Can you put neutered boars into a mixed-sex group?

[Donna3939]

Hi everyone! p

I've been looking on my local rescue site and a few questions popped into my head. Forgive me if it sounds silly!...

Can you have a mixed group of sows and a few neutered boars? Or is it best just to have a single neutered boar in with the girls? Can you put a pair of bonded neutered boars into a group of sows? If you have more than one neutered boar are they more likely to fight in vying for the girls attentions? AND can you introduce a single boar into a mixed sex group?

I just think that the boars would become a bit territorial with the sows being there... am I wrong in thinking this? I just don't want to make any mistakes which could have an effect on the guinea pigs health and happiness.

Sorry for all the questions but on looking at the available piggies for rehoming I've seen a lovely combination for when I can get them in May (I want to wait till I have my week off so that I can be in the whole week to help them integrate in their new home) and I like the idea of neutered boars and sows but the ones that have caught my eye more than the others involves two separate groups, one a pair of bonded boars and the other a pair of sows.

Thanks in advance for your help

Donna. x

 

[zombieprincess]

Ive never had mixed sex groups but i've heard a lot of people say that neutering does nothing to change a boars behaviour. In which case i would not advise putting two boars in with a group pf sow's as it will more likely than not cause hostility. I therefore would definately not put a bonded pair of boars in with sows as then a perfectly stable piggy relationsip has been ruined.

 

[Claire W]

I think you can only have one neutered boar within a group xx

 

[Wiebke]

Neutering does not kill off the instincts or the behaviour of a boar, just his ability to reproduce, so you can have only ONE neutered boar with any group of girls in any traditional pet setup.

Personally, I have one neutered boar who will be soon meeting girls #7 and #8 - he's a busy boy nowadays and is decidedly "boared" on those days when none of the girls is interested in him... rolleyes

A neutered boar in a group of girls is worth his weight in gold because he can keep tensions down and acts as the glue of the piggy society.

If you wish to adopt more than one neutered boar, it is advisable that you create a separate group for each boy that will not mingle.

 

[Niki]

I have never housed my neutered boars with sows but they do all go into the run (supervised by myself) together; not just to watch the boars but the sows too, who in my experience, can be just as bad

 

[hopperhaven]

Personally, I have one neutered boar who will be soon meeting girls #7 and #8 - he's a busy boy nowadays and is decidedly "boared" on those days when none of the girls is interested in him... rolleyes

A neutered boar in a group of girls is worth his weight in gold because he can keep tensions down and acts as the glue of the piggy society.

Oh my lucky boyp

Louise
www.hopperhaven.org.uk

 

[redd1800]

I've struggled to keep two neutured boars in a large group of girls. I now have two groups - one boar in each

 

[Layla - NSGPR]

I had a pair of bonded boars neutered and they joined my pair of females. It was years ago and at the time I didn't even think anything of it. But I had no problems at all. They all lived very happily together. In fact they paired off into little married couples, and every morning when I let them out in the garden to play one couple will toddle off in one direction and the other pair in the other direction.

I really think it depends on the personalities of the piggies. I wouldn't introduce a single neutered boar into a group which already has a neutered boar in.

I think it is rarely done so it is difficult to know if it works or not. I know another person who did a similar thing to me and never had any problems. I think you just need lots of space and a well bonded pair of males to begin with. But it is always a risk that they would fall out.