Do you prefer male or female pigs?

Sows or boars?

  • Sows

    Votes: 1 8.3%

  • Boars

    Votes: 11 91.7%
  • Total voters
    12
Eviolus-

Eviolus-

Teenage Guinea Pig
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As someone relatively new to pig keeping (just one herd of 3 girls and 1 boy) I was wondering peoples gender preference? Personally I think I'll stick with females going forward but I'd love to hear other's thoughts on it!
 
I have both sows and boars but would stay with boars in the future. Sows can be so stroppy and are more expensive when it comes to reproductive tract problems!😬
 
I think a nice pair of bonded boars if I have to admit a favourite. They are so interesting to watch, so daft, and so loveable to each other. I love the rumbling, the strutting and good hearted arguing and complaining too
But after saying that, my two girlies are delightful 😊
 
I'm pretty new to guinea pig parenting, previously had a boar-sow and now have a boar and two sows and enjoy witnessing mixed group dynamics. Totally agree with what PigglePuggle says with husboars having a crack with the wifeys but being completely overlooked. That, and the relentless piggie flirting, is ever so endearing. My sows have an interesting, sisterly relationship bickering but being very tender and loving at times too and I can't help but think our boar helps 'keep the peace' when the sows get moody or too feisty with each other. He seems to influence their dynamic very positively. While I initially thought I wanted to keep just sows, here (and in Germany too apparently), keeping two or more sows is strongly discouraged for sows' health reasons so I had to take the boar(s) on too. Ultimately I am so pleased how it worked out.
 
swaller said:
I'm pretty new to guinea pig parenting, previously had a boar-sow and now have a boar and two sows and enjoy witnessing mixed group dynamics. Totally agree with what PigglePuggle says with husboars having a crack with the wifeys but being completely overlooked. That, and the relentless piggie flirting, is ever so endearing. My sows have an interesting, sisterly relationship bickering but being very tender and loving at times too and I can't help but think our boar helps 'keep the peace' when the sows get moody or too feisty with each other. He seems to influence their dynamic very positively. While I initially thought I wanted to keep just sows, here (and in Germany too apparently), keeping two or more sows is strongly discouraged for sows' health reasons so I had to take the boar(s) on too. Ultimately I am so pleased how it worked out.
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May I ask how health is affected by keeping only sows together?
 
swaller said:
While I initially thought I wanted to keep just sows, here (and in Germany too apparently), keeping two or more sows is strongly discouraged for sows' health reasons so I had to take the boar(s) on too. Ultimately I am so pleased how it worked out.
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I know we discussed this in your previous threads about your piggies, but this is literally the only time I have ever heard this said - that only keeping sows negatively impacts their health and that they must have a boar with them? What is the reasoning behind this? The forum is filled with sow only (and boar only for that matter) keepers!
 
Ive always had boars. Just drawn to them but no idea why. Even all but one of my previous pets cats & hamsters have been male. Not sure about the goldfish though 😀
 
Siikibam and Piggiesandbuns - this explanation I translated was provided by a Moderator in a German forum:

Female guinea pigs urgently need a male in the group so that they can control their hormonal balance. Because we don't want babies, of course, this should be a neuter. Its male fragrances / pheromones, which are secreted by the caudal gland, are absorbed in the females by tiny indentations on both sides of the nasal septum (vomeronasel organ). This organ transmits neuronal signals to the pituitary gland via the amygdala. These signals regulate the formation of LH (luteinizing hormone). As a result, a female regularly becomes in heat every 14 to 18 days (normal cycle). During sex itself, which also takes place with a castrato, ovulation occurs through mechanical-neural stimuli. The more often copulation takes place, the sooner ovulation will take place. Without copulation / sex, no ovulation. If there is no male MS present and ovulation cannot inevitably take place, then cysts form from the mature egg cells in the ovary, which can reach the size of hen's eggs and / or can also release male sex hormones. The consequences are hair loss, especially on the flanks, masculine and aggressive behavior with dominance behavior, digestive problems (displacement of the internal organs by the cysts) and, unfortunately, tumors on the ovaries and uterus.

