Intro with boar and 2 sows.

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Elsimsy

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Hi all, I have been reading the forum for years, but today I need some help! i brought home a rescue neutered boar a few weeks ago, and he has been living next to my girls whilst we have been waiting for his neuter to take effect.
The first intro to the girls didn’t go that well - the less dominant of my girls doesn't seem to like my boar. Waffle, the older and more dominant has accepted him. I tried Crumble in with him on her own, but she shoes a lot of what I think is fear aggression- teeth chattering, yawning, lunging and nipping at him. They’ve had one minor tussle but no full on fights. He rumbles back at her, but seems to know not to push it. Am I on a hiding to nothing here?
I’m prepared to have 2 cages and find another companion for Rocky, but my main reason for getting Rocky was so Crumble wasn’t left on her own at some point as Waffle is nearly 5 with some health issues.
Previous intro’s between sows and neutered boats have gone without a hitch, so this has been a bit of a surprise. 😢
 
Hello and welcome to the forum
I find bonding is quite nerve wracking and trying to read what’s happening isn’t always easy. When I tried to bond my new young neutered boar to my bereaved girls it was a nightmare. The boar acted like a thug and the two girls fell out and the dominant female went for the under female. All I can say is good luck and I’m sure an expert will come along soon and give you some advice x
 
I’m afraid if the younger sow doesn’t accept him then it may not work. I wouldn’t split up your sows but would bond your boy with another sow (rescue dating if possible). Any sows will have their own hierarchy amongst themselves, with the boar outside of it. But they all the sows have to accept him for the bond to work. I’ll tag @VickiA @PigglePuggle
 
Bill & Ted said:
Hello and welcome to the forum
I find bonding is quite nerve wracking and trying to read what’s happening isn’t always easy. When I tried to bond my new young neutered boar to my bereaved girls it was a nightmare. The boar acted like a thug and the two girls fell out and the dominant female went for the under female. All I can say is good luck and I’m sure an expert will come along soon and give you some advice x
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It’s odd as the dominant female is fine with him. He’s only 6 months old, but to be honest, he’s been pretty good and takes heed of the warning signs. He’s a very chilled little guy, so I’m really surprised the less dominant pig has reacted so negatively.
 
Elsimsy said:
It’s odd as the dominant female is fine with him. He’s only 6 months old, but to be honest, he’s been pretty good and takes heed of the warning signs. He’s a very chilled little guy, so I’m really surprised the less dominant pig has reacted so negatively.
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It’s still about character compatibility but the submissive sow still needs to accept him which doesn’t always happen.

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
 
Elsimsy said:
It’s odd as the dominant female is fine with him. He’s only 6 months old, but to be honest, he’s been pretty good and takes heed of the warning signs. He’s a very chilled little guy, so I’m really surprised the less dominant pig has reacted so negatively.
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Yes, they are odd aren’t they. When I bonded my Old Boar Ted to my two sow (they were around 6-7 months old at the time and Ted had lost his brother Bill) the top sow accepted Ted immediately. It was as though they had always been together, she just sat down beside him and start grooming him, it was quite lovely, but the undersow kept creeping up and nipping him, for a few days. The top sow would often intercept her and vocally tell her off and she would then turn away. It wasn’t very long before the undersow accepted Ted and they got on like a house on fire. Ted was 5 years old and had dental problems and was a shadow of his former self but really enjoyed the girls company and was very much loved by both girls. After Ted died we got the young boar and I was very shocked at the difference, expecting it to be a doddle again, the sheer aggression and malice the girls displayed (directed mainly from topsow to undersow and boar), it was a no, no right from the off.
Hope you can work something out with your three x
 
Thanks everyone. I've had to accept that Crumble hates poor Rocky, so I've now got a lonely boar that needs a wife! i have a feeling that finding a lone sow may be a challenge!
Can a neutered boar be paired with a baby sow? I have previously been told it's not a good idea, but have seen the opposite mentioned online?
 
I’m sorry it’s not worked out.

Character compatibility comes before age so yes absolutely a neutered boar can be bonded with a young sow.
What were the reasons you’d heard that it wasnt a good idea?
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m sorry it’s not worked out.

Character compatibility comes before age so yes absolutely a neutered boar can be bonded with a young sow.
What were the reasons you’d heard that it wasnt a good idea?
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I was told that the boar would pester the baby and it would be too much for her.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Bonding a youngster with an older piggy is generally successful because youngsters are desperate for company.
However, as with any bonding, character compatibility is the vital part, not age. There is no reason not to bond him with a compatible young sow

A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
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Thanks - finding one that I can "try" him with first though is going to be tricky - my local rescue doesn't have any single sows sadly. Will start searching!
 
