How Do You Introduce A Neutered Boar To A Group Of Sows?

[Pets Palace TV]

Hello! One of my boars Bramley was neutered on Tuesday, everything went well so the next thing to think about is introducing him to our group of sows. We are going to wait 6 weeks before introducing him to them just to be on the safe side so that will be during the Easter holidays. Bramley has lived in a split cage next to the girls for several weeks so he knows all the girls and he is definitely very fond of them. What is the best way to introduce Bramley to the girls? Should I give the cage a big clean out and introduce them to each other there or would it be better to introduce them in neutral territory? Thanks
Here is the split cage:

 

[piggyfan]

When I introduced Mooli to the girls I put them all in the hall with a pile of hay. He chased and mounted an awful lot. When that stopped I then put them all in a clean cage with fresh bedding. The mounting and chasing began again and seemed to last a week or too before they settled down. Good luck with it all.

 

[Wiebke]

Please start intros on neutral territory with nothing but a flat plate of hay or grass. I would strongly recommend to choose a space that has a window or strong air condition and that you can wipe down, as the pee will be testosterone-laden and incredibly stinky - and Bramley will is likely to be spraying all "his" girls with his eau-de-male as part of the bonding. Sows pee back to tell a boar that they are not interested in hanky-panky; you can spot an experienced "husboar" by how prepard he is to jump back at a twitch when trying to sniff a sow bottom. It can get a bit wild at times. Chases, mounting etc. are par of the course, but as long as all sides are careful to toe the line, you have to let them work through it.

You can move them back into the cleaned and rearranged cage once the general hubbub has died down. This may take more than one day depending on badly Bramley is affected by his testosterone. Don't use any hideys with just one exit until the end of the dominance phase, as any chases could end up in a tussle otherwise.

Here are more tips:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/

PS: Thankfully, first intros are the worst when it comes to testosterone overload; it will never get as bad that ever again!

 

[Pets Palace TV]

Please start intros on neutral territory with nothing but a flat plate of hay or grass. I would strongly recommend to choose a space that has a window or strong air condition and that you can wipe down, as the pee will be testosterone-laden and incredibly stinky - and Bramley will is likely to be spraying all "his" girls with his eau-de-male as part of the bonding. Sows pee back to tell a boar that they are not interested in hanky-panky; you can spot an experienced "husboar" by how prepard he is to jump back at a twitch when trying to sniff a sow bottom. It can get a bit wild at times. Chases, mounting etc. are par of the course, but as long as all sides are careful to toe the line, you have to let them work through it.

You can move them back into the cleaned and rearranged cage once the general hubbub has died down. This may take more than one day depending on badly Bramley is affected by his testosterone. Don't use any hideys with just one exit until the end of the dominance phase, as any chases could end up in a tussle otherwise.

Here are more tips:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/

PS: Thankfully, first intros are the worst when it comes to testosterone overload; it will never get as bad that ever again!

Thank you, that was very helpful! What hideys would you recommend that I put in the cage?

 

[Moo]

Oh Boy, does that pee stink, wear a rain coat and take a peg for your nose really hope it goes well. I've taken my hideys out my boys cage to stop any possible squibbing and i wouldn't want either of them to get cornered, I've just used some wooden stick tunnels and put extra fleece bedding under them for comfort.

 

[Pets Palace TV]

Oh Boy, does that pee stink, wear a rain coat and take a peg for your nose really hope it goes well, keep us updated!

Hahaha! Thanks, I will do!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, that was very helpful! What hideys would you recommend that I put in the cage?

Log tunnels, stools, cardboard boxes with 2 sides cut off, hankies pegged to the bars etc. are best in my opinion. The trickiest moments, apart from when two dominant piggies go right up to the line with threat and counterthreat to determine who comes top is when a chase ends up in a dead end.