bonding sow to boar

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Deb H

Deb H

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Mr Digby has come to live with us. At the moment he abd Caramel are side by side as he still has a few days until the six weeks post neutering. Caramel is not impressed, she is chattering her teeth at him and has lunged at him.

Advice to bond them would be greatly appreciated.

Deb x
 
Give it time and (safe) exposure but be aware that some girls and boys simply don't click; some, especially dominant piggies can be quite, quite fussy about who they fall for! If the willingness and chemistry is not there from both sides, there is only so much you can do. :(

I am very sorry; I have been there as well early on before I started the Tribe and again a year ago with Tegyd, who I knew could be borderline - I ended up letting her choose who she wanted to be friends with (thankfully the sow I had intended) and then I dated her at a nearby rescue for a husboar of her liking; otherwise I would have had to let her go back to the rescue she was from. I know that boar dating gets all the press, but some girls can be equally as difficult to match. mallethead

Give your two time, but don't push the issue as long as you see any sign of aggression and even then you may not be able to pull it off; any bonding will probably be very touch and go at best.

My own "success" has been built on some tough lessons early on and otherwise some very careful rehoming; any girl of mine needs to have the right background or character to make sure that she'll fit in.
 
Yeah, my sow and boar were hard to bond. I thought they were never going to get along! :( However, they did in the end. :) Give them time to get used to each other.

I don't know if it is the same for guinea pigs or not, but when bonding rabbits, it's a good idea to take them out on a car ride. This scares them, lets them huddle up to each other and makes them realise that they are no threat to each other. xx
 
Are they side by side so that they can sniff each other through the bars? If so then i'd keep it like that for some time, when/if you start to see some positive interaction then you might be able to move onto the next stage but i'd wait until that time!

I had a really difficult bonding with Fin and Mabel, it took months over multiple sessions but we got there in the end! Sure I have wrinkles for it tho, my heart was in my mouth many times!
 
They are side by side and tonight is a little more positive. I just want to make sure I give it the best chance for them to bond. Caramel and Mr Digby had floor time together (separated by bars) and although there was chattering teeth from Caramel it wasn't as extreme as yesterday's initial meeting. They are now both lying next to each other (in their individual cages) so I am hopeful.

thanks for all the reassurance xx>>>
 
Bonding is so nerve racking, so i do feel for you. Give them plenty of space to get away from one another on neutral territory and also plenty of hidy's/iglus (best with things that have two enterances so any pig being chased can escape). I would keep a good close eye on them for now, but do not split them up unless blood has been drawn or aggression escalates. As Wiebke has already mentioned, some pairings just simply do not go and sows can be right moody mares when they want to be trust me. Ive had lots of failed (but also successful too) bondings.

Just hang on in there for now, and see how it goes over then next few days. With a successful pairing you should see aggression or dominance begin to die down as they sort out the pecking order. If its not going to work the behavior your describing may well continue or even escalate. So best to keep a close eye.

Wishing you lots of luck for bonding.

x.

Ps. just re read you reply - if you keep splitting them up then they will never be able to sort out pecking orders and dominance.
 
Abi-nurse, Digby and Caramel haven't been bonded yet, they are still living side by side. Infact Digby's 6 week post op date it just today.

The way I normally bond is using my bonding pit (elf pop up ball pit) or easy accessable outside neutral run. Sprinkle hay and veggies. No hideys, no tunnels. A dustpan to hand just incase you have to split any escalating behaviour.
At the moment though I think it's wise to monitor their behaviour side by side as your doing, until you see an improvement in the communication.

I'll phone you and have a chat Deb. If people missed Digby's thread, he is a rescue piggy from BARC. Obviously adoption is depending on bonding and if they like each other.
Fingers crossed they will work out fine.
 
I may need some similar advice in about 5 weeks! I have a moody mare I want to bond with willy.
 
Salt n Peppers mum said:
Abi-nurse, Digby and Caramel haven't been bonded yet, they are still living side by side. Infact Digby's 6 week post op date it just today.

The way I normally bond is using my bonding pit (elf pop up ball pit) or easy accessable outside neutral run. Sprinkle hay and veggies. No hideys, no tunnels. A dustpan to hand just incase you have to split any escalating behaviour.
At the moment though I think it's wise to monitor their behaviour side by side as your doing, until you see an improvement in the communication.