He will be fine for the time being until you can find a suitable piggy if his cage is next to your girls so they can still see/hear/smell each other through the bars so he won't be lonely.
Good luck for your search
 
Piggies&buns said:
He will be fine for the time being until you can find a suitable piggy if his cage is next to your girls so they can still see/hear/smell each other through the bars so he won't be lonely.
Good luck for your search
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Poor lad seems very frustrated being next to them - he's chewing the bars a lot everytime he sees them. The cage he's in is too small for long term, so I will be building a double decker C&C at the weekend, and he will move above them.
 
Elsimsy said:
Poor lad seems very frustrated being next to them - he's chewing the bars a lot everytime he sees them. The cage he's in is too small for long term, so I will be building a double decker C&C at the weekend, and he will move above them.
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The problem with being above is that he will lose all contact and become lonely. Single piggies need to be side by side
 
Piggies&buns said:
The problem with being above is that he will lose all contact and become lonely. Single piggies need to be side by side
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I know - I currently have the choice of leaving him in a too small cage being driven mad by girls he can't get to, or more space, but lonely. Not great options :(
 
Elsimsy said:
Thanks everyone. I've had to accept that Crumble hates poor Rocky, so I've now got a lonely boar that needs a wife! i have a feeling that finding a lone sow may be a challenge!
Can a neutered boar be paired with a baby sow? I have previously been told it's not a good idea, but have seen the opposite mentioned online?
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yes, absolutely, this is what we did with our lonely young boar Hector. He was paired up with Kiki who at the time was only 5 weeks old and less than 300 gms. That didn’t matter at all, he treated her as a baby and was totally different with her than he was with the older girls. They are very happy together, it was an instant success from the start 😁
 
Bill & Ted said:
yes, absolutely, this is what we did with our lonely young boar Hector. He was paired up with Kiki who at the time was only 5 weeks old and less than 300 gms. That didn’t matter at all, he treated her as a baby and was totally different with her than he was with the older girls. They are very happy together, it was an instant success from the start 😁
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Thanks - that's good to know!
 
Elsimsy said:
I think it's 120cm - he was only meant to be in it until his neutering had taken effect. I don't have the floor space for anything larger.
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120 is fine for him. Is the size recommended as a minimum for a single piggy. its also the minimum size for a neutered boar/sow pair to live in. So strictly speaking, it’s not too small for long term. We’d obviously say go as big as you can, but there isn’t a problem with it. Once he has a friend, moving him up above the girls in a large cage would be lovely for him (and his friend).
he will most likely calm down being next to the girls. His social interaction and being side by side with the girls would be the thing I focussed on most at this time and in this situation.
 
I'm so sorry that it hasn't worked out. Not all neutered boar/sow bondings are successful as it really does depend on character compatibility.
 
Piggies&buns said:
120 is fine for him. Is the size recommended as a minimum for a single piggy. its also the minimum size for a neutered boar/sow pair to live in. So strictly speaking, it’s not too small for long term. We’d obviously say go as big as you can, but there isn’t a problem with it. Once he has a friend, moving him up above the girls in a large cage would be lovely for him (and his friend).
he will most likely calm down being next to the girls. His social interaction and being side by side with the girls would be the thing I focussed on most at this time and in this situation.
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Thanks - my girls are in a 5x2 C&C with a smaller upper floor, so I just feel a bit sorry for him in a much smaller cage!
 
Hi all,

Just a little update - we took Rocky to meet an 8 week old sow last night - it was a success and I now have a very happy boar!

He was completely unbothered about suddenly sharing his cage, she seems unfazed by his attention, and I got up this morning to find Rocky popcorning around his cage like a loon! So relieved, and they will moving into a new-build C&C this weekend!

Thanks again for all the help!
 
Elsimsy said:
Hi all,

Just a little update - we took Rocky to meet an 8 week old sow last night - it was a success and I now have a very happy boar!

He was completely unbothered about suddenly sharing his cage, she seems unfazed by his attention, and I got up this morning to find Rocky popcorning around his cage like a loon! So relieved, and they will moving into a new-build C&C this weekend!

Thanks again for all the help!
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Such a lovely update, thank you for letting us know!
 
That's good to hear, I have a neutered boar and 2 girls and they have to live side by side as our bonding was not a success, the pig we thought was the under pig was so aggressive towards him it was quite something to see, so we are living in separate hutches with runs that they can interact through the grids, hopefully once I have sorted their new shed out and moved them in I might be able to go dating for his own wife but for now they all seem happy with current arrangements.
 
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