Boars

When Comet needed an injection at the vets and was screaming his little head off at it, I remember watching Blitzen sitting in the carrier just munching on hay. I remember being like "some flippin help you are mate" lol.
 
Siikibam said:
That sounds like the bond of dreams. My boys aren’t into public displays but I think Toffee would really miss Fudge. And vice versa.
Click to expand...
I have had the other types of bonds too but on the whole my boar bonds have been good. I've only had one failed bond which ended in a rolling ball fight, after 2 years together.
 
I have obviously been extremely lucky with boars, having never had a fight, but.... when I sadly had to move all the guinea pigs indoors and into the same room I thought, oh well there goes my "never had a fight" as I expected real ructions. Especially as both boars and sows are next to each other and they often have to move cages.
However, although I have had one or two cranky sows, especially one memorable mother and daughter who would only tolerate each other, my boars have never fought. They are not nearly as bad as they are made out to be - my mice are worse!
 
In my experience you can’t beat a happily bonded pair of boars for entertainment and affection. You won’t often find a pair of sows cuddling up to each other - more likely to be muttering about some slight or other and plotting to overthrow each other. Whereas boars are much more upfront and when they are settled they are so affectionate with each other and with their humans. As a keeper predominantly of sows I’ve had several neutered boars but far more sows over the years. Each of the boars has had the most amazing personality, whereas some of the sows have been far less memorable. If I ever get my numbers down to one enclosure and have a second spare, I would certainly consider a pair of well bonded boars.
 
Piggies&buns said:
The change in location and moving to new cages and then back to their own cage will cause them to re-establish their relationship several times. Its best to use soiled bedding so it still smells of them any time they need to travel as it can help them still recognise the space as their own - and then the same when they come back home - dont use fresh bedding.

You say 'fighting'. This is where you have to be careful. A fight is full on, blood drawing, rolling around and does require immediate and sadly permanent separation as it means the end of their relationship.

Teeth chattering, chasing, mounting is not fighting, its normal dominance and does not warrant separation. Its simply that they would be in a period of reestablishing and just have to be left to get on with it!

You will need to reintroduce them on neutral territory (it cant be slowly - its an all in one thing) and see how things go. If they want to be together then they will sort themselves out and be fine (you will see dominance). You can then clean down the cage they live in (fresh bedding needs to be used at this point) and move them back to it and leave them together. If things escalate and they do fight, then it will be clear something has gone wrong and they will unfortunately not be able to remain living together.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for that reply! No--I guess it's just the chattering, chasing, mounting. I will take this advice and get them in some neutral territory with fresh bedding. They were on the same bedding when they came home, although I washed it last night.

I appreciate your thoughtful response!
 
I have to agree, I'm a member of the boars supporter's club too. I have one pair of daft, adorable bonded boar brothers. I don't know any different they are my one and only GPS and I can't understand where all the bad press comes from. They are gorgeous boys and have been a very welcome addition to our family home everyone loves them. They have really warmed to us and their home now, and we've really seem them grow in confidence adopting them last year from our local rescue. I can't imagine ever saying oh no we won't have those 2 because they're boars or the wrong colour or hair length!
 
Our two young boys are funny, the dominant one is forever on the go, always rumbling, strutting, throwing his weight around, humping his pal, and yet the other one just generally sits there, a picture of calm and mild bemusement. They're chalk and cheese.
 
I've previously had several pairs of boars - mostly brothers, but one who I managed to pair up via boar dating. They've all been such huge personalities and I've loved them all.

My last boar had to be neutered when he lost his friend to cancer at a young age. Boar dating him failed spectacularly - and after a long discussion with my then local approved guinea pig rescue he was neutered. We lost him Easter 2019 and he's still the talk of many household conversations - a truly special boy; probably my fav. boy so far.

He left his harem of 4 girls; which is now down to 3. One has just turned 5 and the other two will be 4 in September. Time has passed so strangely over the last 18 months I hadn't really thought about how old my girlies were getting until Wenlock started slowing down. I'd love to expand my age range, and would willingly add a neutered boy back into the mix if there was a way of doing so.

My brilliant local rescue decided to specialise in rabbit rescue; which I fully understand their reasoning for doing. It does leave me with the predicament of not having boars again - I'd hate to have a lonely pig, and there's nowhere within a reasonable 1 1/2 hour drive that would offer boar dating for me. 😢 Any suggestions on how I could work around this would be appreciated.

In the meantime I'm glad that my sows are all pretty mad, and equally as characterful as most of my boars have been.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top