Much of the other guidance is the same here but there are some other interesting differences such as; early castration for baby boars is compulsory unless you are a registered breeder; young piggies can only be adopted or rehomed with an older 'educator' piggy present; C&C cages and fleece are only just catching on...I tend to follow the UK guidance where possible.
 
I’m not sure how the smell of male pheromones can help balance their hormones. In fact they can have stronger seasons when they catch a whiff of a boar. They have a season as regularly as stated above, even without the presence of a boar. I believe there are plenty of sows who haven’t developed ovarian cysts from not ovulating. It’s not a given that it will happen.

Interesting but I would like to know what evidence they have of sows not developing cysts when they live with a male, and how they measure the hormonal balance in the presence or absence of a boar.
 
The evidence-base for this can’t be particularly robust if it isn’t known, followed and implemented internationally... it’s only practiced in two countries it seems. Long live happy healthy sowcouples and sowherds 🥰
 
I have boars and had sows when I was a child I love my boys so much and I think boars are so underrated my pair have never fought or fallen out despite spending the first year and a half of their lives in housing that was way too small and it's lovely to watch them getting up to mischief together. Also not being able to get more piggies through fear of breaking their bond has opened my eyes to the joy of just spoiling the two I have
 
Don't know what I would do without the sight of testies sticking out of the tunnel. Or the sack cleaning! Boys seems to have harder time to find homes, which is why I only ever had boys.
 
Piggies&buns said:
..I’m sure we’ve got forum members with sows with ovarian cysts and they do live with boars
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The Ever Beautiful Betsy was living with boars from the age of 8 months until last week when her Husboar toddled off to the Rainbow Bridge so that was around 4 years. She had an emergency spay at the beginning of Lockdown (in April) for HUGE ovarian cysts. I really don't understand how living with boars can help with not developing ovarian cysts.
 
We’ve got boars & sows and I have to say, I love them both :love: The girls for being so confident and for knowing exactly what they want. And the boys for being such cheeky monkeys that always need to know what’s going on. And the boys trying to impress their new wives is already the greatest thing to watch - don’t really need a tv anymore :))
 
I've always had both and..while I feel like I'm being unfaithful to my lovely ladies, I absolutely adore boars, they are such goofy little people pleasers for the most part. But I love my girls to bits and wouldnt be without them.

Also.. I wish the smell of males etc kept ovarian cysts at bay but I've always had males in the room yet had 6 sows spayed in the last year alone, it will be interesting to see if any others living with my neutered boar develop them as the only one is herd had them before he went in. Or if the second herd stop developing them once Oliver is neutered and introduced to them. Interesting theory but I haven't seen it in action yet.
 
I've only ever had boars...and tbh I've only ever wanted boars. They're hysterically funny just by being themselves, "characters" doesn't even begin to cover it.
 
piggieminder said:
We gave up TV 6 years ago @stef.trg we found we didn't watch any more. With the piggies in the living room we have our own soap opera!
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Same! OH has built a stand to raise the cages off the floor and now they’re pretty much eye level behind the sofa. We probably wouldn’t notice if someone stole the TV :))
 
piggieminder said:
We gave up TV 6 years ago @stef.trg we found we didn't watch any more. With the piggies in the living room we have our own soap opera!
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I'm with you on that one! We got our 2 rescue boars in June and since then we sit there in the evening watching our 2 funny boys antics. The pecking order, with Pedro big but posturing and rumble strutting, then both of them popcorning and zooming. Little Basil is a sweetie and likes his laptime and then tugs of war with the food- we will Basil on to win and get his share!

I could go on, we just love them, but as these 2 are our first and only piggies so far I can't compare them to any others boars or sows.
 
As much as I love my girls I have to vote for the boys. I find the boys tend to be cuddlier and my girls more independent. The boys also have a clueless look on their faces which amuse me, especially when the girls have had enough. It makes me laugh especially with Joey (icon piggie). He seems to ask me what he did wrong :))
 
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