Boar or Sow?

[Namida]

---

Hi there - my friend recently got two guinea pigs from Pets@Home, both around 4–5 months old. She intended to get two sows to bond with her neutered boy, but they looked more like boars to me. What do you think?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hmm….I'm inclined to agree with you, but we do leave sexing to our pregnancy experts.

Is your friend aware that three boars together won’t work?

 

[Namida]

Hmm….I'm inclined to agree with you, but we do leave sexing to our pregnancy experts.

Is your friend aware that three boars together won’t work?

Yes, she does. I never had a sow before so I asked her to show me how the bottom looks like out of curiosity, and then I was shocked to see that these actually look familiar to me

 

[Wiebke]

---

Hi there - my friend recently got two guinea pigs from Pets@Home, both around 4–5 months old. She intended to get two sows to bond with her neutered boy, but they looked more like boars to me. What do you think?

Hi

Those are indeed got two full boars; especially the one on the left has a nice pair of descending testicles. You or your friend should also feel some increasing 'swelling' on the sides of the genitalia in your darker boy.

Considering that the testicles are already descending and that the penises should be quite easy to express, this is a mistake that should have frankly not have happened.

We have got some reference pictures for descending testicles as well as neutered boars in our sexing guide if that helps you and your friend: Illustrated Sexing Guide

Here is some helpful information on especially full boars in order to catch up with their quirks and needs:
- A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
- Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths

I am very sorry that your friend has been put in this position but glad that at least the boys have not been put with any sows straight away.

 

[CTWC]

Oh no!
What will your friend do?

 

[Namida]

Thank you @Wiebke for confirming what I suspected! The information you shared is very helpful. I do also think that fortunately these boars did not get in contact with any sows.

@CTWC I have suggested her contacting P@H to see what they can do, since it’s literally their mistake…!

 

[Betsy]

Yes contacting P@H is a good idea. 9 years ago, I bought 2 sows from P@H. One of them was pregnant. They paid for everything to do with the pregnancy and offered to take the babies back (I declined that offer). Velvet had 3 babies 2 of which were boars. They paid for the boars to be neutered. They also offered me to take stuff for free anything that I wanted from the store for the piggies. I helped myself to around £100 of hay, pellets etc.

Lets hope that the boars that your friend got, haven't got any sows pregnant that still are to be sold.

 

[Wiebke]

Please ask your friend to lodge a complaint with the store manager. Don't let herself be fobbed off and ask her to make sure that she has the sales receipt with her. If needed go with her and also have this thread with the sexing pictures of the boys with you if needed.
Chain shops are no longer quite as generous as they used to be so coming well documented and dated will help.

 

[Namida]

Please ask your friend to lodge a complaint with the store manager. Don't let herself be fobbed off and ask her to make sure that she has the sales receipt with her. If needed go with her and also have this thread with the sexing pictures of the boys with you if needed.
Chain shops are no longer quite as they used to be so coming well documented and dated will help.

Thanks for the tips! Will let her know. She told me she will go to the shop this weekend.

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry for her. I hope these little fellas if returned don’t have an uncerta8n future Has she considered adopt8ng from a reputable rescue, you don’t get these c%%k ups (pardon the pun)