Accidental babies & the future...

Wildbill_cookie

Wildbill_cookie

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Hi,

As some of you might know my lovely female had 4 babies last monday! I have checked the genders very often and carefully and can confirm I definately have 2 males and 2 female pups. The plan at first was to keep one girl....this is easier said than done and we've fallen in love with them all. I'd be left with odd numbers and i'd hate to rehome just one incase he or she never gets bonded with another piggy and i find it hard to trust anyone else once the pig leaves my home, second plan was to have the dad neutered so he can go back with mummy and the females. And maybe have the 2 boy brothers on their own next to the others cage. I've got loads of cage panels to build some sort of set up for them all. The cheapest option would be to put dad with the 2 boys, but i'm scared they wont get on? Ive let him sniff the pups everyday twice a day and he seems ok but yesterday he tried getting on top of one of the boys. If i decided to put 2 brother boys next to dad, mummy and 2 girls, would the boys be ok or would they fight because they can smell females?
I can just imagine putting 3 boys next to 3 girls not going well ? any help would be great thanks. when i say put next to i mean they are seperate in their cages but can still sniff each other.
 
I think it’s been said if boys have grown up around girls they may not be disrupted by their smell. But I don’t know that I would risk it. And three boys won’t get on, it’s very rare for that to happen. Remember the young ones have to go through their teenage years and that’s when it would be most fraught.

I would say put them with dad once they’re separated from mum, and then dad can be moved in with the girls (after introduction again) once he’s 6 weeks post neuter.

You could always stack cages using tables if they’re not c&c.

Good luck.
 
Siikibam said:
I think it’s been said if boys have grown up around girls they may not be disrupted by their smell. But I don’t know that I would risk it. And three boys won’t get on, it’s very rare for that to happen. Remember the young ones have to go through their teenage years and that’s when it would be most fraught.

I would say put them with dad once they’re separated from mum, and then dad can be moved in with the girls (after introduction again) once he’s 6 weeks post neuter.

You could always stack cages using tables if they’re not c&c.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Or another alternative with the boys is to put them with dad and have one of the youngsters neutered when they are old enough. You could then keep dad and one baby together and a neutered male with the females. This would mean that you wouldn't have a boar pair living together and going through their teenage hormones at the same time
 
Ok so i just read that Five minute tester meetings and play dates also don’t work ! so am i best to not let dad see his pups at all until they are both 3 weeks old? this is getting more complicated :blink:
 
Wildbill_cookie said:
Hi,

As some of you might know my lovely female had 4 babies last monday! I have checked the genders very often and carefully and can confirm I definately have 2 males and 2 female pups. The plan at first was to keep one girl....this is easier said than done and we've fallen in love with them all. I'd be left with odd numbers and i'd hate to rehome just one incase he or she never gets bonded with another piggy and i find it hard to trust anyone else once the pig leaves my home, second plan was to have the dad neutered so he can go back with mummy and the females. And maybe have the 2 boy brothers on their own next to the others cage. I've got loads of cage panels to build some sort of set up for them all. The cheapest option would be to put dad with the 2 boys, but i'm scared they wont get on? Ive let him sniff the pups everyday twice a day and he seems ok but yesterday he tried getting on top of one of the boys. If i decided to put 2 brother boys next to dad, mummy and 2 girls, would the boys be ok or would they fight because they can smell females?
I can just imagine putting 3 boys next to 3 girls not going well ? any help would be great thanks. when i say put next to i mean they are seperate in their cages but can still sniff each other.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Glad that all has gone well! It is VERY difficult to let go of babies...


Mum and both daughers can of course stay together.

The baby boys can go with dad; let him live next to the creche and let him meet the babies for short times (until mother is looking for them) so he is more willing to accept his sons at separation time.
If you don't get hung up about dad being the one to be neutered, then you can keep all three boys together until teenage. By then you should have a good idea which two boys are getting on best out of the three. Have the odd one out neutered to live with your sows after a 6 weeks post-op wait (which he can spend next to them so he is not becoming depressed and will be welcomed back).

This will hopefully leave you in the long term with a group of four and a stable boar pair. ;)

Here is my own set-up with cheap Ikea tables as an idea if you are pushed for space but cannot part with them. A 150 x 75 cm table op can accommodate a cable-tied 2x4 grid C&C cage for the boys. If there really is a pheromone storm from some very strong seasons, you move the boys out of the room for a day or two if necessary. Get an indoors puppy or rabbit run, which can serve for enrichment, so the boys are used to it and it won't throw them.
IMG_2111_edited-1.jpg

Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care
 
Wow I love your setup there Itsbrilliant, sounds good about what you suggested I shall try that. I just put dad with pups and mummy and mummy really didn’t like it and nearly attacked dad. I don’t think I shall be doing this again. Do I need to let him only see the boys on their own for a short time ?

Thanks
 
Wildbill_cookie said:
Wow I love your setup there Itsbrilliant, sounds good about what you suggested I shall try that. I just put dad with pups and mummy and mummy really didn’t like it and nearly attacked dad. I don’t think I shall be doing this again. Do I need to let him only see the boys on their own for a short time ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes - please leave mum out of any meetings!

I would think that you are rather looking for one of the sons to eventually live with her than dad. Concentrate on working out which boy gels better with his dad fo the long term.

You can see a video of a 3 weeks baby boar bonding session in our bonding guide: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
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