Help - Trio Of Fighting Boars

3piggies

3piggies

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Hi,

Naively bought three boars from a pet shop 2 weeks ago. They're 3-4 months old. They have been asserting dominance since I got them- one in particular being pushed out. Their behaviour has been escalating, and one has a bitten ear. This morning I witnessed a distressing fight. I separated the two fighters immediately (pig with ear bite now has a neck bite but seems superficial, he's now in a box on his own with lots of tlc). The other two have been together amicably since this morning. None have eaten anything which is unusual. I've got three devastated children and I don't know what to do. I know they can't be reintroduced but reluctant to take them to pet shop to be rehomed on their own too- advice welcome , thanks in advance
 
3piggies said:
Hi,

Naively bought three boars from a pet shop 2 weeks ago. They're 3-4 months old. They have been asserting dominance since I got them- one in particular being pushed out. Their behaviour has been escalating, and one has a bitten ear. This morning I witnessed a distressing fight. I separated the two fighters immediately (pig with ear bite now has a neck bite but seems superficial, he's now in a box on his own with lots of tlc). The other two have been together amicably since this morning. None have eaten anything which is unusual. I've got three devastated children and I don't know what to do. I know they can't be reintroduced but reluctant to take them to pet shop to be rehomed on their own too- advice welcome , thanks in advance
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Hi and welcome!

Can you please let us know where you are located? Click on your username at the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location where you please add your UK county, country, state or province. This will make it appear with every post you make and help us to give you recommendations. A lot depends on your local options in order for us to help you work out the best way forward for you.

You may also find the our very detailed boar trouble thread helpful: Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

Can you please let us know where you are located? Click on your username at the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location where you please add your UK county, country, state or province. This will make it appear with every post you make and help us to give you recommendations. A lot depends on your local options in order for us to help you work out the best way forward for you.

You may also find the our very detailed boar trouble thread helpful: Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Click to expand...

Thanks for your message. I've just updated my profile, I'm in Liverpool
 
I'm sorry you have encountered this fight.you may need to get the injured piggie seen by a vet,just observe the wound so it does not develop an abcess.your options are several,
1,take the other boar to a good rescue that offers boar dating and finding a compatible boar,this will mean another cage of at least 120cm x 60cm
2,surrender the struggling piggie to a rescue.
3 place a divider in the cage so the boar can live next to the boars without getting to one another to cause any injuries,but you will need a big cage 6 x 2 c and c cage.
4 maybe consider getting the boar neutered after six weeks getting him a lady riend to live with.
it really is a difficult time,i started with two boys from a shop,three years ago without much knowledge of rescue,both started fighting lock on furball,had to seperate,decided to neuter and each had a female each,now have 4 herds .neutering does carry a risk ,but if done by a competent vet it diminshes the risks considerably.There is a vet locator at the top of the page,place your postcode in and it will give you your nearest,considered cavvy savvy vets.
I wish you luck in any decision you make,I'm sorry the children are devastated.Boars are best in twos,and it really depends on charachters and personalities if they get on.it needs a dominant piggie to a laidback piggie of any age.i personally have a softspot for boar piggies of any age.:)
 
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eileen said:
I'm sorry you have encountered this fight.you may need to get the injured piggie seen by a vet,just observe the wound so it does not develop an abcess.your options are several,
1,take the other boar to a good rescue that offers boar dating and finding a compatible boar,this will mean another cage of at least 120cm x 60cm
2,surrender the struggling piggie to a rescue.
3 place a divider in the cage so the boar can live next to the boars without getting to one another to cause any injuries,but you will need a big cage 6 x 2 c and c cage.
4 maybe consider getting the boar neutered after six weeks getting him a lady riend to live with.
it really is a difficult time,i started with two boys from a shop,three years ago without much knowledge of rescue,both started fighting lock on furball,had to seperate,decided to neuter and each had a female each,now have 4 herds .neutering does carry a risk ,but if done by a competent vet it diminshes the risks considerably.There is a vet locator at the top of the page,place your postcode in and it will give you your nearest,considered cavvy savvy vets.
I wish you luck in any decision you make,I'm sorry the children are devastated.Boars are best in twos,and it really depends on charachters and personalities if they get on.it needs a dominant piggie to a laidback piggie of any age.i personally have a softspot for boar piggies of any age.:)
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Eileen
Thanks so much for your reply. I'm waiting for a call back from a rescue centre. It's so hard- each child has a pig, so either way going to have 1or 2 upset children!
Trying to work out what will work best- ? keep 2.together (who fight less, one is much large than the other)

Or keep injured pig- with a view to neutering when recovered and introducing 2 sows at a later date- don't want him to get stressed being alone though!

