Do Trio's Work Better If One Is A Boar?

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biscandmatt

biscandmatt

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i've read alot about trio's not working very well and one piggy being left out. do they seem to work better if one is a neutered boar, rather than three sows?

just interested :)
 
I suppose it might be better, however what happens if you get one sow jealous of the attention the other one gets from the boar? Lol :)
 
Our trio of girls was working out fine, but since baby Widget (sow) has joined them it is even more harmonious - until season time lol

I would be interested to find if a huspig introduced to a troublesome trio would help the dynamic. @Wiebke may have some greater understanding as I know she moves piggies from one group to another at times, something I think must take great skill and understanding
 
sport_billy said:
Our trio of girls was working out fine, but since baby Widget (sow) has joined them it is even more harmonious - until season time lol

I would be interested to find if a huspig introduced to a troublesome trio would help the dynamic. @Wiebke may have some greater understanding as I know she moves piggies from one group to another at times, something I think must take great skill and understanding
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ooh, you may have to get another piggy! :))
 
We had a Quad of piggies a neutered boar & 3 sows.. it was great for a while, then 2 of the sows decided they didn't like each other big time..:(

So we now have an alternating Trio - Ouzo (neutered boar ) + Morgan and either Tia or Saffi.. :hb:

Lisa & Ali..
 
lisaali said:
We had a Quad of piggies a neutered boar & 3 sows.. it was great for a while, then 2 of the sows decided they didn't like each other big time..:(

So we now have an alternating Trio - Ouzo (neutered boar ) + Morgan and either Tia or Saffi.. :hb:

Lisa & Ali..
Click to expand...

oh dear... always seems to be the sows i read about being fussy!
 
I had a trio of all girls after a pig died. Honey needed new friends so I got two little babies for her. They all got on fine with Honey being the boss (she was 4 years older). They were fine for almost 2 years then after Honey died the other two started squabbling and still do to this day. Honey was always a no nonsense guinea so without her there's no clear boss to stop disagreements. The two pigs still like each other, they just have little disagreements often. :D
 
It's not a question that you can answer with a clear yes or no! If trios work out, they are great, (usually adult/different age trios with at least two adult) boars, three sows or a husboar/2 sows combo. The crucial bit is that the personalities click and that the piggies like each other. If that isn't the case, then you can easily end up with the dreaded outsider issue. Generally, it is a lot easier for two piggies to gang up in a trio. Often well bonded couples don't take to what they perceive as an intruder into their coze. You can also not rely on litter siblings necessarily getting on - some of my biggest squabblers have included close relatives! Bit like humans, I guess!

As a rule, if you can let the piggies choose who they want to get on with, you are in with a much better chance of success whatever the constellation. That has certainly been the case with my working trios/quartets! The ones that failed were based on what turned out to be a squabbling pair of sisters I rehomed for a soon-to-be widower to prevent him from pining and a laid-back boar being just a trace too dominant for my ASBO teddies (who will remain as a pair)...

If you don't have the option to date your piggies, then it is generally better to stay with a stable couple of boars and rather get another separate pair. If you have two sows or a cross gender couple, then introducing another couple of bonded, preferably younger sows will create a small group where the already existing hierarchy is not challenged, which will make intros a lot easier and will hopefully avoid outsider problems. Already neutered boars are not always available. This "standard" forum advice is trying to minimise/avoid the tricky issues that can threaten bondings where the owners haven't got access to a rescue, are not experienced and have never done an intro themselves and/or can't risk the bonding to fail because of space issues. ;)

As far as piggies go, there is no rule without exceptions - enjoy it when it happens, but you shouldn't count on the exception working for you! :mal:
 
My sows get on really well, they are seperated as of right now because 3 out of 4 is pregnant but i'm hoping that when it's time to rebond everyone things will go smoothly. As for my two boars, they HATE eachother so they are seperated as well. I wish i was in the UK and i could just visit a rescue shelter to fine my boys a friend but unfortuntly that is not possible. The only place to get GPs here is at 1 pet store (animal house) and they don't have anymore right now, plus you have to pay $45 CI (33 pounds) for each one and they are poorly cared for! As for neutering...the exotic vet didnt know "sow" meant female so i dont trust her to neuter my boys! :hb:
 
I have a trio - 2 sows and a boar, they get on really well, the girls gang up and shout at Rebel if he gets amorous, that soon puts him in his place! :))
 
To answer your question a bit more specifically - a neutered boar does not upset the sow hierarchy, he operates outside and needs to get on with both girls in order to mate when they are in season, so you are creating an "outsider situation" that is working for you. But it only works if the sows are good friends (or you will get a sow outsider!) and if they have the option to accept their husboar at the beginning. Personality clashes can happen in all bondings. With cross gender bondings you usually know within 15-30 minutes whether acceptance has happened or whether it is not an ideal bonding.
 
This was really helpful especially as I am hoping to add Mowgli from TEAS to Millie & Marmalade...I swear the name had nothing to do with it...all the M's..he's just gorgeous!
 
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