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Is it really necessary to check my boars' personal bits like this?!

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tabelmabel

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Hiya - this is our first time keeping boars so am still very new to the bits that differ from sows. Before we were allowed to take the boars home, the lady we got them from (a breeder) gave really detailed instructions on their care (with written instructions and actual demonstration too)

One of the things she showed us how to do is how to make the penis prodrude and check there was no wood shavings stuck in the scrotal area. I don't keep the pigs on shavings anyway (they are on fleece indoors) and we have had them home 3 weeks but I just cannot bring myself to try this intimate examination! Will my boars' bits just take care of themselves? Like if I never do this, will they be ok? I am ok with nail clipping and grease gland cleansing but willy inspection and the possibility of clearing out impacted faeces in the boars when they are old fellows is not something I am relishing to be totally honest.

Will I notice if my boars have a problem in their parts without having to be quite so 'hands on?!'
 
They may be ok, but it is better to have a quick look once in a while. It wont hurt them, even if they protest from time to time about it. Its better to be safe than sorry. Good breeder for talking you through checking them over. It doesnt matter what bedding you have them on, boars will often collect debris in the prepuce and in the perianal sac too.

x.
 
Thanks - how often do you think. The breeder said once a week but I just can't bring myself to do this task!
 
Thanks I will give it a whirl - I am sure it might not be as bad as I think when it comes to it - when the breeder showed me, I wasn't expecting it and I felt I had been the victim of indecent exposure lol
 
Boars can get hay and hair wrapped around the penis that can make it very sore an inflamed. I check my boar every so often but he rarely has anything in there so I generally do it once every few weeks, unless I notice something out of the ordinary. Only the other day he had some hay up there so it's good to get accustomed to doing it just in case.
 
I didn't know this had to be done! :o Should I check Billie? How do I go about doing this? xx

If you press gently above the genital area the penis should extrude and you can just check the shaft and make sure there aren't any nasties. It's a bit grim, but someone's gotta do it :))

Here's a lovely link full of lovely pictures to help you check your boys http://www.guinealynx.info/impaction.html

:)>>>
 
Oh dear! That link has pictures of impaction that make my stomach churn! Is this really going to be a daily routine when my boars are old men?! Sows all the way for me after this! I have had sows before and all was very easy - no one warned me of these unpalatable aspects of boars care. Willy cleaning looks a piece of cake compared to all that rectum inverting or whatever it is called. YUK!
 
Haha the joys of boars! ;)
I have four, I have a peep every time I clean them out (twice a week) and actually clean them up (if required) every couple of weeks. I keep mine on fleece but because boars drag their bums a lot to scent mark they can still get a lot of hay and hair up their :{
 
My 2 boys are always on some sort of fabric, vetbed in their hutch, towels at floor time, fleece at lap time and they still manage to get bits of fluff with hay and their hair stuck up both private areas. They get a quick check each lap time and thoroughly checked over once a week at cage cleaning time.

I didn't even know about this with boars until after I got the first boy, so was a yukky shock at first But I've gotten used to it and don't find it that bad really. It's easier than cutting their nails!
 
Sir Finley has such a nice neat bottom :))

So has Archie. Such gentlemen :)). Although it does say that neutered boars are less likely to get impaction (however I am not recommending neutering boars!). I think my dominant sow drags her bum more than Archie does!
 
Hiya - this is our first time keeping boars so am still very new to the bits that differ from sows. Before we were allowed to take the boars home, the lady we got them from (a breeder) gave really detailed instructions on their care (with written instructions and actual demonstration too)

One of the things she showed us how to do is how to make the penis prodrude and check there was no wood shavings stuck in the scrotal area. I don't keep the pigs on shavings anyway (they are on fleece indoors) and we have had them home 3 weeks but I just cannot bring myself to try this intimate examination! Will my boars' bits just take care of themselves? Like if I never do this, will they be ok? I am ok with nail clipping and grease gland cleansing but willy inspection and the possibility of clearing out impacted faeces in the boars when they are old fellows is not something I am relishing to be totally honest.

Will I notice if my boars have a problem in their parts without having to be quite so 'hands on?!'

If you keep them on fleece there penis area should be fine. To be fair my ditto has never once had his penis checked?! Aslong as theres no smell from that area and they seem well i dont see the point in stressing them out. As for the impaction in older pigs ditto is only 3 so hasnt had that issue yet but I'm prepared for when he does although it will be disgusting thats part of the responsibility of taking on a boar.
 
I have a handsome little boar and did not know you actually had to "pop it out" regularly to check on it.:)) I do take a glance down there when I pick him up and when I trim the hair near his bum since it gets so long back there it drags up to 2 inches behind him if I let it grow. I guess I will give him a check up tomorrow to make sure nothing is round around his parts. :))
 
Men.... Such hard work! mallethead

I 'look' at my boys boybits everyday to check they look ok, but do the push test once a week or so... Don't panic if you haven't been doing it if he's obviously healthy & happy, just do a quick check from now on. It's only a little press, be brave :(|)
 
I've done it! I have checked both my boys and it was all very easy after all, initially I had a bit of bother pressing the right place to get it to 'pop out' but once I found it, it seemed a simple task and I am pleased to report both the boys looked very well in their 'private' areas!
 
Good for you.it gets easier as you get used to it. Nice to think that your boys are happy and comfortable. Also just think of the vets bills if anything nasty developed--a stitch in time etc.---
 
Yes, luckily both the piggies are VERY comfortable being handled and seem pretty laid back about things - we have them in a c and c and it's a pretty busy household where we are around all day so they aren't in the least bit shy! If I can avoid any vets bills (and make them happy and comfortable) by a regular care routine, then it does make sense for me to get used to these slightly less palatable aspects of the care!
 
So has Archie. Such gentlemen :)). Although it does say that neutered boars are less likely to get impaction (however I am not recommending neutering boars!). I think my dominant sow drags her bum more than Archie does!

:)) their manly bits definitely seem a lot nicer when they are neutered! Mabel does a lot of bum dragging too rolleyes
 
Maybe a bit old now, but you just need the confidence and as Suzy quite rightly advised us - "Be the boss!"

When I pick up any of our four boars, I am not afraid to hold them in order for them to *ahem* "present" - They squirm a bit, but it doesn't take very long to check them out to make sure their bits are all ok.
 
I check my boys 2-3 times a week.
Fang isn't to bad just the odd few hairs but he has an inverted winkie so he's not much of a problem but Frank needs cleaning alot.
He gets a very dirty bum & just yesterday I cleaned a massive piece of manky saw dust out of his winkie.
It bloody stank and Frank didnt like it much but I bet he felt much better afterwards
 
i check my bors weekly, normally do their grease glands once a month as thats when they normally need doing
i to didnt know that you needed to check their bits until i joined this forum so at least you found out from day one, when we took on a single boar from someone to pair up with our single boar he had obviously not been cleaned at all his grease gland took about half an hour to clean it was quite disgusting, hes about a year old so my guess was that the previous owner didnt do this
 
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