Hi everyone, our older boar recently died, leaving his younger chum (2yr old) on his own. We would like to get him a new companion. He is a bit less chilled than his old chum, so we think he will get on better with a new female, so we are going to get him neutered. What I would like advice on is: 1) should we get just one new female, or would it be better to get two to create a social group? 2) would he be better with a baby piggie? Thanks
Hi and welcome back
I am very sorry for your loss.
Here is our neutering information, which you may find helpful. Crucial is a good operating vet and nurses team during the operation recovery:
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care
As long as a pair of sows are good friends, it doesn't matter whether it is one or two sows. If they aren't, then the boar will sooner or later side with one of them. If the sows are best of friends, then a trio is great thing. I have had both a number of very loving pairs and wonderful trios of all ages and age gaps (both ways); a few of my old ladies did fall head over hells for a toy boy... but they were already used to living with a neutered 'husboar'. However, I also had adult or older boars smitten by a baby wifelet...
In the end, like with any piggy bonding, it always comes down to whether all parties want to be together or not. The dynamics that develop between them during meeting and bonding can never be predicted. I have quite a few intros that were perfect on paper that were instant fails on first sniff and other oddball bondings that ended with a life-long love affair.
As to age, younger, subadult sows are generally much more accepting of boars than older ones, especially ones past their general pup-bearing age of ca. 2-3 years (although they can get pregnant until they die from avery old age). If you can rescue date or have a rescue that will take piggies from failed intros back, then you can try a similar aged, more submissive sow. If you can't you may prefer a sub-adult or sub-teenage, not yet fully grown sow or two.
Keeping them next to your boar (as long as he cannot get at them by wiggling lose grids or climg/jump over when they are in season) can help him get over his initial overexcitement and allow them to become friends through the bars and additionally help to boost acceptance - which is however never fully guaranteed. But it takes out some of the initial overeaction from boars that have never met sow pheromones once weaned out of the equation and allow the newbies to get their bearings, so there is a bit less of a risk of fear-aggressive overreaction from the sows.
I currently have 2 mixed gender pairs and 2 mixed gender trios but have had any combo from boars with a single sow to 13 plus a number of sows-only pairs, trios and smaller groups (who didn't want a boar) plus the odd boar pair over the years.
A lot of what goes for mixed pairs also applies to mixed trios in this guide here:
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours
