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Honest Opinions Please. Neutering Or Rehome?

Louise's Zoo

Louise's Zoo

Adult Guinea Pig
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Not really sure where to post this so feel free to move to another section.

I will be checking weekly but it looks like we have 1 boy in Eva's recent litter. I would love more than anything to keep all 3 babies but, the male does mean I have to think very carefully.

My first thought is to neuter him and then have him live with a couple, or hopefully all of my other girls. I have been reading threads and looking into it all. There is a vet not far from me on the vet locator on this website, so I could use them but I am still worried that of course any surgery will still pose a risk.

My other option is to see if a reputable rescue will take him. That way I know he will be going to a good home but, are the rescue likely to neuter him anyway? If so, I would rather keep him. Furry Friends rescue is not far from me and is on this forums list so I would be hoping to take him to them.

What would you do? Risk the surgery and have him live with the girls or let him go to a rescue where he may not need the surgery and could be given a decent home with another boar

As much as I want to keep him, I want what is best for him. Help!
 
A lot of rescues do neuter them. What is stopping you from having him neutered yourself?
The op is pretty much straight forward & ive had no problems. Any op causes a slight risk.
 
Nothing. That's the plan but I just don't want to risk putting him through surgery if there is a better option. I'd hate for something to happen to him :(

That's why I'm asking what others would do in this situation.
 
I would definitely neuter and keep if it's possible. If he were female I presume you'd keep him in the herd so as long as the vet costs are manageable for you, why not have him neutered when he's young and strong.
 
Redribbon said:
I would definitely neuter and keep if it's possible. If he were female I presume you'd keep him in the herd so as long as the vet costs are manageable for you, why not have him neutered when he's young and strong.
Click to expand...

Yep, the females are staying and the plan is to have a huge C&C setup if they can all stay as one herd. Then I would love him to be part of that. It's just me worrying that if something happens I am going to feel so bad and blame myself for putting him through it just because I wanted to keep him.

Cost isn't a problem, I'm happy to pay whatever it takes. As long as it is best for him :)
 
Aww he's going to be very well looked after with you I'm sure! Does adding a boar to the herd help to keep the females in check? Or he'll probably just be happily outnumbered!
 
I just get really nervous. My dog got castrated last year and he had complications afterwards. I can't remember what it's called but he had a blood clot and his empty scrotum swelled up so big and turned purple! Poor boy.

My 10 year old female dog had mammary tumours removed the same month, and a fatty lump from her neck. It was such a worrying time.

I wont worry any less over a piggy!
 
It would be wonderful if you could keep all of the babies and mum together :)

A few of the rescues I've used in the past have said they Neutered all of the male Guinea Pigs they rescue so it's likely a rescue would neuter if you surrendered him anyway, so you might as well keep him! :)

I've always wondered if animals find it upsetting when their babies are seperated from them, kind of like cows pine for their babies when they are used for dairy.
But obviously some animals who are solitary are different...
Sorry that was a bit deep wasn't it :/

If you can keep all the babies that would be wonderful! You could have a good sized herd if they accept it! I've always loved herds of Guinea Pigs!
I'm very glad all Eva's babies have been healthy this time! Good job Eva!
 
If you can, please keep your boy and have him neutered. You could ask Furry Friends Rescue which vet they use for their neutered boars if you prefer using a vet with plenty of experience in guinea pigs neutering.

I have had to give up surprise babies from an unplanned shop pregnancy of mine due family circumstances when logistics didn't work out (my eldery mother-in-law in Wales had a stroke and my hub was her only child). I found myself crying the whole way back home from the rescue and even well over a decade on, it is still haunting me as I feel I should have stood up to family pressure more and made even more of an effort (despite my trying my very best at the time to find them a good home with freinds or neighbours) to somehow balance care for 4 piggies with the demands of us having to drop everything and rush out more than once. We could stick a small cage with two piggies in the back of our car, but that was not an option with 4 piggies especially in the days before panelled runs and C&C grids or online forums. I have never heard any more of the babies after they'd been rehomed by the rescue. :(

With every piggy you give up, you still have go through the full grieving process irrespective of whether you can go and visit them or whether they are gone forever. I would still do it again (and indeed I have done so with another piggy of mine that was being bullied badly) if it was the only way I could ensure a piggy's happiness as that comes before my own feelings, but if you have a valid alternative to hang onto your little boy, please do!
 