What a dilemma!
 
3piggies said:
Thanks for your message. I've just updated my profile, I'm in Liverpool
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There is no good rescue close by, but if you can make it a day out to a trip to Kisdgrove/Stoke-on-Trent to visit your closest good standard rescue, that would be best.
Welcome to The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue, a safe haven in Stoke on Trent. or The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue

Your options are:
- keep your single boy in an adjoining cage until you can date him or get him to a good rescue (your closest is The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue that offers this service and that we can guarantee for you and your little boy being in safe hands at all stages) for a suitable companion of his own. Dating means that you come home only with a healthy piggy that has clicked with your boy for mutual liking and character compatibility. An age difference means that they will not hit the teenage hormone spikes all at the same time. You also have the rescue to fall back on in case there is trouble later on.

- if you cannot keep him, please also contact The Potteries whether they have space to take him in (they are only a small rescue), so he can be either bonded with a rescue boar, be adopted as a companion to another bereaved/single boar via dating, or neutered to go with a sow or two.
- as you have got two more hormonal teenage boars whose testicles are currently decending, I would not recommend to have him neutered and then living with a sow - the pheromones of a sow in season can seriously set off your other boys. Please note that neutering will not prevent your boys from falling out.

Please have your injured boy vet checked and disinfect the wound with saline solution (mix one teaspoon of salt into 1/2 pint or 250g ml of boiled, cooled water).

@VickiA
 
3piggies said:
Eileen
Thanks so much for your reply. I'm waiting for a call back from a rescue centre. It's so hard- each child has a pig, so either way going to have 1or 2 upset children!
Trying to work out what will work best- ? keep 2.together (who fight less, one is much large than the other)

Or keep injured pig- with a view to neutering when recovered and introducing 2 sows at a later date- don't want him to get stressed being alone though!

What a dilemma!
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If you want to keep the neutering route, please be aware that you may need to wait a little longer with the op until the testicles have descended and then wait another 6 weeks until your boy is 100% safe to go with girls. The little baby in my avatar is the unplanned daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine), just to prove that point. You also need to find a good vet who is either experienced in piggy neutering ops or has lots of practice with operating on small furries in order to minimise the risk of post-op complications. It is not a quick solution.

Please take a deep breath and take the time to explore all your options on the base what is possible for you and what is the best way forward for the longer term. if you need to exapnd to two cages, consider having one above the other if you are short on space.
 
Wiebke said:
There is no good rescue close by, but if you can make it a day out to a trip to Kisdgrove/Stoke-on-Trent to visit your closest good standard rescue, that would be best.
Welcome to The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue, a safe haven in Stoke on Trent. or The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue

Your options are:
- keep your single boy in an adjoining cage until you can date him or get him to a good rescue (your closest is The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue that offers this service and that we can guarantee for you and your little boy being in safe hands at all stages) for a suitable companion of his own. Dating means that you come home only with a healthy piggy that has clicked with your boy for mutual liking and character compatibility. An age difference means that they will not hit the teenage hormone spikes all at the same time. You also have the rescue to fall back on in case there is trouble later on.

- if you cannot keep him, please also contact The Potteries whether they have space to take him in (they are only a small rescue), so he can be either bonded with a rescue boar, be adopted as a companion to another bereaved/single boar via dating, or neutered to go with a sow or two.
- as you have got two more hormonal teenage boars whose testicles are currently decending, I would not recommend to have him neutered and then living with a sow - the pheromones of a sow in season can seriously set off your other boys. Please note that neutering will not prevent your boys from falling out.

Please have your injured boy vet checked and disinfect the wound with saline solution (mix one teaspoon of salt into 1/2 pint or 250g ml of boiled, cooled water).

