Boars Fighting

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Smeasles1

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Hi, just wondered if anybody can offer me advice. It's a little complicated...I got two baby brother boars back in February. They went into a holiday home in August and fell out (different cage/smaller space/are teenagers). Tried to rebond but wouldn't work so got them each a baby boar. One of my teenage boars bonded fine but other teenager boar attacked his baby so obviously separated them. Got the teenager boar neutered and plan to adopt an older female in a month. So then I got a baby boar to bond with the baby who was attacked. Realise this is probably a mistake as they will fall out when they become teenagers. Anyway, when I had finished bonding the pairs and put them all back in the garage in their various hutches the two original boars wouldn't stop teeth chattering through the bars and the boar who bonded nicely with his baby wouldn't stop chasing the poor baby around the hutch so I ended up separating them too (this is a nightmare!). I have since put them back together and they are okay at the moment. I just have a few worries. I like to have them all out to handle and run around but obviously keeping them from each other so far example one pair running around the kitchen, the neutered one running around the living room and the other two on the sofa but then they all go a little crazy as they can smell each other and I get teeth chattering. Is this a bad idea, am I going to upset the bonded pairs? I'm also worried about putting the neutered boar back in the garage as I have him in the house at the moment so not to upset the others but this can't really continue. The other thing is when I get his female friend I'm worried the scent of her will upset the boys too. Has anyone been through anything similar or am I the only person who keeps trying to pair off their guinea pigs when they fall out. Thank you.
 
I’m sorry to hear of the troubles.

You say you bonded them into pairs and then put them back in the garage But chasing between one and the baby occurred so you separated them. Do be aware that it takes two weeks after the initial introduction for a bond to be fully formed, so seeing chasing and dominance at any time but particularly during those first two weeks is normal and not a reason to separate them. Additionally, any new territory will cause them to reestablish their relationship.


Any on spec bonding does come with a risk of failure either immediately or down the line. So while most baby piggies will be accepted (babies are desperate for companionship), it doesn’t mean they will be compatible for the long term when they become hormonal teenagers.

If you are finding they are upset during floor time by the presence of the others, then would be best to have one pair out at a time

As you are getting a sow for the neutered boar, then you will need to keep them in a different room to the other boar pairs. Putting a sow in the same room as bonded boar pairs can cause the boars to fight simply because of smelling her and has the potential to break their relationships meaning you’d have multiple single boars

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
 
Thank you. Oh that's what I was afraid of. But I assume a sow is my only option as I was told I can't put him with an intact boar but I guess bonding with a neutered boar has a higher risk of failing than with a sow? What about if they're all in garden together in separate runs, could I still not put the boar and sow out there in the same garden?
 
Smeasles1 said:
Thank you. Oh that's what I was afraid of. But I assume a sow is my only option as I was told I can't put him with an intact boar but I guess bonding with a neutered boar has a higher risk of failing than with a sow? What about if they're all in garden together in separate runs, could I still not put the boar and sow out there in the same garden?
Click to expand...

You can bond a neutered boar with an intact boar. All neutering does is remove the ability to cause a pregnancy, which obviously isn’t a factor in a boar bonding anyway. Neutering doesn’t change their behaviour at all so it also won’t make two boars who don’t like each other suddenly get on.
(What can fail is bonding a boar who has previously lived with a sow with another boar later down the line. For a boar to be bonded with a sow is their dream come true. If you then try to bond them with a boar later ie upon the death of the sow, then that is a huge demotion for them to be back in a bachelor pair and they will often reject being with a boar again.)

Any bonding comes down to character compatibility so finding the right friend for him is the most important bit - whether it’s a sow or a boar.
While sow/boar bondings are the most stable after acceptance, they still rely on character compatibility and acceptance so if the two are not compatible, then the bond can still fail.

Any time you buy a piggy on spec to bond with an existing one, you do run the risk of failure.
When finding a new friend for a single piggy, it is always preferable to contact a rescue centre as they will help you find a compatible friend and will support you with any bonding or bonding failures by having the piggy back and trying another until you get a match.
This is even more important if your piggies are under 18 months of age. Bonding boars before this age means they are subject high levels of hormones which can make bonding much harder.

The other thing which is a major factor in a boar bond (character being the most important part) is space. A boar pair, particularly when teenagers, need a hutch/cage of 6ft x 2ft and ensuring all hides have two exits so no piggy can be cornered by the other

You don’t want bonded boars anywhere near sow pheromones. If they were to be out in the garden then you would still want the bonded boars away from the sow, ensure the wind isnt blowing in their direction etc.
 
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