2 New Additions

[Rolo&HarrysMum]

Hi,
It’s been some months since I have posted. Harry and Rolo (year old- white and ginger and brown) are my amazing furry friends but I couldn’t help myself when I fell in love with two more male boars, so they came home with me yesterday. Meet Leo and Fudge.
I set my cage up so that Harry and Rolo are separate from them. That being said they are keen to be with the two newbies. Chewing the cage bars, rumble strutting. I have also seen them lick the newbies when they get close and vice versa, Leo and Fudge are also keen to get to know Harry and Fudge.
Harry and Rolo have become very frisky and playful with each other. From reading this sight everything they seem to be doing is completely normal.
I’m just concerned about the cage biting. I feel like they are stressed with the bar between them. I tried putting a blanket over it but they just pulled it down and were more stressed.
Don’t worry I won’t be mixing/bonding them yet.
Just wanting some reassurance I suppose x

 

[Piggies&buns]

They are gorgeous!

The bar biting and rumbling is territory marking behaviour and sizing up behaviour.
It’s normal that they are doing this - they are saying hello but they are also all making sure the other pair does not cross the boundary into the others territory. Laying with each other beside the bars also is not a friendly behaviour - it too is territory monitoring and marking.
Please do not mistake this as them wanting to be together - they really don’t and it is not what it is at all.
Make sure the dividing grids are tightly cable tied so no piggy is able to break down barriers - if they get into each others cages it will cause a fight

‘Border lie in’ in this guide A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours explains

I note you say you won’t mix/bond them yet - I just want to make sure you are aware that you must never mix/bond them.
More than two boars together doesn’t work; Four boars together will be a disaster (almost 100% failure rate with a boar quartet) and will result in you having bonds broken - you may end up with a pair (and not necessarily a pair which currently exists) and two singles but four single piggies is also a possibility and an outcome we have seen happen on the forum after an attempt at a quartet, none of which can ever go back together.
They must stay in their bonded pairs and never have any physical contact in the same space (floor times etc must be done a pair at a time)

The bar biting may calm down in time (but do note that territory patrolling and marking will be very much a long term behaviour) but if it doesn’t and it becomes relentless and problematic, then you will need to move the cages further apart (or stack the cages one on top of the other so they cannot see each other). Both pairs need a 5x2 c&c cage (4x2 as a minimum but some boar pairs can find this a bit tight).
They do not need to be completely side by side given they are in and must remain in their own pairs (each pair doesnt really need to know the other pair exists. Side by side is only needed where single piggies are involved).

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

 

[Merab]

They are
Congratulations on your new additions

 

[Rolo&HarrysMum]

Hi All,
As you know the piggies were set up side by side. This was for a week. I then decided to try bonding them in a neutral pen and omg I do count myself very lucky!
They have now been in a pen altogether and they all get along so well.
I know that this could be challenging when the babies get a bit bigger but for now I am proud to say I have a successful quartet.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Fingers crossed!

It’s always a case of hope for the best but have a plan for the worst. A young boar quartet (they can sometimes stand more chance if they are all over 4/5 years old disabled/carer group) is unlikely to remain stable so you would need a plan in mind which you can action quickly for all four to end up single (a pair and two singles is also a possibility).

As a quartet, all cage sizing requirements increase exponentially (the normal rules about per pig space increase don’t apply with boars once you’ve got more than two together) and they should have at least a 12x3 c&c cage now to have enough territory (at least one square metre) per pig (enough space won’t make them get on but lack of space does contribute to problems, particularly when dealing with such a notoriously unstable group) ensure there is at least four of every item in the cage at least a body length apart and that you don’t use any hides with only one exit as they are a flashpoint for fights.

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck but I did the same thing a few years ago after Pets at Home said I could mix two pairs of boars.

All was ok initially. But then they split into different pairs. Then one new pair fell out and then the other fell out. I ended up with four separate cages as they wouldn’t go back together as the original pairs.

 

[Rolo&HarrysMum]

Good luck but I did the same thing a few years ago after Pets at Home said I could mix two pairs of boars.

All was ok initially. But then they split into different pairs. Then one new pair fell out and then the other fell out. I ended up with four separate cages as they wouldn’t go back together as the original pairs.

Oh no….hopefully that doesn’t happen to me