@VickiA
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Thanks for your replying. Regretting not doing more research!

I've found this rescue centre which is closer to me
Cavy Haven Guinea Pig Rescue
 
Unlike the centre you have contacted, we can guarantee that you will be in safe hands at The Potteries, even if it is further away.
 
3piggies said:
Thanks for your replying. Regretting not doing more research!

I've found this rescue centre which is closer to me
Cavy Haven Guinea Pig Rescue
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Cavy Haven is not on our list of approved rescues. We do not advise you to surrender your piggy to them.

The Potteries GPR is a recommended and approved rescue. The rescue has spaces at present. Please make contact through their website and say that we (and me in particular) have sent you. I am a fosterer and fundraiser for them.

We can also help get your piggy safely to the Potteries rescue through the Piggy Train. I'm tagging @Tim who's an admin for Piggy train. Volunteers do legs of the journey from your home to the rescue if you can't do it yourself.
 
3piggies said:
Hi,

Naively bought three boars from a pet shop 2 weeks ago. They're 3-4 months old. They have been asserting dominance since I got them- one in particular being pushed out. Their behaviour has been escalating, and one has a bitten ear. This morning I witnessed a distressing fight. I separated the two fighters immediately (pig with ear bite now has a neck bite but seems superficial, he's now in a box on his own with lots of tlc). The other two have been together amicably since this morning. None have eaten anything which is unusual. I've got three devastated children and I don't know what to do. I know they can't be reintroduced but reluctant to take them to pet shop to be rehomed on their own too- advice welcome , thanks in advance
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Oh dear trios don't work. lol.
Never mind we all make mistakes I have, & I think my piggies still love me. (I think)
Don't take him back, put him in a C&C cage with a divider in between them or another cage side by side they will be fine then they can natter & argue with each other, through the bars they are quite funny really.
Who knows at some point you might want to get him neutered & get him a girlfriend.
 
I've been very fortunate to have trios if boars work quite a few times. But when there is fighting from day 1 then it's definitely not going to work.

I usually bond the two friendiest ones together and then try to find a new boar friend for the lone one.

Like others have mentioned there are great rescues that can help with boar dating, I'd definitely recommend giving it a go.

And as eileen mentioned, keep an eye on the wounds they can easily get infected.
 
@3piggies I have checked with Helen who runs the Potteries GPR in Kidsgrove. She is happy to take your single boar for rehoming. I am sure we can organise a piggy train to get him there. Please let us know if that's what you would like us to do.
 
I too have been in a similar situation with a trio. We naively added another boar to our pair of boars a day or two after we got them. However, they were all from the original group and were getting on very well. But all hell let loose one day with a massive fight where the only option was to separate.
Thankyou @VickiA for tagging me :) If you need to get your piggy to an approved rescue, @Stewybus and I will see if we can set up a piggy train for you. We did one this weekend just gone from Liverpool to the midlands which was a success :)
 
Not wanting to distract from the orginal post, or slander any rescue etc, but why don't you recommend people go to Cavy haven? Just wondering as it is quite close to me and i have considered going there for boar dating as i now have been left with a single pig boar over the weekend.

second to this, for the original poster, what temperament is your boar? if there is a chance he will introduce to my single pig may be worth a go as I'm near liverpool? - if you're not looking for a friend for him that is
 
@3littleguines in this country any person can set themselves up as a rescue without any regulation or checking or inspection.
Our approved rescues all adhere to a set of standards that are best practice for quarantine, health checking, sexing, rescue provided accommodation, home checking, rehoming etc. There is a quality reassurance about surrender to or adoption from our recommended rescues that is not always the case with other rescues. Any rescue may apply to join our approved list but applications are vetted to ensure that standards are met.
 
Just a thought, but as you've been badly advised by the pet shop, could you go back to them and ask that they exchange them for a trio of sows? Then your children could perhaps choose one as 'their' pig, which may help them to be less upset than if you took one of the three boars to a rescue?

It might also help to ensure that the shop advises potential owners correctly in future too ....
 