Wiebke said:
If you can, please keep your boy and have him neutered. You could ask Furry Friends Rescue which vet they use for their neutered boars if you prefer using a vet with plenty of experience in guinea pigs neutering.

I have had to give up surprise babies from an unplanned shop pregnancy of mine due family circumstances when logistics didn't work out (my eldery mother-in-law in Wales had a stroke and my hub was her only child). I found myself crying the whole way back home from the rescue and even well over a decade on, it is still haunting me as I feel I should have stood up to family pressure more and made even more of an effort (despite my trying my very best at the time to find them a good home with freinds or neighbours) to somehow balance care for 4 piggies with the demands of us having to drop everything and rush out more than once. We could stick a small cage with two piggies in the back of our car, but that was not an option with 4 piggies especially in the days before panelled runs and C&C grids or online forums. I have never heard any more of the babies after they'd been rehomed by the rescue. :(

With every piggy you give up, you still have go through the full grieving process irrespective of whether you can go and visit them or whether they are gone forever. I would still do it again (and indeed I have done so with another piggy of mine that was being bullied badly) if it was the only way I could ensure a piggy's happiness as that comes before my own feelings, but if you have a valid alternative to hang onto your little boy, please do!
Click to expand...

PS: If you have the option to have another cage above your sow cage, you could consider finding your little boy a character compatible boar companion via dating a good rescue and thusly eliminate worries and the pain over operating or surrendering.
I use a 75x150cm Ikea table (allowing a cable tied 2x4 C&C grid cage for my own boar pair) that fits into the foot print of another 2x4 C&C cage and just lift the table slightly with my shoulder during cleaning. It allows more light and easier access to both cages.
 
the fact you are writing here means that your doubts are actually a big pain into your heart... or maybe only a great fear to burn down with our help...:flame:
You have posted a lot of pics, you have lived this pregnancy and this event with extreme joy: you got seriously involved in all this adventure and the only reason why you are thinking of a possible rehoming is your fear and your past UNLUCK with the other pets.
I wonder: what if you find yourself depressed when you see the girls and your boar is far?
And: a not neutered boy is a problem for being rehomed. People have often sows at home and who has none doesn't want a intact boar who might be a problem when another piggie is added to the family.
At the rescue where I adopted my two sows they are neutering rabbits and boars with the hope someone can adopt them. Consider that a owner might prefer a piggie who does not need an expensive surgery.
I think that your reasons are only due to your understandable fear of the surgery, nothig else. Therefore: what's about a trip to that Maddock who seems to be a God and is extremely expert in such procedures? of course you might go to another expert vet, too, but I would chose the one with a great number of piggies as patients. The probability of a bad luck (again? It goes against the rules of probability!) would fall to zero... and your happiness would be safe.
I don't know why, but your posts have something of sentimental towards all these babies and rehoming only ONE of them needs a great emotional effort, considering that his presence at home IS possible.
You had a great bad luck with your male dog (and anyway he needed only some further medicines) and the female dog is 10 years old and is needing vet cares as you and I also will need some medical procedure sooner or later :nod:
 
Best of luck with your choice. You have certainly found yourself with qyite a sizable guinea lig family to care for!

Chatting to furry friends about which vet they use sounds like a good starting point.
 
Thank you so much for the replies so far. @rome_italy you are correct, it is just the fear of the surgery that is stopping me. I want to keep him, very, very much but now @Wiebke has given me another idea in maybe adopting another boar!

