3 boars

Nicinoonoo

Nicinoonoo

New Born Pup
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
40
Reaction score
37
Points
90
Location
Wales
Hi looking for advice

I have a trio of boars who live together. They are now 20 weeks old. They live in a 9ft indoor cage and have access to a very large run in the day.

They don’t fight. I’ve noticed that Gizmo the largest piggie has really bonded with Ginger in the past month. They clean each other and snuggle. Ginger displays all the behaviour of a submissive piggie. My third piggie is smaller, they are supposed to be the same age and I’ve always wondered if he was the runt. He gets on well with ginger, but ginger will tell him off with a face flip if cookie displays dominant behaviour. Gizmo and Cookie do not fight and live happily together without fights but there have been occasionally chattering and annoyance and twice Gizmo has decided to lunge at him.

I am aware that 3 boys being the same age is not ideal for hormones.. I’ve learned so much about piggie behaviour since getting these 3!

I'm questioning whether to consider splitting them or keeping things as they are. If I split them I’d keep the two really bonded boys together and separate Cookie.

I’m reluctant to try adding another boar. I’d want a bigger age gap and don’t want to risk the fall out. This would mean neutering Cookie. I called an exotic vet and neutering costs £115 plus painkiller meds. the vet has been recommended as very good. The thought of neutering does worry me but I don’t want babies and I’m reluctant to get a fourth boar

my other question is, if I pair cookie up with one or two sows is it ok to keep their cages next to the bonded boys or would the scent of the new piggie unsettle their bond?
 
The likelihood of a boar trio working is very low. If two are getting closer, then even if they don’t fight, one is going to be left out. Personally, I would separate them so to not risk issues.

If you took the single boar dating, then he could choose his own new friend. However, being a teenager does make bonding slightly more tricky.

No it’s not a good idea to keep sows next to bonded boars. Any sows need to be kept well away from, and preferably in a completely different room to, a boar pair. For the boar pair, particularly as teenagers, simply smelling a sow has the potential to cause them to fight and fall out which would obviously mean they too would need to be separated and have a new friend each. Aside from the risk to the boar bond, there is also the risk, depending on the type of cages you have, that the boars could escape and get in with the sows, cause pregnancy and break bonds.
If they must stay in the same room, then it’s best to stack their cages one on top of the other and ensure the sow is at the bottom. You must always make sure you handle the boar pair first.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
 
So do you think I get him past the teenage years and then look to bond him with a baby boar? Or find an older boy?

If there were any fighting in the meantime I’d divide the current set up immediately and they could coexist side by side.

I’m more worried about him being a third wheel than fighting at the moment but I’m trying to prepare for potential fall outs
 
In terms of companionship, living alongside as a single neighbour is an option. They will still interact through the bars. You will need to see how he goes though - for some this isn’t enough and they need a live in friend sooner, for others it’s fine.

Finding a friend comes down to compatibility, not age and while bonding a teen boar can be harder, it’s also not impossible. The problem with bonding him with a younger boar is that you will still have two teenagers at the same time but it’s also not a given that there will be problems.

I would get in touch with rescue centres and ask for their options. Some rescues will be happy for you to try him with boars while he is a teenager because may find an older boar with whom he has a great bond. You could have to try him with a few boars until you find one which works. Other centres can be reluctant try to bond teen or young adult boars until they are at least 18 months old due to the hormone issues.
 
If the new piggie is a boar, should they also be kept in different rooms or can they coexist with a divider in the indoor and outdoor set up? Thanks for the advice it’s very helpful
 
Today I’ve done a thorough check of the fur on cookies bottom. It was very dense and hard to see but I have seen some little red marks which could be bite marks? :( I think I’m going to divide them as of today and tackle bonding him with a new piggie as a next step
 
If you are finding bite marks, then separation is best. It may be that bullying is occurring.

You can keep separate boar pairs in the same room (cages next to each other) without issue. Its introducing sows into a boar room which will cause problems

Good luck with it - keep us posted on how finding him a friend goes
 
Last edited:
I divided them and had such a crazy reaction. Cookie started trying to chew his way back to the boys. Ginger was literally standing on the bars trying to chew his way to cookie. Gizmo my dominant piggie was running back and forth! Cookie seemed so stressed I’ve put him back for now. Any suggestions on how to do this without unsettling them?

My local exotic vet can neuture him in a week but it would take six weeks for him to be paired with a girl. I’d keep the two pairs completely seperate if we do that.

mot I try bonding with a boar with makes me a lot more nervous given his age.
 
The thing is they may not want to be apart, but it doesn’t mean things will be harmonious living together going forward - we can only advise that boar trips are rather unstable and most do not make it to adulthood - occasionally somebody will get lucky but they are rather the exception. Lots of space is needed (3 square metres/36 square feet is recommended if anybody is to attempt a boar trio) keep a close eye and and have a plan to separate.
 
My little trio, all looking like butter wouldn’t melt!

thankfully I found an exotic vet who would take a new customer so he’s booked in
 

Attachments

  • CB142DC9-8510-4AEA-81FB-15077D05F761.webp
    CB142DC9-8510-4AEA-81FB-15077D05F761.webp
    134 KB · Views: 8
The boys seems very settled with a divider in the run. Some sweet moments with cookie and ginger chilling out on there platforms either side of the divider. Sorting out how I divide the run is a pain

now I know a sow can potentially cause issues and the teenage months are tricky for bonding. Do you think it’s a good idea to try and last till he’s 14 month before looking for a pal? It would be a long 9 months to wait
 
The choice needs to be yours but I would contact rescue centres near you and see if there are any single boars he can be tried with. Some rescues won’t do it while they are teenagers as things can be harder, and equally even if they will try, it doesn’t mean any will be available immediately but you wont know until you speak to them. Equally, he may find his perfect friend even though he is a teenager!
He has companionship through the bars so won’t be lonely until you can find him a friend, but hormones play a part as adults so 14/15 months isn’t a set date that things will be easier - he could still be experiencing reasonably strong hormones at 18 months/2 years - my 3 and a half year old boars have hormonal moments most often in spring time - compatibility is the important bit
 
I did contact a lovely rescue and we concluded neutering might give him more options in future. There are currently no babies or litters expected at the rescue so we will wait if he’s happy

If getting a sow means I cannot simply divide the outdoor run or keep them in all in the same room it’s so much harder for me to arrange their set up. I’d have to put one pair in garden and it will be too late to acclimatise them by the time he’s safe to be paired
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top