Do we need a neutered boar?

Status
Not open for further replies.
karonus

karonus

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Feb 21, 2012
Messages
1,996
Reaction score
2,194
Points
965
Location
Dudley, West Midlands
At present I am discussing with OH the merits of adding a neutered boar to our herd.

At present the herd (Moon 2 1/2, Star 2 1/2, Midnight 3 mths and Twinkle 2 1/2 mths) reside in the equivalent of a ferplast 120 which is on the living room floor and tends to be open during the day with indoor run alongside (Overall room is about 16 sq feet). As there is always someone present in the room they come and go as they wish with the cage and seem happy (by the amount of popcorning they do). When the little ones are older the run will be removed and the older ones can go back to having free reign in the living room (room will expand to the 170 sq ft living room plus play equipment (feet etc)).

The cage now has vetbed and a "parcel shelf" which is fleece covered.

I am interested in others comments before we take this idea further, we like to think we can offer a loving home and the experience of touring caravanning and grass around the country.

As well as OH we have daughter Katy (13 going on 23) and MIL. Hence I feel outnumbered in this matriarchal household.
 
I'm looking at it in the way of not so much 'need'. If you believe that you could give a neutered boar a very good home, then why not enquire with your local rescue? Remember he will have to get on with 4 lovely ladies.
You always have to consider the possibility that they may not get on or it may cause conflict, and can you offer the boar an individual space if they don't get on? Would you be willing to find him a friend and pair them together?

I hope someone else who has more experience can come and help you too :)
 
A neutered boar acts as a kind of glue and soaks up a lot of the tensions that can arise between sows. I have a succession of neutered boars and am a big fan!

However, it is advisable to "date" a boar or two with your girls. Not all top girls are willing to accept one. From that point of view, it is well worth a trip to a rescue with all girls. Usually you will know within 15-20 minutes whether acceptance as happened and things are going well. I did that with my two 3 year old cataract sows last summer in Rugby rescue (the cosest to me) with great success when I decided to split them from my big group.

You are lucky to have several rescues that often have neutered boars or a neutering policy within a reasonable distance.
The RSPCA Walsall and RNGP Welfare in Rugby both have neutered boars and offer dating. Honeybunnies near Leicester (just off junction M69/M1) is always worth a try. I have rehomed from all three of them and can recommend them warmly. I'm not sure in which style Hopperhaven in Redditch is still going; but perhaps worth an enquiry?
http://www.rspca-walsall.org.uk/
http://www.rngp.org/
http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/rescue.asp?Rescue=461
http://www.hopperhaven.org.uk/
 
Thanks Wiebke and sapphiredreams. I have seen so many boys needing homes and it is something we have talked about. I agree with finding the right boar for the girls and think we can offer a forever home to one.

But its not something we are gonna do right away. We want to make sure that its right and the girls are happy.

(Mind you when MIL has gone (she is 85) her bed in the living room is the space Katy and I have earmarked for a C&C Hotel.)
 
Agree with Wiebke :)
I'd love to home three neutered boars to live with two trios and a herd of girls but am afraid to 'break what is not broken' My top pig, Amelia is a beautiful and gentle girl but on two attempted bondings, would not accept another piggy to live in her herd :( It has put me off for life :red - sad as I know there are so many beautiful boys needing homes :0 I have to make do with drooling over them :(|)
I had to take our single girl sow dating to find her new friends so unless you can provide the separate accomodation, can take in another piggy as a mate if bonding failed etc. would take your girls dating so they choose the buddy they want :))
 
I am a big fan of piggy dating; in my own experience, it is the best way of bonding, especially with single piggies and small groups, and it has the advantage that you only come home with another piggy if there has been success.

Piggies are very much individualists and the rule of character compatibility still holds, so by starting with the rescue that has the biggest number of neutered boars, you can work your way through... Worth a think through and taking your time with enquiries. If you haven't rehomed from a reputable rescue lately, you will have to pass a home check (usually no big deal if there is enough cage space). Usually the crucial piggy is the top sow; undersows will generally fall in line.

Thankfully, my two redoubtable ladies were both happy with (my own favourite) boar #1, gentle Terfel, so we never had to go further. My older girl Dizzy fell hard for boar #3 - it was love at first sniff for her and Llewelyn (the neutered boar I built my Tribe around) and it was a very devoted "marriage" until she passed away over two years later.

Rescue ladies usually know their piggies' characters; you also have the advantage of an experienced person overlooking the meetings.
 
Would it be safe to have 2 boars with a group of 4 sows? I always thought it was very very rare or impossible even, to have more than one boar with sows as they would fight?

Or have i misread what you've said Wiebke?

Quote However, it is advisable to "date" a boar or two with your girls. Quote
 
Toffeewoffee said:
Would it be safe to have 2 boars with a group of 4 sows? I always thought it was very very rare or impossible even, to have more than one boar with sows as they would fight?

Or have i misread what you've said Wiebke?