3littleguines said:
Not wanting to distract from the orginal post, or slander any rescue etc, but why don't you recommend people go to Cavy haven? Just wondering as it is quite close to me and i have considered going there for boar dating as i now have been left with a single pig boar over the weekend.

second to this, for the original poster, what temperament is your boar? if there is a chance he will introduce to my single pig may be worth a go as I'm near liverpool? - if you're not looking for a friend for him that is
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Anybody in this country can
Qualcast&Flymo said:
Just a thought, but as you've been badly advised by the pet shop, could you go back to them and ask that they exchange them for a trio of sows? Then your children could perhaps choose one as 'their' pig, which may help them to be less upset than if you took one of the three boars to a rescue?

It might also help to ensure that the shop advises potential owners correctly in future too ....
Click to expand...

Dumping fallen out boars back to the shop will only result in those poor boys that have done nothing wrong being failed for the third time as they will be put up for "adoption" as strict singles without any questions as to the quality or knowledge of their new home, so they have to spend the rest of their life in total isolation. It's been done all the time and has not done anything to change the shop policy, apart from reinforcing the the general opinion that boars are unbondable. :(
Exchanging piggies for unhappy customers is still a win for the shop, as it keeps on repeat business. Would you really want to do that to piggies of yours? They are animals with feelings, not damaged wares! ;)
 
:flag: I'm sorry! I'm honestly not suggesting any animal can ever be regarded as 'damaged goods', far from it. And, I don't know many pet shops, do they all automatically put returned piggies in their "adoption" section and as singles? I recall that when our first (shop-bought) boar died, not knowing then that there were such things as GP rescues, we went back to p@h to try to buy a new companion for him, but they wouldn't let us buy a single one, only two - that was when we eventually found out about rescues and boar-dating. Perhaps I'm naive, but I hope that some pet shops and staff out there do wrong things out of ignorance and are willing to learn from their mistakes (as I am ... :(:soz:)
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
:flag: I'm sorry! I'm honestly not suggesting any animal can ever be regarded as 'damaged goods', far from it. And, I don't know many pet shops, do they all automatically put returned piggies in their "adoption" section and as singles? I recall that when our first (shop-bought) boar died, not knowing then that there were such things as GP rescues, we went back to p@h to try to buy a new companion for him, but they wouldn't let us buy a single one, only two - that was when we eventually found out about rescues and boar-dating. Perhaps I'm naive, but I hope that some pet shops and staff out there do wrong things out of ignorance and are willing to learn from their mistakes (as I am ... :(:soz:)
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Standards in pets@home branches differ widely, but what would you think the piggy savviness is of a shop that still sells baby boar trios? The scenario I have cited is sadly still the most common one. :(
If you have a better than average branch, great.
 
Thank you for all your lovely messages. Piggies have enjoyed a day out in the garden in a separated pen. I'm hoping my friend might take in my alpha male as the other two have been fine together all day.
I don't want to go back to pets at home now I've realised how poor their knowledge is.
I love the idea of the piggy train, depending on how tomorrow goes- I may call on you for help!
Thanks again everyone x
 
Pets at home is a pain with there no single piggies but have a trio instead policy. Mind you pets at home is a pain in the butt all the time
 
Point taken, @Wiebke , @VickiA & @Tiamolly123 . The OP didn't mention p@h in her first post, but I agree, I probably got lucky with correctly sexed and healthy pigs there 5 years ago, but would not buy another piggie from there or any shop again. I fully support the pro-rescue, no breeding policy of this forum.

Sorry, @3piggies, I've derailed your thread - I hope you are able to resolve your problem. It sounds like your piggies have found a lovely home with you.
 
Tim said:
I too have been in a similar situation with a trio. We naively added another boar to our pair of boars a day or two after we got them. However, they were all from the original group and were getting on very well. But all hell let loose one day with a massive fight where the only option was to separate.
Thankyou @VickiA for tagging me :) If you need to get your piggy to an approved rescue, @Stewybus and I will see if we can set up a piggy train for you. We did one this weekend just gone from Liverpool to the midlands which was a success :)
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How long were your 3 together before they fought? I have 3 boars, together all their lives but still about 18 wks and 14wks. I knew it was a risk, I'm prepared to split the cage if I have to. I'm doing all the tips to make it work and they get on really well just now, so I'm just wondering how long before I can confidently say I have a successful trio.
 
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