3 Boars - Think We Are Getting This All Wrong!

M

Mayaberry

New Born Pup
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
20
We are new to Guinea pigs. I had Guinea pigs as a child but this is the first time I am really in charge of them! We have three Boars, all around 5 months old.
We have a large hutch and initially they all got on well. Then Guinea pig G started going through his adolescence phase. He was rumblestrutting constantly and just became a more nervy pig, even with us. They still all got on though. Then we noticed that he seemed to have taken a real dislike to Guinea pig M, who was really laid back and is a total lap pig. Things got worse until the point where as soon as G saw him he would chase him, nipping at him. Eventually it got to the point where M had claimed one of the beds and really wasn't leaving it. He was pooing and weeing in it (which isn't like him) and he wasn't even allowed to leave for food. He was miserable. Our other pig L is also a laid back pig, he may have been the dominant pig, he tolerated G rumblestrutting about and he cuddled with M sometimes. Given that M wasn't being allowed to access food (we had three separate bowls for food and pellets and three water bottles but he was pretty much being kept cornered) we decided we had to separate G.
G was not happy about this and was still trying to get to M whenever he heard him/saw him etc. We thought we had done the right thing and were working out what to do about G, as in should we wait to see if things settle, try reintroducing, get him a friend etc. But then after only a couple of days something we hadn't expected happened!
M and L had been happy living together. The night before the incident we saw them having a bit of a tiff but it settled down. The next day though we got up to discover that L had been really viciously attacked by M. It's really bad. His shoulder had been torn open and he was covered in bite and scratch marks. He was totally traumatised. We took him to the vet and they sedated him and gave him loads of stitches and medication. We now have him in a separate temporary cage while his wounds heal and he actually seems happy there. He's around us more and is getting his confidence back.
Meanwhile M and G are still separated. We have tried reintroducing them but they instantly square up to each other. They are never going to like each other I don't think. We have also let G sit near L while we are holding him and they have both responded well to that, squeaking happily to each other.
My question is what do we do next? I'm really scared of keeping any of them together now, given that we didn't see L and M falling out so badly happening. It looks like M can't live with either of them. But how should we try to reintroduce L and G? It wouldn't be for another couple of weeks, he still has a lot of stitches. Any suggestions? I don't want three unhappy pigs all living on their own. Although to be honest they all seem a bit happier in their own space at the moment anyway!
 
Mayaberry said:
We are new to Guinea pigs. I had Guinea pigs as a child but this is the first time I am really in charge of them! We have three Boars, all around 5 months old.
We have a large hutch and initially they all got on well. Then Guinea pig G started going through his adolescence phase. He was rumblestrutting constantly and just became a more nervy pig, even with us. They still all got on though. Then we noticed that he seemed to have taken a real dislike to Guinea pig M, who was really laid back and is a total lap pig. Things got worse until the point where as soon as G saw him he would chase him, nipping at him. Eventually it got to the point where M had claimed one of the beds and really wasn't leaving it. He was pooing and weeing in it (which isn't like him) and he wasn't even allowed to leave for food. He was miserable. Our other pig L is also a laid back pig, he may have been the dominant pig, he tolerated G rumblestrutting about and he cuddled with M sometimes. Given that M wasn't being allowed to access food (we had three separate bowls for food and pellets and three water bottles but he was pretty much being kept cornered) we decided we had to separate G.
G was not happy about this and was still trying to get to M whenever he heard him/saw him etc. We thought we had done the right thing and were working out what to do about G, as in should we wait to see if things settle, try reintroducing, get him a friend etc. But then after only a couple of days something we hadn't expected happened!
M and L had been happy living together. The night before the incident we saw them having a bit of a tiff but it settled down. The next day though we got up to discover that L had been really viciously attacked by M. It's really bad. His shoulder had been torn open and he was covered in bite and scratch marks. He was totally traumatised. We took him to the vet and they sedated him and gave him loads of stitches and medication. We now have him in a separate temporary cage while his wounds heal and he actually seems happy there. He's around us more and is getting his confidence back.
Meanwhile M and G are still separated. We have tried reintroducing them but they instantly square up to each other. They are never going to like each other I don't think. We have also let G sit near L while we are holding him and they have both responded well to that, squeaking happily to each other.
My question is what do we do next? I'm really scared of keeping any of them together now, given that we didn't see L and M falling out so badly happening. It looks like M can't live with either of them. But how should we try to reintroduce L and G? It wouldn't be for another couple of weeks, he still has a lot of stitches. Any suggestions? I don't want three unhappy pigs all living on their own. Although to be honest they all seem a bit happier in their own space at the moment anyway!
Click to expand...
Please! Do not reintroduce them as once they’ve drawn blood they will never be able to be in the same cage or hutch. It’s a common mistake that we get boars and think they will always get on just because they’ve been brought up from babies. Great threads on here about bonding boars but am afraid they’ll tell you exactly the same! If you have a good rescue centre near you ( rescue locator also on here) and they can help you. Maybe a neutered sow for the each single boar or they could help you with rehoming if it comes to that conclusion. Sorry it’s not a positive response but a few of us have been through exactly the same! My boars fought and were separated immediately, had them both neutered and now live separately with their group of wives! Please read the info on the forum for more advice. X
 
Thanks for the reply. We will definitely not put M and L together again, they were the two who fought and drew blood. But we are hoping that G and L could possibly live together again at some point as they have never had an issue with each other. We can't put L and G together yet though anyway because L still has stitches from when M attacked him and hes still quite traumatised. We brought out G and M last night just in to the room L is in, and L hid in his house inside his cage the whole time and only came out when they went back to their hutches. They weren't even really near him because he was in his cage and they were on our laps but even just the smell of them seemed to keep him in hiding. He's still a bit scared of any Guinea pig after the attack it seems.
 
If they haven’t shown any signs of aggression towards each other you could try a totally neutral area, as large as possible then place the two in there with lots of hay to burrow in. Also either just have the space empty o r have some open ended tunnels placed so that they cannot get trapped anywhere if being chased. They may very well chatter at each other and rumble strut about but as long as they don’t bare their teeth and lunge at each other it’s worth being brave and just watching them for a while. Have a thick towel or gloves handy in case they try to fight. The time to look for is, if they seem ok together, see how they behave after they’ve had a nap as this can be when they realise someone else is with them as decide to remove them from what they think is their space. One of them will be more dominant so it can take patience judging if there’s to be a fight or whether they are just sorting out the hierarchy! Once they look as if it’s going Ok don’t then take one out for the night etc they need to stay together. Did you find the thread on Bonding boars? Really worth reading.
 
Have a look through the recommended rescues on here. Bonding is such a nerve wracking thing to go through and if you have a local reputable rescue they may be willing to help you trying to rebond G and L. This would be the best solution as then you would only be left with one single pig where the same rescue might be able to help with boar bonding so he can pick his own friend or you could get him neutered so that after 6 weeks he would be reading to live with one or two sows. Really sorry you had to go through this, they can be emotionally very trying at times
 
Size also could have been an issue I think 3 boars need lots of space you know. The links @Lady Kelly gave you are very useful and they have lots of information!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top