Quote However, it is advisable to "date" a boar or two with your girls. Quote
Click to expand...

i think she meant try a few boars to see which one the girls like best?

not more than one boar to live with the girls.
 
Arrr, yes! That makes sense, sorry Wiebke, i wasn't doubting you, i was doubting myself. *Runs of and hides*
 
I don't understand your of 'needing' a neutered boar? How is it a necessity exactly?

If your sows get along fine in their herd then leave them to it, they don't 'need' a boar.
 
Girls don't "need" a boar; however, they are wired to live with one as a group, so you are very much working with piggy instinct. It is a good way of giving a boar a home when you have a group of girls and don't have space to have boars separately. And it certainly makes any boar so chosen VERY happy indeed - it is the ultimate career pinnacle for him!

And yes, sorry, you can have only one boar with a group at a time (unless you have massive space), but you can date more than one boar in one trip (not together please!). I apologise; by the time I reread my post and discovered that it could be misleading the editing slot had already elapsed. mallethead
 
I have a neutered boar with 7 girlies which equals one very happy boy :)) and a very settled group of girls :)

I think that as with everything it's finding what works for you and your pigs :)
 
Wiebke said:
Girls don't "need" a boar; however, they are wired to live with one as a group, so you are very much working with piggy instinct. It is a good way of giving a boar a home when you have a group of girls and don't have space to have boars separately. And it certainly makes any boar so chosen VERY happy indeed - it is the ultimate career pinnacle for him!
Click to expand...

It still seems very unnecessary to me.

I was 'corrected' on here that apparently boars don't lose the hormone to mate with sows once neutered when I stated from experience in many other animals, obviously once the hormone producing area is taken away, their 'need to breed' goes as well.

So... what would be the point neutering them in that case?! The hormone is still there so why not leave them in-tact and place them with a boar? Killing two birds with one stone for lone boars in rescue.

Just using logic and common sense. I understand with rabbits, ferrets, dogs, cats etc why neutering is important for them, but not small rodent pets.

But each to their own, I know obviously it has been successfully done so I'm not doubting that, I just don't understand its importance.
 
This was why I raised the question. I understand that to be a "natural" herd, a herd of sows should have a boar as the alpha male. However, as I have no wish to breed then a neutered boar is the only option. Yes our herd are quite happy together but if we want to enable them the full range of their instincts then we need to add a boar.
 
lilmisscavy - I think if the OP would like a neutered boar to create an environment which reflects how guinea pigs would naturally live, if they have the space available, if they are information gathering about how bonding works, and prepared to offer a rescue boar a loving forever home, and is currently in discussion of the merits of such a thing - all of which is outlined in the postings - I think it would pay wise to respond to the information rather than jump at the title.

I think Wiebke has offered some fantastic advice and they are many already neutered boys looking for homes. It's difficult bonding boys, from what I can see the best chance for success (if they haven't already grown up together) is to have a much older boar and a younger boar paired together - however, obviously this provides uncertainity for the future. At some point the younger piggy is going to need to find a new friend.

So I think if someone is considering adding a neutered boar to their group of girls, this is one more piggy rehomed and one more piggy who is going to be very happy.
 
i started with 2 girls then i rescued another 2 then decided i wanted a boy, and it would be nice for my girls to have a boy, so in came billy. i then added more girls after this and they were happy. so its kind of 2 birds one stone you get to rehome a boy and the boy gets a lovely group of girls.

if you have the space, time and money then i dont see why you shouldn't its no different to thinking i want another girl.
 
squeakysmallpaws said:
lilmisscavy - I think if the OP would like a neutered boar to create an environment which reflects how guinea pigs would naturally live, if they have the space available, if they are information gathering about how bonding works, and prepared to offer a rescue boar a loving forever home, and is currently in discussion of the merits of such a thing - all of which is outlined in the postings - I think it would pay wise to respond to the information rather than jump at the title.

I think Wiebke has offered some fantastic advice and they are many already neutered boys looking for homes. It's difficult bonding boys, from what I can see the best chance for success (if they haven't already grown up together) is to have a much older boar and a younger boar paired together - however, obviously this provides uncertainity for the future. At some point the younger piggy is going to need to find a new friend.

So I think if someone is considering adding a neutered boar to their group of girls, this is one more piggy rehomed and one more piggy who is going to be very happy.
Click to expand...

By being corrected before about their hormones not changing after neutering, they would still want to mate, it just emphasised to me how pointless it really is. I actually couldn't help but give out a confused laugh when I read that because I thought 'why on earth do you go through with it then?!' :{ I read it out to my ex, and she commented the same, 'why bother?'

I'm not being rude, I'm just not on the same wave-length as the rest of you on this one.
 
lilmisscavy said:
It still seems very unnecessary to me.

I was 'corrected' on here that apparently boars don't lose the hormone to mate with sows once neutered when I stated from experience in many other animals, obviously once the hormone producing area is taken away, their 'need to breed' goes as well.

So... what would be the point neutering them in that case?! The hormone is still there so why not leave them in-tact and place them with a boar? Killing two birds with one stone for lone boars in rescue.

