Help! Advice re: Roger and Theo!

[clairepig]

Hi!
Roger and Theo had been getting on OK since putting them in the same cage yesterday, but today I put them in their indoor run for a runaround - unfortunately the girls had been in there first - I though I had removed all the paper with their wee smell on, but after I put Roger and Theo in I discovered I'd missed a bit ....

This seemed to send Roger wild and he chased poor little Theo round like a maniac and was a bit more aggressive towards him than he has been for the rest of the week (nattering his teeth and gave him a couple of kicks out the way. Theo stood up for himself quite well and there was no biting but it really worried me

I took them out again and back into their boy smelling cage - they seemed to calm down a bit, but still not as settled as they have been (tho both are aleeping now) - do you think it was just the girly smells that riled them up or is it the start of the souring of their previously blossoming frienship

Help please!!!

[eppingstrider]

Well, I've no experience at all in this, and am trying to make sure that F&G never know what a sow is! But I still have opinions

Yes, I think it was the girlie smell that upset Roger good and proper. Can you put them down on the floor first and the girls on after? It would solve the problem (I dont think the girls get fussed about the boy smell!)

I know its early days in Roger & Theo's relationship, but it sounds like they're settling down even with this little hiccup.

[lisa]

My 2 pumpkin and Blaze are exactly the same if they go in after the girls so I put them out first and then the girls or if you could section of a bit of the run just for them that would be a good idea.

My boars do live within smelling distance of the ladies but aren't bothered but like you said if they go some where, where the ladies have already been they go a bit mad bless em, Hopefully your lads will be ok

[Hugs-Cavies (Doris)]

Yep, its the sow smell.

As the relationship matures you may find that the girl smell no longer bothers Roger, but for the time being it will.

We do have one boar who much prefers boars and doesn't even rumble at sows and has shown us up on the showing table more than once

As for sows, they don't seem bothered about boar smells.

[clairepig]

Thanks everyone!
I usually let the boys in first, so hadn't had the poblem before (and as you say, the sows don't seem at all bothered by boar smells!! ).

Good news however! - I left the boys alone in their cage for a couple of hours and they calmed fight down, so put them back in the (clean) run and they are now getting on ok again - bit of rumbling from Rog and the odd Benny Hill chase, but nothing major. Sat and ate their grass (freshly picked from the garden) together and little Theo is popcorning around - so phew!, hopefully back on track again

Have learnt my lesson in making sure all girly smells removed though! (their cages are in the same room and this doesn't seem to bother them, but obviously the wee smell on the paper was irresistable for poor Rog!

Will keep you updated

[snailspace]

I'm not even going to comment ;D