My guinea pigs have turned bad, what should I do?

[Boco]

Have two young brothers, they've always got on fine, no fighting or rudeness at all. This morning when I went to feed them they looked like they'd been back combed - their hair was sticking up in the air, clumps of hair in the cage, bits missing. I thought they had some kind of rapid mange type disease! But on closer inspection found that the bald bits had claw marks, they've obviously had a huge punch up!

Only have one cage - what can I do to make them play nice? Should I put anything on the wounds? Not bleeding, just red scratches. And they've really ruined each others hair.

Put some cardboard or plastic plumbing type tubes in their cage as boredom busters - worth a try as our girl guineas once 'trimmed' each others hair when left in the cage too long unentertained?

I'm afraid we've only ever had females, tho, but the breeder who sold us ours told us boys are usually ok together provided they've always been together and neither of them has bred, or been removed for a period of time.

Hmm, they do have a cardboard tube. They're usually out in their run all day, and only in the cage at night, but it's raining here so have had to leave them in. Have you ever trimmed their nails? I think they're a bit sharp but am scared of cutting the quick.

sorry, whoever sold you them should have told you that you CANNOT keep males together - they will kill one another (I've had gpigs for years). They aren't bored - get rid of one of them before they seriously harm each other.

Really? They told me that as they were brothers and had always been together they'd be fine. Oh dear, it'd be awful to get rid of one.

Boco, just found this - apparently if they're similar ages they fight for dominance.

How old are they?

Have they had there bit chopped off-might be that the dominant thing is kicking in.

I used to have a male rabbit and a male guinea pig, the rabbit kept trying to hump the pig so we had to seperate....twas horrible poor pig had to keep his bum to the wood.

nope, I had a litter and had to get rid of the 2 brothers (would have loved to have kept them). can you divide the cage into 2 by any chance? or even get a bigger cage and divide that (2 bedrooms, 2 living areas?) (you could always sell the first one). That way they'd have company (gpigs love company) but they won't kill each other!

We have two males that get along fine. A bit of squabbling for dominance initially but now completely peaceful.

They're 5 months old. I hope they just get over it like yours thready, they've always got on fine, can't believe what they've been up to! I can't afford a new larger cage or another cage at all.

We also had 2 male gps who got on fine - never any problems. Then one died after a couple of years so I got another male as a companion for the remaining one - I introduced them over a period of time and again they have now lived in the same hutch together for 4 years with never even the hint of a 'dust up'.

I've kept two males (g-ps, obviously) together plenty of times (even unrelated ones) and they've been fine. Just wash any wounds with salt water and let them get on with it. They'll be a pecking ordre quickly enough.

Make sure there's plenty of food/bedding, so they don't have to compete for it.