That would bring my numbers to 7, which is a lot more than the 3 I considered my maximum, but, I do have the room if I plan carefully. My only concern is housing 2 intact males so near 5 females. All those hormones. Am I going to end up with very frustrated boys and a lot of smell..?

Another good idea is to contact FF rescue and see which vet they use. I've noticed they are a member of this forum so I'll send them a message soon.

I really, really want to keep all these babies. The boy, Emmett is the smallest of the litter, has that crazy face patch and I know in my heart he will stay with me. I just needed to hear your thoughts in case I had overlooked any important issues. But, it looks like you all agree.

P.S Both my dogs were fine but sadly my female, Daisy who is 11 next month has another lump and will be off to the vets again. At her age I really don't know if I want to put her through surgery again but, that's a whole other topic.

Also, thank you everyone on the forum for all your help and advice over the last month. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you all. I'm very glad you like seeing all my photos and have enjoyed sharing my journey so far. As you have seen, I absolutely adore all my pets and it's so nice to find people who share that and understand how emotional things can get!

You are all amazing :hug:
 
I would keep and have him neutered. Isn't neutering a boar fairly risk free? Obviously I know all ops carry a risk I just mean compared to spaying a sow, boars are far more common aren't they?

Of course you'll be scared of the op, I was scared to put my 2 through a spay, but a good vet who has plenty of experience is half the battle I think. You're doing it to give him a happy life so it can't be the wrong decision if you go ahead with it x
 
Eileen's Mum said:
Thank you so much for the replies so far. @rome_italy you are correct, it is just the fear of the surgery that is stopping me. I want to keep him, very, very much but now @Wiebke has given me another idea in maybe adopting another boar!

That would bring my numbers to 7, which is a lot more than the 3 I considered my maximum, but, I do have the room if I plan carefully. My only concern is housing 2 intact males so near 5 females. All those hormones. Am I going to end up with very frustrated boys and a lot of smell..?

Another good idea is to contact FF rescue and see which vet they use. I've noticed they are a member of this forum so I'll send them a message soon.

I really, really want to keep all these babies. The boy, Emmett is the smallest of the litter, has that crazy face patch and I know in my heart he will stay with me. I just needed to hear your thoughts in case I had overlooked any important issues. But, it looks like you all agree.

P.S Both my dogs were fine but sadly my female, Daisy who is 11 next month has another lump and will be off to the vets again. At her age I really don't know if I want to put her through surgery again but, that's a whole other topic.

Also, thank you everyone on the forum for all your help and advice over the last month. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you all. I'm very glad you like seeing all my photos and have enjoyed sharing my journey so far. As you have seen, I absolutely adore all my pets and it's so nice to find people who share that and understand how emotional things can get!

You are all amazing :hug:
Click to expand...

The hormonal aspect can be somewhat kept under control by bonding Emmett with an adult boar who is past his own teenage hormones and fairly laid-back in personality; that means that only Emmett is going through the teenage months. It is worth having a talk with Furry Friends.

I have cable-tied a divider in my boars cage, which I had to pull a couple of times when I had a new husboar and several sows in season at the same time, but once things had settled down again both my boys went back with each other without any problems. Nosgan is three years old now and Nye about 12 months; despite having been neutered in January, I still had the whole teenage hormonal behaviour from him.
They have always had regular time on the roaming floor with being able to say hello to the girls through the grids (who are mostly pretty uninterested in them) and much more fun, have boar hakas with the other husboars. I would of course had immediately stopped that if it had been causing problems.

As Emmett will always be around sows, he won't have the kind of issues with that side compared to boars that have been gender separated and are then introduced back into a sow room, especially when they are still hormonal youngsters.
I know of other people who had the same experience with keeping boar pairs in a mixed room from the start. It won't necessarily work with very sexed up piggies, but you can work around that.

