Bonding Boars

[mshappy89]

I lost my 20 month old piggie George on Sunday. He leaves behind Harry who is the same age.

I can’t bare for him to be alone and I want to find him a friend. People keep telling me they fight until destruction etc.

I am thinking that trying to bond with a baby boar would be a better idea. How long do you leave it before considering to bond

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Hi, so sorry you have lost your boy George.
There's no need to be over-anxious about finding Harry a new friend however, boars don't always fight, it's usually possible to find a compatible boar-friend. I have been through the process 3 times, though perhaps I have been lucky in that I've always had at least one laid-back boar who wasn't bothered about trying to be the dominant one, which makes it a lot easier. Has Harry been the dominant one in your pair, or more submissive?

The best way to find him a friend is to take him boar dating at a rescue that offers this; as you are in Norwich your nearest rescue is Wood Green at Godmanchester, but that may be too far for you and I don't know if they do boar-dating. If they are too far away, I would say a baby is a possibility, but if Harry is the dominant type they could fall out when the baby hits the teenage hormones if he also wants to be boss.

As to how long you leave it, that depends on how Harry is taking the loss of his friend. If he is okay, eating and behaving normally, then you have breathing space and time to consider your options and find a suitable friend. But if he is grieving, not eating normally and seems depressed etc, then you need to find him a companion sooner to help him get over his loss.

Hope you are able to find Harry a friend without too much difficulty

 

[Wiebke]

I lost my 20 month old piggie George on Sunday. He leaves behind Harry who is the same age.

I can’t bare for him to be alone and I want to find him a friend. People keep telling me they fight until destruction etc.

I am thinking that trying to bond with a baby boar would be a better idea. How long do you leave it before considering to bond

Hi! Boars fight to destruction only ever if they are cmpletely failed by their owners who stick two boars together in a tiny cage or hutch without proper intros, space to get away from each other and a complete lack of understanding of guinea pig behaviours and social life.

Key to a successful boar bond is mutual liking and character compatibility. It takes on average about 1-3 candidates to find 'Mr Right', but when correctly done, boars of all ages can be bonded with boars of all ages.

If you are afraid of bonding and and want to maximise your success rate at the least risk for Harry and yourself, please consider travelling a fair way to one of our recommended rescues where Harry himself can choose his new mate. This means that you come home only with a boar where acceptance has happened. Sadly there are no good rescues very close to you, but guinea pigs travel thankfully well! I have travelled quite long distances myself to find the right companion for breaved piggies of my own. it really works. You are also guaranteed that any new boar is fully quarantined/healthy and that you have got the rescue to fall back on if the bond runs into trouble at any stage. Please ring round all rescues within your reach and persist if you don't get through the first time.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Travelling with guinea pigs

 

[mshappy89]

Hi! Boars fight to destruction only ever if they are cmpletely failed by their owners who stick two boars together in a tiny cage or hutch without proper intros, space to get away from each other and a complete lack of understanding of guinea pig behaviours and social life.

Key to a successful boar bond is mutual liking and character compatibility. It takes on average about 1-3 candidates to find 'Mr Right', but when correctly done, boars of all ages can be bonded with boars of all ages.

If you are afraid of bonding and and want to maximise your success rate at the least risk for Harry and yourself, please consider travelling a fair way to one of our recommended rescues where Harry himself can choose his new mate. This means that you come home only with a boar where acceptance has happened. Sadly there are no good rescues very close to you, but guinea pigs travel thankfully well! I have travelled quite long distances myself to find the right companion for breaved piggies of my own. it really works. You are also guaranteed that any new boar is fully quarantined/healthy and that you have got the rescue to fall back on if the bond runs into trouble at any stage. Please ring round all rescues within your reach and persist if you don't get through the first time.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Travelling with guinea pigs

I’ve contacted a local rescue nearby and they are insisting that Harry has to be neutered before they would even consider letting me take on another piggie. Correct me if I am wrong but I didn’t think this altered their behaviour?

They said they would also only pair him with a wife

 

[Wiebke]

I’ve contacted a local rescue nearby and they are insisting that Harry has to be neutered before they would even consider letting me take on another piggie. Correct me if I am wrong but I didn’t think this altered their behaviour?

They said they would also only pair him with a wife

Neutering doesn't change boar behaviour and is irrelevant for boar-boar bonding. It is however necessary for safe cross gender bonding. Rescues without much in the way of experience and resources with bonding will not offer boar dating.
If you want to go down that route, you need to a find a vet that is experienced with boar neutering and then factor in a full 6 weeks safety wait. The little baby in my avatar is the legacy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine). I know of other cases, too; just to make that particular point.

Most of our recommended rescues, which are the ones we can guarantee for, offer boar dating, but they are a bit further away from you. Spayed sows are unfortunately extremely rare since the only UK rescue with a spaying policy has closed down several years ago.

 

[sport_billy]

I’ve contacted a local rescue nearby and they are insisting that Harry has to be neutered before they would even consider letting me take on another piggie. Correct me if I am wrong but I didn’t think this altered their behaviour?

They said they would also only pair him with a wife

Neutering doesn't effect behaviour as it does within dogs.... He'd need neutering to have a wifey pig.... how very odd of the rescue. So sorry for the loss of George

 

[DM030619]

Rip George

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Neutering doesn't effect behaviour as it does within dogs.... He'd need neutering to have a wifey pig.... how very odd of the rescue.

It is strange, but I had the same response from the RSPCA the first time we needed to find a friend for a bereaved boar, 4 years ago. And if even RSPCA people don't know their stuff re guinea pigs ...

Can you get to Wood Green @mshappy89 ? Their website says they have a number of single males looking for their forever home, and they do do boar-bonding too.

 

[mshappy89]

I don’t think I will be supporting this local rescue..