I'll phone you and have a chat Deb. If people missed Digby's thread, he is a rescue piggy from BARC. Obviously adoption is depending on bonding and if they like each other.
Fingers crossed they will work out fine.
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I did it with Fin and Mabel, the hideys actually made the process a lot worse as the pigs got dominant over them trying to claim them as their territory. I had to wait until the bond was strong before introducing hideys and even then when I did it started off more dominance issues (but these were quickly sorted out)

I understand what everyone says about not splinting them up or they have to go through the hierarchy all over again the next time you put them together but with Mabel and Fin they needed repeated bonding sessions over time, which proved very beneficial. They didn't go back to square one and each time things calmed down in less time showing that they did maintain some of their original bond. In fact it was important that I stopped the session when things got too heated as both piggies were becoming stressed and they had nothing more to gain, this way I didn't push it over the edge and they still stood a chance on the next session! I do appreciate this is just one personal experience and there are no specific rules to bonding - it all depends on the piggies and their personalities! Hope this helps :)
 
We have some progress today, they went in the same run for grass and if either chattered teeth (much less each day) a quick stroke of both and they stopped. They are starting to face each other when they sleep in their separate cages. I think the little and often approach is working for them.
Thanks all for the advice
 
Hi Deb,

Glad to hear things are going better, I'm trying my girls again in the hope that they may decide they will live together.

This bonding stuff is nail biting!

Good Luck

Jo x
 
Glad that things are calming down and going the right way. With cross gender pairs the slowly slowly approach can work out better than with same sex bondings.
 
So glad someone on here got mr digby! I really wanted him as I have another guinea pig with no ears but I was too far away!
Hope the bonding goes well!
 
Salt n Peppers mum said:
:)

Still fingers crossed here
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And here! Seriously though it is looking reasonably good, Caramel only chattered at him when he was standing on the bit of grass she wanted and then they led next to each other (nose to tail) to doze in the sun for 10 minutes
 
I'm really pleased to hear this Deb! Fingers crossed they will get better and better each time they meet :) it's certainly a very positive sign that they are lying near to each other showing that they feel relaxed enough to do so! Keeping my fingers crossed for them!

Good to luck to you too Jo! Is it Pebbles that you're trying with?
 
Well I have been sitting on kitchen floor foe a couple of hours now and there is little teeth chattering when they get too close, I think it's going to be a long night!
 
Good Luck, I got mine finally together - Wilma was very mean chasing but thankfully Pebbles took her place at the bottom of the pack or at least that's what Wilma thinks!
 
All was going well until the space they had was restricted... Do i put them together over night or try again on the weekend when I have more time?
This is so stressful!
 
No they had a big falling out. I am going to leave them side by side for a while longer. I'd like to keep Diggers so if it takes six months so be it. I'll send all the paperwork and adoption fee on the weekend. I just don't know whetjer to let them have shared floor time and sleep seperate or keep them seperate all the time?
 
Deb H said:
No they had a big falling out. I am going to leave them side by side for a while longer. I'd like to keep Diggers so if it takes six months so be it. I'll send all the paperwork and adoption fee on the weekend. I just don't know whetjer to let them have shared floor time and sleep seperate or keep them seperate all the time?
Click to expand...

I think keep them side by side whilst they aren't together and keep going with the slowly slowly approach. As soon as any piggies start to get stressed with the bonding then stop for that day. It took me at least a couple of months to get my 3 to sort out their issues!
 
Awesome play time today, 3 teeth chatters, a dozen nose ups but absolutely no bottom nipping. Not bad for an hour of playtime. They even shared food and did piggie trains. Woo hoo I feel progress has been made. Might try them in the spare hutch next weekend as new to them both. :(|)
 
Another really good playtime tonight, only chattered when my daughter came in to the room!

A couple of chin ups and a popcorn or two of each of them :)
 
The best playtime by far tonight, Diggers is still a little defensive but Caramel seems to have mellowed slightly. She even sniffed him for a good 25 seconds without any chattering, chin ups or anything.

I think I'm going to get the spare hutch in on Sunday and try them together, I will keep you posted :) they are now called the 'almost weds' and I look forward to the day they are 'the newlyweds'.

Both are still too jumpy for photos but hopefully soon :)
 
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