PS: I know online too well that growing piggy numbers is a slippery road, but you haven't planned your babies and you are not intending to expand any further than working out which way is best to hang onto them all.
 
Great, this is the advice I needed. I'm going to message FF and also work out space and if I can sort out some C&C mansion or 2 separate cages, then I can start deciding. Luckily because Emmett is so small, I don't think he will need removing from mum too soon but obviously I'll keep checking. Today he has gained back the few grams he lost and is 2g over his birth weight. One of his sisters is 20g heavier!

I forgot to mention the other option. I didn't mention it because no way would I do it but, my girls previous owners offered to take any babies I didn't want.. :gd:

This was after I showed them a photo of my 3 impossible baby pigs. The reaction was "oh, so she was pregnant" like I'd been lying the whole time!
 
Eileen's Mum said:
Great, this is the advice I needed. I'm going to message FF and also work out space and if I can sort out some C&C mansion or 2 separate cages, then I can start deciding. Luckily because Emmett is so small, I don't think he will need removing from mum too soon but obviously I'll keep checking. Today he has gained back the few grams he lost and is 2g over his birth weight. One of his sisters is 20g heavier!

I forgot to mention the other option. I didn't mention it because no way would I do it but, my girls previous owners offered to take any babies I didn't want.. :gd:

This was after I showed them a photo of my 3 impossible baby pigs. The reaction was "oh, so she was pregnant" like I'd been lying the whole time!
Click to expand...

This is my current set-up; I change the layout regularly depending on the number of groups and group sizes.
The boys are on the extended Ikea table on the back, sharing it with two spayed sows next to them. I have made sure that they have only got hideys with at least two exits. A children's stool is also ideal as a boar hidey for teenagers, as it allows multiple access. The dividing grids are cable tied into the grids and the correx wall protector at the back, so I could split them up in two minutes whenever things were getting a bit much.

I use lino offcuts for the ground floor cages, as that gives me the flexibility with the layout and and have taped down some plastic cupboard liner from Ikea for the tables, but you can of course use the normal correx trays for something more modest and much less liable to changes!
IMG_5105_edited-1.webp

These are the tables I am using: LINNMON Table top White 150x75 cm - IKEA
There is a choice of legs for linnmon table around £10. I prefer the white ones to go with the cheap white top.
 
I have to agree with everyone else, neuter him so that he can live with his mum and sisters :) I have 2 herds which both have neutered boys in them and they love it!
 
Have him neutered and keep him. That way you know he'll be well looked after! That's what I did with Christian and Dennis I just couldn 't give them up. Not with Dennis's cute white bum (he's tricoloured) and Christian's cute little face! Even my OH told me to keep them! So I did what I was told!

Dennis Chookin Leg.webp
Dennis and his cute white bum!

Christian Face Shot.webp

Christian and his cute little face.
 
I am thinking of neutering my new boy as well, so he can live with my 4 girls. I have thought about the risks, but would rather give him the best life possible, than wonder if he is okay with someone else, although getting another boy is a great option too.
 
Eileen's Mum said:
Thank you so much for the replies so far. @rome_italy you are correct, it is just the fear of the surgery that is stopping me. I want to keep him, very, very much but now @Wiebke has given me another idea in maybe adopting another boar!

That would bring my numbers to 7, which is a lot more than the 3 I considered my maximum, but, I do have the room if I plan carefully. My only concern is housing 2 intact males so near 5 females. All those hormones. Am I going to end up with very frustrated boys and a lot of smell..?

Another good idea is to contact FF rescue and see which vet they use. I've noticed they are a member of this forum so I'll send them a message soon.

I really, really want to keep all these babies. The boy, Emmett is the smallest of the litter, has that crazy face patch and I know in my heart he will stay with me. I just needed to hear your thoughts in case I had overlooked any important issues. But, it looks like you all agree.

