Is Getting Another Boar A Good Idea?

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Jesse's pigs

Jesse's pigs

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I have a boar(Mo) who will be 1 this January. At the minute he is alone- he would have had another friend sooner but we had a scare of URI and had to check he was alright. Turns out he is okay- phew! But he does still sneeze- we believe it's an allergy but we still don't know what to yet. Obviously,there is a chance he won't get along with another piggy at all but I would like to try. I would prefer another boar because I only want to neuter him if it is absolutely neccessary. Any tips? He himself is quite a stubborn,mischievous little boy with an attitude- but a big heart and pout that gives the best kisses! I would love to rescue a piggy but do I opt for a baby or an older pig? Thank you for your help. X
 
Piggies are much happier with company. Is he allergic to his bedding? Is his bedding or hay dusty? I take it the vet has checked his chest and he hasn't got any mucus? With a baby boar there may be some dominance issues they need to sort out when his hormones change as he gets older but guineas of any ages can bond well. He will probably just be very glad to finally have some company.
 
Go to your local guinea pig rescue and ask about boar dating. They'll help you and Mo to choose a friend for him, and will help with the bonding process.
 
Jesse's pigs said:
I have a boar(Mo) who will be 1 this January. At the minute he is alone- he would have had another friend sooner but we had a scare of URI and had to check he was alright. Turns out he is okay- phew! But he does still sneeze- we believe it's an allergy but we still don't know what to yet. Obviously,there is a chance he won't get along with another piggy at all but I would like to try. I would prefer another boar because I only want to neuter him if it is absolutely neccessary. Any tips? He himself is quite a stubborn,mischievous little boy with an attitude- but a big heart and pout that gives the best kisses! I would love to rescue a piggy but do I opt for a baby or an older pig? Thank you for your help. X
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Hi!

Companionship is vital for guinea pigs. There are several options; ideally you date your boy at a rescue. Age is much less important that mutual liking and character compatibility, so there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to letting your piggy decide who they like. If it has to be you who has to make that decision, then you will have to plan for the case that they don't get hit it off (that can also happen with a baby!) or - in the case of a baby - may fall out once the baby hits the teenage hormones between 4-14 months of age.

If you have access to a very good neutering vet, then that is still an option as cross gender bonds are the most stable after initial acceptance has happened. I know of only three rescues worldwide that sometimes have got spayed sows.

Could you please add your country, state/province or UK county to your details, so we can help you better with any advice and recommendations. We have members from all over the world, and climate, access to good vets and rescues as well as different brands can vary widely and influence our advice. Please click on the username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.

In your case, access to good rescues that offer dating at the rescue or good operating vets if not can inform any decision you make. There is no "one size fits all" solution.
Climate can also play a role in potential allergies/continued sneezing and should be taken into consideration before we explore any possible avenues.
 
JenniferG said:
Piggies are much happier with company. Is he allergic to his bedding? Is his bedding or hay dusty? I take it the vet has checked his chest and he hasn't got any mucus? With a baby boar there may be some dominance issues they need to sort out when his hormones change as he gets older but guineas of any ages can bond well. He will probably just be very glad to finally have some company.
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Thank you. Mo is housed on fleece but was previously on sawdust as I thought that it might have been the culprit. The vet said his breathing was fine and lungs sounded clear. She did give him antibiotics but it had no effect and instead made him go off his food.
 
Jaycey said:
Go to your local guinea pig rescue and ask about boar dating. They'll help you and Mo to choose a friend for him, and will help with the bonding process.
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Thank you and I live between an RSPCA and Woodgreen which both have guinea pigs looking for homes- I'm not sure if they do boar dating but I will definitely ask. Thank you.
 
Jesse's pigs said:
Thank you and I live between an RSPCA and Woodgreen which both have guinea pigs looking for homes- I'm not sure if they do boar dating but I will definitely ask. Thank you.
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The RSPCA usually doesn't do boar dating (they have a boar neutering policy), but as far as I know Woodgreen does. They are on our list of recommended rescues.

All the best!
 
Wiebke said:
The RSPCA usually doesn't do boar dating (they have a boar neutering policy), but as far as I know Woodgreen does. They are on our list of recommended rescues.

All the best!
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Thank you so much for your help and responses. Mo will definitely be having a brother soon and I will definitely be going to Woodgreen.
 
