Help! Are my GPs ok?

[morethanacondiment]

We've had our two young boars for three months; they came as a bonded pair and have always seemed happy living together.
There have been a few occasions of fake-humping, always the same boy asserting himself, and these have resolved quickly.
Today, this same boy has spent hours aggressively mounting the other - lots of squealing, a bit of blood on the humpee (from front claws grabbing on rather than deliberate fighting, I think), clumps of hair everywhere, teeth chattering from the poor old humpee, and he's now very subdued and shy.
We've separated them (which was a hair-raising experience!), but I don't know what to do tomorrow.
Any suggestions from more experienced piggers?

It's scary when they squabble especially the noise and fur flying.
Are they in chattering distance? They need to know the other one is there for reassurance.

Tomorrow - if you can, bath them in the same shampoo to make them smell the same.
Dry thoroughly (to make sure they don't get chilled)
Put them somewhere neutral - a paddling pool is ideal. Big pile of hay to distract them.

Let them have an hour or so just to size each other up again (I wouldn't put any hidey boxes in the pool, just hay and veg)

Their living quarters - make that neutral, wash out with white vinegar, it removes all their old pee deposits and it's quite strong smelling.

Our GP1 GP2 were narky in winter, they didn't like their indoor cage. The first year we put a thick metal grid in the middle to give two smaller areas but put them in their Pighouse by day.
Next year we decided to trust them and gave them the undivided cage, lots of hay and covered it at night.

Our GP3 (we got as a piglet) would bonk his older cagemate. We were worried because GP3 weighs 3lb , GP1 much less.

Hopefully they'll see this cooling off period as time apart then re-introduce and they'll re-estalish themselves. There will always be one dominant but the pecking order can change.
Your less dominant male might tell the bossy one to "Do One". GP1 would give GP3 a heads up snap but never aggressive. GP3 was a bit young a stupid, but he had the sense to leave alone after a while.
(GP3 is now neutered with 2 sows after GP1 died. He tries it on with them now. They aren't tolerant )

Sounds fairly normal boar behaviour. As 70 says, bathing them and neutralising things can help settle them.

There will always be a dominant pig in a pair so when you reintroduce them there will be a bit of argy-bargy. Let them work through it (unless there's blood). I have 2 boys and the top pig has retained his status for 3 years. The other one tries it on and humps etc but top pig either ignores him or gives him a squeaking off .

Ah, thanks. Poor humpee is still very timid today, so I didn't feel I could wash him (he was liable to drop dead!) but reintroduced them on neutral territory and it all seems calm. So far

Hope the re-introduction progresses well (sometimes there's no way of knowing what sets them off). Mine had a big fight after too much coriander.
Then the following spring they started bickering (but low key)
Last Bank Holiday we had GP3 and GP1. The younger boy must've had his sap rising, he kept trying it on. DD and I bathed them so they were both sulking at us not each other.

I think if GP3 tries it on with my little sow, she'll give him his hands'n'head to play with

Oh dear, boars can be like this from time to time. My Old Boy, a runty little thing was the boss but occasionally his huge but timid litter brother would fancy being alpha pig. There would be a fight, Todd would lose and sit sadly. The victor, Smartie couldn't cope with the responsibility of being boss and be miserable too. After a few days things would go back to normal

A guinea pig rescue lady I know puts a really tiny dab of Vick on both noses of fighting guinea pigs. Never tried it myself but maybe worth a try if bathing is not an option. My first choice would be a bath though, they will be united in their displeasure judginess at you