Bonding 1 year Old Boar And 8 Week Boar

[PorridgeBear]

We've had a boar for about a year now. He's fantastic. He's a house pig and lives in our living room with us. We have given him a ton of attention and he has his little routines. His cage is always open and he comes out and walks around the whole house. He runs up our legs onto the sofa when carrot is on offer etc. just a great little pig, loves a head scratch etc.

However, we noticed he was becoming lazier and almost a kind of sadness in his eyes. We read a lot and realised this was probably him wanting company. We finally went for it last weekend.

We spoke to a guinea pig breeder at a country show about some tips and read a lot on the internet.

We opted for a baby boar and this is one of the more successful pairings for an adult boar as dominance is easily established.

We bought a double decker new cage with a ramp so give them space. We did the whole neutral territory/room introduction which seemed to go well. The baby is a little terror and totally not bothered by our adult. The adult rumbles around a lot and has tried to mount the baby but not so much. He sometimes blocks the baby into a corner. However for the most part he does not seem too fussed about the baby. If anything I'd say the baby is exhausting him. They do eat together occasionally, sit on the shelf together but the adult does a lot of rumbling. No teeth baring and no fighting so far.

It's been 3 days. We had been allowing them to live in top and bottom areas of the new cage but none of them are using the ramp. The adult knows how to get down but won't go up even with carrot on it. The baby won't go down. Also the adult seemed to be upset he couldn't get out of the cage in the old style - the new one has a different exit and does not allow the front to be fully open. I've relented and I have collapsed it into a single cage configuration to be like the old cage so that they can come and go easily in/out of the cage, but they are now in the same main space (2 hideouts, 2 food, 2 water). Cage is about 4.5ft x 2.5ft.

There has been no evidence of anything bad going on other than rumbling from the adult. It's constant in so far as it's happening a lot but not constantly. Mainly when the little one tries to be with the adult. They have both followed each other about, sniffing, pop corned etc.. I just wonder if the adult is trying to get used to sharing his space after all this time.

Tonight I was planning on letting them sleep in the single level cage. I am just nervous about issues overnight when I could do nothing about it. However they can't just keep living separately, I need to try it. Right now the adult is pop corning on the spot with the baby. But then rumbling again.

I think it will be OK, just using this forum as a sounding board.

 

[Lilly]

It actually sounds like it's going really well. When I introduced my 2 month old baby boy to my 7 month old boy, I had them live side by side for about 2 weeks, then introduced them on neutral ground before finally putting them together in the same cage. With 3 family members taking shifts we kept a 24 hour vigil in case we had to separate. Fortunately never any major fights. The boys have been together for almost 4 years now and they still rumble at each other when one doesn't like what the other is doing. It was almost 3 years before my older boy allowed the younger one to cuddle up with him..

 

[jade brown]

your routine sounds great! I would spend heaps of time with both of them together on your lap feeding them and they will get used to each other even more and relise that the other guinea pig is not that bad. If you have been noticing anything strange in the next few days just write on the forum. Also just check there backs to make saw there are no injuries because sometimes you wont even notice that there is a wound on there back because there fighting.
have fun!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! it is great you are trying to make your single boy happy!

When bonding baby boars to adults, you best provide a space like a small tunnel or hay filled cardboard box that the bigger boy can't get into in case the humping goes overboard.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
You also may find this boar dating thread from a rescue lady helpful, as it contains lots of tips, descriptions of successful and unsuccessful bondings as well as some bonding videos.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boar-dating-service-wales.59233/

Please be aware that the dominance phasecan last up to two weeks with the baby getting the chance to make its stance clear towards the end, so fall-outs with youngsters can happen as late as that.

If you have access to a good piggy savvy rescue, dating/meet&greet under expert supervision is by far the safest option, as instant mutual liking goes a long way to minimising the risk of fall-outs. Barring that option, looking for a non-dominant youngster is the second best alternative. We can provide contacts for good standard rescues in several countries.
Boars go through a hormonal phase between 4-14 months old. it helps to stabilise the bond if your two boys are not going through it at the same time, but you will ultimately only know whether it works out when the youngster develops his adult identity and asserts himself.

Ramps are often a problem; you can try fleece tunnels that can be velcroed on, rails and carpet or indoors doormat offcuts for better grip.

PS: With members from all over the world, we find it very helpful in always giving you the best advice and recommendations for your part of the globe if you added your country, state or, for the UK, your county/city. Thanks!