Jennifer G my guineas have been coughing & sneezing although not a lot, just sounds it when you have 12 piggies. I was told some of them were allergic to the hay but I'm beginning to wonder if it's my dogs the dogs are quite near to my piggies but never left alone with them. They are labs & seem to always be moulting, it may be an answer to your problems if you have dogs. That may be an answer. What do you think Wiebke.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Jennifer G my guineas have been coughing & sneezing although not a lot, just sounds it when you have 12 piggies. I was told some of them were allergic to the hay but I'm beginning to wonder if it's my dogs the dogs are quite near to my piggies but never left alone with them. They are labs & seem to always be moulting, it may be an answer to your problems if you have dogs. That may be an answer. What do you think Wiebke.
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Yeah I do have a small dog, though he is up on a higher level and I hoover regularly but thank you I never realised that. I thought it might be the hay but he has had it a while and it's never happened before- can they develop allergies?
 
Jesse's pigs said:
I have a boar(Mo) who will be 1 this January. At the minute he is alone- he would have had another friend sooner but we had a scare of URI and had to check he was alright. Turns out he is okay- phew! But he does still sneeze- we believe it's an allergy but we still don't know what to yet. Obviously,there is a chance he won't get along with another piggy at all but I would like to try. I would prefer another boar because I only want to neuter him if it is absolutely neccessary. Any tips? He himself is quite a stubborn,mischievous little boy with an attitude- but a big heart and pout that gives the best kisses! I would love to rescue a piggy but do I opt for a baby or an older pig? Thank you for your help. X
Click to expand...

Did you get a friend? I read all over the Internet and researched as much as I could, in the end I just decided to get the best option so I got a baby boar (he's 13 weeks) to go with my 11 month old. I kept him at my place for a week whilst my boyfriend kept my 11 month old (Gizmo) then last night I brought him to my boyfriends place. I had ordered a Midwest Guinea habitat that had arrived with a divider too. I washed both guinea pigs, separately as the new one was pretty slippy! Dried them both with the hairdryer and put hay, water and food at both ends of the cage (and a clean fleece on the bottom but no hidey places) then put them both in at the same time, I let them introduce themselves to each other for 20minutes or so then I opened the cage door to let the older one out, he did go out for a bit but then went back in. He's like a different pig with his new pal! After a while I put an igloo on both sides and then I put the divider down the middle when I went to bed last night but I took it out first thing this morning and they have been fine all day, - little bit of strutting but mostly running around after each other. It was a great decision to get him!
 
Gizmo2512 said:
Did you get a friend? I read all over the Internet and researched as much as I could, in the end I just decided to get the best option so I got a baby boar (he's 13 weeks) to go with my 11 month old. I kept him at my place for a week whilst my boyfriend kept my 11 month old (Gizmo) then last night I brought him to my boyfriends place. I had ordered a Midwest Guinea habitat that had arrived with a divider too. I washed both guinea pigs, separately as the new one was pretty slippy! Dried them both with the hairdryer and put hay, water and food at both ends of the cage (and a clean fleece on the bottom but no hidey places) then put them both in at the same time, I let them introduce themselves to each other for 20minutes or so then I opened the cage door to let the older one out, he did go out for a bit but then went back in. He's like a different pig with his new pal! After a while I put an igloo on both sides and then I put the divider down the middle when I went to bed last night but I took it out first thing this morning and they have been fine all day, - little bit of strutting but mostly running around after each other. It was a great decision to get him!
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Hi I am hopefully getting him a brother for christmas! My friend has any guinea pigs both old and young and she allowed me to 'borrow" 2 and see if Mo tolerated them or not. He did some strutting at first but then it died down and he snuggled in the corner munching lettuce- think he was in shock at two friends. Will update Mo's friendship status very soon. And I'm ordering a Midwest cage too as I with a friend a new cage will definitely come in handy!
 
I may have misunderstood but are you getting him one companion or two? Just checking as if you are thinking of having 3 boars together this is unlikely to work in the long term. However a new friend and them living as a pair may work very well.
 
VickiA said:
I may have misunderstood but are you getting him one companion or two? Just checking as if you are thinking of having 3 boars together this is unlikely to work in the long term. However a new friend and them living as a pair may work very well.
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Just the one as I heard that more then two can be tricky to make work.
 
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