P.S Both my dogs were fine but sadly my female, Daisy who is 11 next month has another lump and will be off to the vets again. At her age I really don't know if I want to put her through surgery again but, that's a whole other topic.

Also, thank you everyone on the forum for all your help and advice over the last month. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you all. I'm very glad you like seeing all my photos and have enjoyed sharing my journey so far. As you have seen, I absolutely adore all my pets and it's so nice to find people who share that and understand how emotional things can get!

You are all amazing :hug:
Click to expand...
this post reminded the words of my "weird" neighbours, a strictly catholic family who accepted all the children the Lord would have sent. At the birth of n^7 the father (who started making a great mess with the dates of all the birthdays) told me there was not a great difference...
(they finished with n^10 and now most children have 3-4-5 children:eek:... I am still able to remind all the names, my husband gave it up long ago!:)))
About you: 3 and 7 are very different stories... but 6 and 7 are almost the same...:D just like my neighbour said!
The idea of two boars together is very good, but in case of hormonal tempests, have you the possibility of arranging the boys in another room? and can two intact boars get along well? I am not expert of such things, but if there are risks of a great hormonal mess between the two boars, then you should neuter two piggies and not only one...:hmm:
 
rome_italy said:
this post reminded the words of my "weird" neighbours, a strictly catholic family who accepted all the children the Lord would have sent. At the birth of n^7 the father (who started making a great mess with the dates of all the birthdays) told me there was not a great difference...
(they finished with n^10 and now most children have 3-4-5 children:eek:... I am still able to remind all the names, my husband gave it up long ago!:)))
About you: 3 and 7 are very different stories... but 6 and 7 are almost the same...:D just like my neighbour said!
The idea of two boars together is very good, but in case of hormonal tempests, have you the possibility of arranging the boys in another room? and can two intact boars get along well? I am not expert of such things, but if there are risks of a great hormonal mess between the two boars, then you should neuter two piggies and not only one...:hmm:
Click to expand...

@rome_italy : two boars can indeed get along, as long as they can choose each other and are character compatible. When rehoming from a good rescue, you also have the rescue to fall back on during the life time of any adopted guinea pig if there are problems nevertheless. Even the majority boar baby couples make it together to adulthood.

You always have to be aware when researching online and use forums or social media groups that what you read does not necessarily reflect reality - you always get the horror stories and the problems, but only rarely see the success stories that don't make waves.
 
I would have him neutered so he can go in with the girls even though I love boar pairs. A well bonded pair of boars are a joy to observe. They have the odd rumble occasionally but I suspect they are less trouble than a pair of grumpy in season sows.:))
 
Betsy said:
My first two piggies where impact boars and they lived happily together for five and a half years. As long as they are properly bonded they are fine.
Click to expand...

:oops: I meant intact boars not impact boars.:oops: Fat finger error alert! :lol!:
 
Personally I would have him neutered by a Cavy savvy vet and then have him live with some or all of the sows once he's completed his 6 weeks wait post neuter. Neutering is safe in the hands of a competent Cavy savvy vet. And neutered boar/sow bonds are among the most stable bondings for piggies.
 
So I've been having a good think and at the moment I am looking at getting a boar companion for Emmett. The idea appeals to me at the moment because it means Emmett doesn't have to spend time on his own, lonely in a cage waiting for neutering. Fingers crossed, if I can find a suitable match, he can go with another boar once he is old/big enough to leave mum.

I will keep you informed of the bonding attempt and fingers crossed, I can then introduce you to my new (and final) piggy addition in a few weeks time.

Both boys will start out in the 140cm cage as the girls will all go into the C&C. If I feel the boys need more room, I may make them a C&C as well.

Just got to decide if I want the boys in a different room to the girls.

That's my plan at the moment. It could change in the next few weeks but so far, I'm set on this idea.
 
@Eileen's Mum I'm sure other members will be able to advise on whether 2 rooms would be better. I went for neutering myself as I didn't have enough space to keep they boys and girls separated.
 
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