked over, I was told what would happen and I left Jill there.

Teeth Okay, suggested taking blood. BUT Jill had to much fat under chin so no blood took. They rang me back to pick her up. Rang when I got there, rang when ready, picked her up, had to pay by card(NO cash accepted anywhere at moment) and we left.

If we need to see people doctor unless emergency it is phone consult only. They speak to you, if they wish to see you they will arrange a time otherwise phones only!

Hoping Bo settles down soon and doesn't hurt himself. Does he calm down when you cuddle him or does he nip and unsettled? Please keep us posted!

You are in Queensland, there is a Cavy rescue in Queensland supposed to be very good perhaps contact them? I am in South Australia. Here is a link for you that may help too. https://www.guinealynx.info/records/view ... 5938781632

Even if too far away maybe your vet could speak to them, they may have some ideas to help! No harm in asking! Dr Vella in NSW suppose to best cavy vet in Australia. You could also suggest a website for vets VIN and see if your vet gets any responses? Good luck! Hugs to Bo!

[madisanimals]

Thankyou so much for that I will call the vet tomorrow about it I've never heard of hormone injections before for guineapigs but I will seriously give anything a go it's been so upsetting seeing them not get along and seeing them so angry and upset and I feel kind of helpless. I definitely would rather spend alot of money than give any of them away and I was really worried about surgery. Currently in queensland they've said no elective surgeries for animals my dog cant even get a biopsy done its kind of crazy

[Lynx]

I have not heard of hormone injections used on males. Do you mean to lower testosterone levels or to sterilize them?

[Sef]

I have never heard of such a thing in males, either. Does not sound like a good idea.

[daisymay]

Do you mean to lower testosterone levels or to sterilize them?

To Lower testosterone levels. Humans and some animals can get them. I thought as human males and some animals go through menopause and that in some cases a injection to lower testosterone is given. I just thought male guinea pigs might be able to have it too. I am sorry if I gave out false information.

One of our male rabbits got injections to lower testosterone and it worked a treat. Without them he was a horror, kicking, nipping and tormenting the others. After the injection he was as quiet as a lamb a few days later. Lasted 3-6 months.