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Pairing adult boars?

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I know that they say that you shouldn't pair adult boars, that it's better with an adult and a young one, but has anyone successfully done it?

I'm asking because my Zippy, who is almost 5, lost his brother George in August. I feel bad for him being on his own, but I don't really want to get a young boar and pair them because if Zippy dies (due to old age) I'll be left with another single boar. I can't get him neutered as he's getting on a bit, and he also had a huge hernia operation earlier this year so another operation isn't an option.

He's a lovely laid back piggy, it was always his brother that was the dominant one so I think he'd take another boar quite well.

None of the boar dating services are anywhere me :(

Any advice?
 
I haven't got any experience with this but wanted to point out that even if you do manage to bond them, then you have to be aware that they might fall out with each other at any time.
 
Hi
It's definately possible. One of my piggies Spike is on his third friend sadly having lost the previous two to illnesses. His first friend was as they were both babies, second one Spike was 2 and Stripes 3 and third friend Bob was 2 and Spike was 3. It's all about personality, or pigsonality as we like to call it! Spike is a very laid back piggy and has had a hyperactive dominant friend, a grumpy old man and an equally laid back friend in Bob.
The best matches work when they can choose their own friend. With Zippy being the laid back one I think he's got a good chance. Good luck.
 
i'd take him to a local rescue who have 'boar dating' so he can choose a partner he likes. although like bellasmummy says they could fall out at anytime. would you consider having him neutered and getting him a little girlfriend? x
 
BellasMummy said:
I haven't got any experience with this but wanted to point out that even if you do manage to bond them, then you have to be aware that they might fall out with each other at any time.
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Yeah I am aware of this, I've had a few hairy moments with Zippy and George when they had to be separated for various reasons and then put back together!

All the rescues I've looked at seem to want to home lone boars to groups of females so I'm struggling really. I wish I could get him neutered but its not really an option.
 
maybe get a female that has been spayed? or that you can spay yourself? i looked into it and it's only around £65 in most vets, which is worth it for a happy guinea pig with friends :) if not is is definately easier to pair up an adult with a baby x
 
maybe get a female that has been spayed? or that you can spay yourself? i looked into it and it's only around £65 in most vets, which is worth it for a happy guinea pig with friends :) if not it is definately easier to pair up an adult with a baby x
 
How about seeing if we can organise a piggy train to take him to a rescue that does boar dating?
Rescues would normally keep him for about a week to be sure they've definately bonded so you've got less chance of a fall out.
 
Just to add, spayed females are hard to find and the chances of finding one who is older is even smaller.
 
Seeing as he's 5, sometimes getting a younger one when they're that old is risky because they could go within a year and then you'll be in the same position you are now.

I shouldn't really encourage it but... these pigs are ALL un-neutered boars, 4 of which were all over a year old at the time:

SP_A0229.jpg

guineas3.jpg

guineas11.jpg


It was only one of my boars, Harvey (white one) that made a fuss and I had to take him out after an hour or so, but the rest were all together in my girlfriend's run for about 3-4 hours one afternoon when I'd visited her back in 2008. At the time, Harvey and the two 'twin' looking boars were living happily together, and the three other boars (my girlfriend's) were living together too.

The individual pig's personality has to be ideal and if your boar is the submissive type, you have a better chance at it working out for him with a boar of similar age or a bit younger.

It's something you'll have to work out with a rescue that does boar dating, as suggested above. It won't be as simple as it was putting my boars with my girlfriend's, but with someone experienced, it can be.

Edit: I've just realised the photos at the bottom are from a different day from the first one! Those blue sides were from a rat cage and the wooden one is obviously a wooden run, so it wasn't just the one time they got along fine.
 
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