Do boars fall out that often?

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Vikki

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I have read so many posts lately about not getting boys as they will fight, it is true it is a possibility but given we at the moment keep most of our boys in the shed with the girls and the only two fall outs a trio and a pair of our pets before we even had girls here, where one got picked on and was paired with a younger boar, and the pair were split and bonded with younger boars all are doing well. We currently have 4 pairs and a trio all doing well. We do have One boars that can't be paired but as he was used for breeding prior to coming to us, how can I put it they are workaholics! Two are sociable but awaiting castration to join lady friends. All our pairs/trios of boys are in the largest hutches that are possible most in 6ft by 2ft housing so they have plenty of space and hidey holes.
When re-home boars we do explain the possibility of them falling out but so many people pass them by on what ifs? and opt for sows which I can understand as not everyone can have a spare cage handy etc.
They can fall out-I am not blind to that (as I get calls asking to re-home piggys for that reason), but also have so much character, boys will be boys, but are they getting bad press?
I am just wondering what everyone else thinks, I love our boys to bits.
 
everything i've read on this forum from experienced owners and mods etc is that they can get on fine theres just always that possibility that they will fall out. i think its said alot so that owners are prepared if it does happen :)
 
My boys were born in the same litter, they've been together ever since (they'll be 5 in April). They do everything together, have never been apart for more than a few minutes.

I've never seen them fight (nothing serious at all), they seem to adore each other.

When we were getting piggies, were were told to get males rather than females as the females are more territorial and they'll fight when they're in a heat because they want to mate. I can't remember who told us that though - I think it was my mum's friend, it was years ago - before I got my pigs.

Anyway we got boys because my sister and I fell in love with our gorgeous piggies!
 
my boys dont fight either. they have the odd dominance tiff once in a while, but nothing thats worried me enough to seperate them.
 
two of the foster boys fell out after getting too close to the girls run in the summer But Herecles used to pop in to their run and visit quite often and he could cope with them that way
i do think its the temperment of the guinea pig as i have teddy and francis below Bing and the Andrew sisters and when the girls where in the shed their was no trouble
will be pairing up when have time to sit with them to get some of them afriend to snuggle
 
My trio didnt work for me but I'm sure that was because of the personalities of two of the pigs not because there was three. I have four bonded pairs of boars i think as someone else said space is one of the main things. mine are in 5 1/2 x 2ft cages. They have the odd chatter at each other but nothing serious. Some pairings are better than others though i have two that adore each other and are inseperable and two that seem to have a agreement that they will leave each other alone. I know now that some of my pigs who arent together would get on brilliantly but i would never split them from their cage mate unless they had a fight. Tiny tim goes crazy if i take winston out of the cage he doesnt like to be apart from him. Winston doesnt feel quite the same about tim yet but they get on better by the day. I think the other thing is to take the introductions at the guinea pigs pace. One of mine was complete love at first sight and my older boar really fathered the baby and they went in a cage together after only a few hrs of floor time. Another two took over a week of run time together starting off at 30mins and building it up before they could go in a cage together but none of my pairs have fallen out and hopefully it will stay that way. I always get a bit more rumbling when the baby reaches 5mths but up to now they have managed to get past it and carry on living together. Do boars get to a certain age that they go past the falling out stage or is it always a risk?
 
Only two of my boars have fallen out, and it was only for about a week.
Winnie and Bumble have never ever had a fight. No teeth chattering or chasing each other! :smitten: But they are brothers.
Rocky and Toffee are brothers, but they have had a few arguements. Most of it stopped when I moved them into a bigger cage.
Nellie and Austin get on well too. Austin is 3 1/2 yrs older than Nellie so they have only known each other for six months. Ive only heard the odd chatter coming from Austin, but no fighting.
The girls are quite difficult. They argue more than the boys. ::)
 
My four can have the odd little nark but they live mostly ok. Twinkle is dominant over the sleeping quarters while Sunshine is dominant over the playing quarters so I think those 2 have called a truce and come to an understanding. :)
 
I have 8 boars in 4 pairs all very happy! One pair fell out as their personalities just did not match so I rebonded them with baby placid boars and they love them :smitten: :smitten:

I think it is all down to personality. If you have a dominant boar and bond him with a docile one, it seems to work well. I learned that the hard way ;D
 
HI

They can fall out, but normally is over dominance.

We haven't had much success with boys together, but they've normally been put together, a few days before we've collected them.

If you get a good bonded pair they should stay together for the rest of there lives, but does depend on the guinea pigs personality.

A friend of mine took to Abyssianians both males and they lived happily together.

Jaye
 
I have a trio of brothers, 10 months old. Jacob and Harvey aren't keen on each other and have had a scrap resulting in a trip to the vets. Teddy loves Jacob and Harvey and they love him. Teddy is my angel :smitten: They have a very large pen and free range in another room for a couple of hours a day. I'm sure if they were in a smaller area I would have had to separate them by now.

These are my first boys; have had girls for over 10 years and still have 4 girls. My experience with girls is that they don't get on when a new one is introduced but problems are sorted within about 3 weeks, just increasing the time they're together. With the boys I have to keep a close eye on them. I definitely think girls are easier. The problems with the boys may be though because they get a whiff of the girls (separate room but smell will travel and be on me).
 
I've just had to separate my boys today :( They were really happy for 4months; they didn't fight or fall out (as such) but recently one has completely crushed the others spirit. Dan was probably asserting himself and Gretz is too good natured to fight back so just crumbled :'( My poor Gretz hasn't popcorned in days and just sat really close to me today, so he's back in his old hutch and looking happier already.
 
Sorry to hear that. You just wish you could sit them down and explain it to them, don't you. I so hope mine are all OK together permanently but I'm not convinced. Sometimes I wonder whether I should have Harvey neutered to put in with the girls but I'm terrified of putting him through an op.
 
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