How do i handle my boars?

[Kelly_uk18]

I've been bonding 2 boars this week and all seems ok.
I had Balthazar first, for the last 3 month's he will come to my hand for food and shout at me for veggies but not really a cuddly pig, tolerates a few mins. He's the dominant piggy and about 15m old.
Barnabas is about 5 months. I've had him for about 2 weeks and is definately happier to have cuddles.
I picked him up about 2 days into bonding to check for any marks etc, gave him a quick cuddle and put him back in. Balthazar seemed to go crazy and chase him for ages, lots of fur tugging etc. More than I've seen before.
I've read that dominant boar gets cuddles/fed etc first, but how do I do that if he doesn't want cuddles?
I don't want Barney to go without in case every time I put him in he gets told off.
I can't get them both at the same time as they are still a bit skittish. I can be patient I just want to do what's best and least stressful for them both
Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

I've been bonding 2 boars this week and all seems ok.
I had Balthazar first, for the last 3 month's he will come to my hand for food and shout at me for veggies but not really a cuddly pig, tolerates a few mins. He's the dominant piggy and about 15m old.
Barnabas is about 5 months. I've had him for about 2 weeks and is definately happier to have cuddles.
I picked him up about 2 days into bonding to check for any marks etc, gave him a quick cuddle and put him back in. Balthazar seemed to go crazy and chase him for ages, lots of fur tugging etc. More than I've seen before.
I've read that dominant boar gets cuddles/fed etc first, but how do I do that if he doesn't want cuddles?
I don't want Barney to go without in case every time I put him in he gets told off.
I can't get them both at the same time as they are still a bit skittish. I can be patient I just want to do what's best and least stressful for them both
Thanks

Hi and welcome

Please take the time to read these guides here. Be aware that guinea pigs are prey animals and are not natural born cuddly toys. A fair few will never come to do more than tolerate handling. All the video clips on social media of people showing off their cuddly piggies don't give you the real picture; it just perpetuates one of the urban myths about guinea pigs!

You can find tips for how to make friends with your boys, how to go about getting piggies to accept lap time and how to not stress them out when picking them up. Use our piggy whispering tips to tell Balthazar in his own language that you want to be friends and that you love him. Respect when he has had enough. He will trust you more when you give him the freedom to say when he has had enough. It is going to be a slow and very gradual process. Whenever necessary, start again two steps down after a little time out; he will come round more quickly each time.
Please be aware that you need to observe the piggy hierarchy in everything - feeding, picking up, handling, lap time, grooming and etc. That keeps dominance between the boys down.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.

Lots more really helpful information via this link here: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides