bonding two boars

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carolinelovesguineas

carolinelovesguineas

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hi,
for those of you who have tried successfully, or unsuccessfully, to bond two boars together please can you tell me how it went for you.
I am currently trying to bind two boars together. One is about six months and the other is about six weeks, unrelated.
on first meeting there was the usual rumbling and sniffing of bums, mainly from the older one, also with the occasional humping.
a couple of days later there is still some rumbling, again from the older one, but they have been seen sitting together, eating, drinking.
when the older one was separated from the younger whilst having cuddles the younger one was calling for him and looking for him.
do you think the "friendship" could be one sided?
how long should it take for them to fully bond? note there has been absolutely no fighting, no raised chins etc so in that respect all's good.
tia 4 ** comments
 
We also have two boars, although it slightly different circumstances to yourselves. We adopted the two boys in February and they came as a pair. We were told they were both 3 months old, but I'm pretty sceptical about that due their size and weight.

Anyhow, ours have always lived together in an indoor cage during the night and then they roam the garden in the day. I was a little worried at first after hearing horror stories about fighting boars but they do everything together. They sit at the foodbowl side by side and eat and snuggle up together in their house. Mine have been like that since we got them so perhaps your piggies will do the same, they sound very happy together.
 
I used to have a little cousin, who was a boy and although I loved him very much, I wouldn't like to share my toys with him but he was fun to hang out with and I would miss him when he was gone. We were both only children and we would bicker like crazy when together, even get into little scuffles but it was nothing really serious. Even though it looked like we didn't like each other, we did. It wasn't until we were past our bratty teens that we really appreciated each other.

This is how I think boars are.
Mine bicker often (usually about food) and it does look like their friendship is one sided, but when I walk in the room and find them nibbling on one anothers ears, it makes me think they really do love one another.
 
Hi!

Please do not separate your boys all the time; they won;t be able to work through the dominance issues that way and will have to start back in square one all the time. Only separate if things get truly out of hand due to fights with bloody bites or incessant bullying/humping - and I mean incessant.

Here are some links with bonding and behaviour information that you may find helpful:
introductions: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38562
behaviour: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949
boar guide: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=76162
boar dating blog with videos: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233
 
Wiebke is quite right, if you keep parting them they go back to square one and each time they have to reestablish who's boss. Things sound fine right now so I'd see how they go :)
 
I bonded my 2 in a siilar way
When I had Fang (the youngest) he was put in his own cage next to rank (the oldest) so that they both knew they were there. Fang was in his own cage for a couple of weeks so that he could settle in to his new surroundings.

Then a couple of times a day I would get them both out and put them on the sofa covered with a blanket, 1 would be placed at 1 end 1 at the other and I just let them find each other.
To begin with there was alot of teeth chattering, noises, humping and scent marking but the more I got them out the less it happened.
I then started putting them into a new cage for short bursts and each time I left them for longer and longer.

They have lived together for a few months now and even now there is still abit of teeth chattering and scent marking mainly from Frank but it's never aggressive. Fang get's really stressed if Frank is moved away from him so 1 is never left behind if 1 comes out of the cage

Just keep checking on them but leave the to it unless it gets aggressive
 
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Hello Caroline,

When George was 4 years old, I decided to get him a pal as my hours at work were getting longer and longer, and I felt it was unfair to have him home alone all day. So, home came Elliot at 8 weeks old. George was way to old to have anyone live in his home with him, he simply wouldn't put up with it and Elliot was too boisterous, but they played on the floor together with no problem. There was never no rumblestrutting, no mounting each other, they just got along!

Then I thought how terrible it would be for Elliot to grow up without a cagemate, so I brought home Oscar-Lemur. At this point, Elliot was 4 months old and Oscar was 2 months old. I introduced them during floortime, and there was lots of rumblestrutting, lots of squirting from the nether regions and some teeth chattering, but I always had a tea towel to throw over them if they would've started to fight, but it never got that far. George was also introduced to the new boar during floortime, and although the babies sometimes tried to see how far they could push George, George always put them in their place.

After a few sessions on the floor, Oscar moved in with Elliot, and although Elliot has always remained the boss, Oscar does try his luck on Elliot by rumblestrutting, but always backs down when Elliot shows who is boss. George passed away in October last year, but the two boars get on great and still live together. They have their moments, but don't ponder to their every rumblestrutt or disagreement, unless they're physically fighting. They are just trying to discuss and work out who is going to be the boss. If it is constant aggression, even after a few weeks of living together, then maybe consider that they aren't meant to be housemates, but the ocassional argument between them (unless actual fighting) is fine and normal.

The friendship between two boars, if it can be acheived, is wonderful. It brings my boyfriend and me so much happiness watching them together. When they're on the floor together, during free range time, they never leave each others side. It's hard bonding two or more boars together, but it's so worth it :)

Good luck with it.
 
Wiebke I am not disputing your worldly knowledge of pigs, but I would like to just say whats happening with my boys. :red

Baiscally, when they are out of the cage environment they get on really well. The occasional noisy teeth chattering but thats it. They are both so happy to be back together, that theres popcorning, piggy trains, Jamie runs round like a lunatic...its all very happy.

In the cage, they are launging at each other and drawing blood on 2 occasions. I have thoroughly cleaned the cage and all beds, etc. But when they are put back in they are like different pigs. I have even made a new, bigger 5x2 C&C.

I totally understand that separating them will cause them to have to re-establish dominance, but it seems to be working for my 2.
 
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