Fighting/ReIntroducing/Neutering

[listracian]

Okay so I dunno how many of you will remember as its been roughly six months now that I have had Arthur and Merlin separate and trying to get them back together again.

They are both lonely.

They both want to be with others.

They both try to kill each other the second they are put together.

I have tried everything, literally everything. Sand swapping, bedding swaps, cage swaps, everything but they won't settle together. They both came from pets at home, Merlin is a blue and Arthur isn't. I was certain at the time that they weren't brothers due to the fact that Merlin was clearly older. They were fine together for 6 months and then they started fighting and it isn't just boxing.

Arthur has a kink in his tail from where Merlin has bitten it, along with his rear foot has been healing from the last time they met.

Merlin has a hole in his ear and scars on his tail as well.

Arthur tends to come off worse, I don't really know what it is but Arthur is scared of Merlin. The minute they are put together Arthur will get as far away as he can and grate his teeth together. He bit me the other day after I separated them last time but it was only because he was scared as he then curled up on my shoulder.

I really don't want to get any more, I don't have the room. They are both just so stubborn!

Anyway on to the real question here...

Does neutering them alter their behaviour? I do have females and though I have never had issues with my five boys fighting because of the girls, I am aware that Arthur and Merlin, being younger could be influenced by that female scent. I have been quoted £120 - 160 to get them both neutered but I don't want to do this unless I really have to. I adore them both and out of all my goos they are the two I am probably most attached to due to their little personalities. I give them a lot of time out with me now though to begin with I tried leaving them alone to see if it would make them want each other enough but it hasn't worked.

Basically I am looking for any sort of help right now. I am not going to rehome them, it's not an option. I can make space for more goos if need be but realistically I don't want to be doing that. I do have ten already and if they didn't accept the new ones then it could just go on and on!

I have been introducing both boys to the girls now, making sure they are being observed the whole time! All 3 girls accept both boys so the plan, if it works would be to get both Arthur and Merlin snipped and put in with the girls and then join both their cages to give them even more space.

I just need opinions on the neutering. Does this sound possible? If I can't get Arthur and Merlin together then Arthur will be snipped and put with the girls and Merlin will be kept on his own and just get a lot of attention. Merlin I think is the bully here, he starts the fights and is pretty happy on his own, where as Arthur clearly isn't happy. So yes advice would be great! Thank you!

[fred]

Two thoughts initially. If they are about a year now, they are getting out of their worst adolescent stage. The time of year where they are assumed to have a higher testosterone level is also coming to an end. So maybe you could in a month or two try one final re-introduction?

If they just can't get along with each other, would getting them both neutered and then a female companion for Merlin an option?

[listracian]

I could get Merlin a female companion... but they would have to live in a pets at home cage, which is fine for Merlin on his own as ideally its temporary but for two seems a little harsh when the others have huge cage to run around - it is possible we can alter the large cage to allow room for another cage to be worked into it so they all have good running space but that really would be the last option really especially as the boyfriend wants me to try and cut down on my degu numbers mostly because he wants a couple of chillas!

I will give them a month before reintroducing them again so that they both have time to calm down and settle properly before messing it all up again. If that doesn't work then yeah they will go down the vets, just figured it was worth asking if anyone had any other ideas.

Thanks fred!

[fred]

Now I have a further thought, just wanted to hear your opinion on the initial ones first. Neutering will reduce the testosterone levels to some extent, though it seems unclear by how much. If this is the last resort anyway, you could consider getting it done before you try to re-introduce them. This may give them the very best last chance to live together. I think the costs you mentioned are quite high; maybe others can comment on this.

[scoobos]

I'm a novice owner but can give advice on my experiences (see other posts by me)

1. I also have 1 goo that's prob not from the same litter.
2. Call pets at home and.ask for the breeders number and talk to him/her , it may be that others from the litter have problems too.
3 limit splitting and reintroducing it just makes the fighting worse.
4. Consider neutering BOTH of them, they are old enough but it isn't cheap.


I neutered them and its worked out well, but tbh I agree with my breeder that I shouldn't have split them on first blood like I did.

I've seen no behavoural or personality differences (2 months later)

my goos are happier but 1 of them really has knackered ears, he can't move them anymore

[listracian]

Yeah I didn't separate them the first time they attacked each other, I did it when I noticed Arthurs tail was badly damaged. I also know they came from different breeders, one of my friends at uni works at the pets at home they came from and he reckons they wouldn't know who Merlin came from.

I am considering getting them both done, the vets said it would be around £60-80 each. I will still give them a couple of months to see how it goes and then my student loan will also be through so will have the extra money to get them done. Still hoping I can get them together without neutering but it is very much an option!

Thank you for your advice though! It's nice to know neutering hasn't changed their personalities at all

[Maravilla]

Different people, different opinions.
I don't consider neutering them as an option, as it is quite probable that fights won't stop only due to it (there are both experiences: some people are happy, others don't see any reduction in aggression). It seems that only smaller amounts of testosterone are produced in the testicles. Neutering is an option if you split the boys and introduce them with girls.

[listracian]

That is the only option left if they don't get on. They will end up with girls.

[mel]

You mention that you have been introducing both boys to the girls - I wonder whether this could be fuelling the fighting? I'd stop abd keep them well apart from the girls to see if it improves things.