Just using logic and common sense. I understand with rabbits, ferrets, dogs, cats etc why neutering is important for them, but not small rodent pets.

But each to their own, I know obviously it has been successfully done so I'm not doubting that, I just don't understand its importance.
Click to expand...



First. I'd like to say...I'm somewhat new here, and I dont want to step on anyones toes ...but i've read everything you've posted on this thread and I'd like to say (as politely as possible) a few things.

A) your initial nitpicking on op's title is uncalled for. Would her title have been better recived by you had she typed, thinking of getting a neuterd boar...
Irregardless, of how she phrased it...her meaning was clear. Sometimes you have to look past "phrasing" and go for the meaning of a thread.

B) if you have to state..."I'm not being rude". that usually means you are. And saying so n so agree's with me does not add to your statement..it actually takes away from it, because it means you were insecure with your own opinion and had to have someone else back it up.

C) reading between the lines it seems that your having an venting episode about being corrected on something you thought (which i dont know if you were or were not correct...that is beside the point).. It was totally unnessecary to take a positive , uplifting post, and turn it into a vent,
and not to contridict myself by doing the same thing...it happened here, so I'm addressing it here.




: side note: i attempted to message you and not put this publicly, but for some reason it would not let me. I apoligise if this comes off a lecture...but there is no NICE way to say..you mucked up a perfectly good thread with some unnessicary nonsense.
 
Oh dear. I'm not getting involved.

But i wish to put my view across.

If you have the space to home a lovely boar then why not, its another rescued piggie in a lovely home so i say go for it.

Neutered boars work very well in a group of sows. I have a boy in with my 8 ladies and he definatly keeps the peace and is the leader of the gang. I got him at quite a young age and got him neutered myself so i didnt date him, but if you get yourself a neutered boar it would be wise to do some dating with him and the girls. You can usually tell from the first meeting how thing will go. I really believe in putting neutered boars in with girls. Really strikes a balance in the 'herd' situation.

x.
 
lilmisscavy said:
By being corrected before about their hormones not changing after neutering, they would still want to mate, it just emphasised to me how pointless it really is. I actually couldn't help but give out a confused laugh when I read that because I thought 'why on earth do you go through with it then?!' :{ I read it out to my ex, and she commented the same, 'why bother?'

I'm not being rude, I'm just not on the same wave-length as the rest of you on this one.
Click to expand...

You sound confused about what neutering does, sorry if I've misunderstood. The point of neutering in guinea pigs is not to change behaviour but to prevent them from being able to reproduce. They may still behave like boars and try and mount sows but they can't actually get them pregnant. Everyone isn't talking about picking out a boar and neutering just for the sake of putting him in with sows. Though there is at least one rescue that neuters as a matter of course in order to prevent accidental pregnancies, some boars will come into rescue already neutered and sometimes you get boars that simply won't tolerate another boar in which case neutering is the best option so he can live with females and doesn't have to live alone. That's why neutering can be important for guinea pigs too. True, the OP doesn't need a boar in the herd but as had been discussed such groupings can work well and it would be nice if can offer a lonely boar a home. :)
 
Can I reply to Smores and Hermes. Firstly I am male (and in June to be made a grandparent for the second time from daughter of first marriage) and having had the "snip" I can vouch that all it does is prevent further unwanted pregnancies. My apologies to the younger members and hopefully placed a smile on the faces of the older ones.
 
karonus said:
Can I reply to Smores and Hermes. Firstly I am male (and in June to be made a grandparent for the second time from daughter of first marriage) and having had the "snip" I can vouch that all it does is prevent further unwanted pregnancies. My apologies to the younger members and hopefully placed a smile on the faces of the older ones.
Click to expand...

smile on my face!
 
karonus said:
Can I reply to Smores and Hermes. Firstly I am male (and in June to be made a grandparent for the second time from daughter of first marriage) and having had the "snip" I can vouch that all it does is prevent further unwanted pregnancies. My apologies to the younger members and hopefully placed a smile on the faces of the older ones.
Click to expand...

A thousand apologies for calling you a she!"). And even though I'm a woman.....i still found your comment smile worthy. Congrats on the grandbaby to come.
 
Neutering doesn't change boar behaviour. A neutered husboar still mates with any sows in season when he lives with girls. By doing do, he absorbs a lot of tension that can build up when sows in a strong season mount and generally bother others. With a boar in a group, most of the time a sow will stick close to the boar while she is in season and then go back as unobtrusively afterwards.

A patriarch will also actively act as a peacemaker between sows having a show down; I have witnessed that myself several times!

There are rescues that have a boar neutering policy; dating your girls at one of these rescues (provided one is within reasonable reach of you) with potential husboars is the best way of finding out what works for your group.

It is a completely different proposition from thinking of adding a neutered boar to an existing group of sows to looking to rebond a single whole boar of yours; in this case, boar dating is generally the first thing to try before neutering (unless you have sows you want to put him with).

It is important to always look at every situation in its unique context and work out a solution that fits that special situation!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top