Jack Is Injured And Once Again A Lone Pig :(

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Goth Mummy

Goth Mummy

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I think at this point I am giving up with finding a boar friend for Jack. I love him so much, he is the most people-centered piggy that I currently have, but he just cant seem to find a friend he gets on with. We have tried several piggies with him, and though they seem to get on well at first (lulling me into false sense of security!) it has always ended in a bloody fight. He has been with Hector since last August, but recently the relationship seemed to be unsettled.

Last Friday they had a sudden big fight, which resulted in Jack having a torn ear and a badly bitten foot, which is now infected, so he is on antibiotics, only today can he put his foot to the ground :(

I think I'm going to have to get him neutered and paired with a sow. He cant even live side by side because he makes Pumpkin and Boo, and Lorne and D'Hoffryn fight between themselves, and currently Jack and Hector are terrified of each other even through bars.

I have been given another lone male piggy "on loan", but I dont even think I'm going to risk introducing him to Jack, I will try him with Hector instead.

I am really tearring my hair out with these piggies!
 
Awww I feel really bad for you :/ It's not nice when our guinea's fight and it can be quite scary for us as well as them.

Maybe neutering would be the best option for him if he doesn't want to get on with other boars.

Have you tried him with a younger boar? When my son contacted our local rescue last year because we had a loan baby boar, I think he was around 5 or 6 months at the time, the rescue put him with a boar who was around 3 months old, it did work luckily and we've had zero problems with them, no fighting *touch wood* just chinning. They also offered the same for Big's, a younger boar which we'll have to try if it doesn't work out on Friday. I really hope things work out for Big's on Friday because he's been looking a bit sad and I've heard making like whining noises.
 
How old is Jack and how old are the piggies you have paired him with?

There is no doubt in my mind boys and girl pair's work well but so can pair's of boys. If you do decide to get him neutered make sure you find an extremely cavy savy vet to minimise the risks of further complications after the neutering.
 
Goth Mummy said:
I think at this point I am giving up with finding a boar friend for Jack. I love him so much, he is the most people-centered piggy that I currently have, but he just cant seem to find a friend he gets on with. We have tried several piggies with him, and though they seem to get on well at first (lulling me into false sense of security!) it has always ended in a bloody fight. He has been with Hector since last August, but recently the relationship seemed to be unsettled.

Last Friday they had a sudden big fight, which resulted in Jack having a torn ear and a badly bitten foot, which is now infected, so he is on antibiotics, only today can he put his foot to the ground :(

I think I'm going to have to get him neutered and paired with a sow. He cant even live side by side because he makes Pumpkin and Boo, and Lorne and D'Hoffryn fight between themselves, and currently Jack and Hector are terrified of each other even through bars.

I have been given another lone male piggy "on loan", but I dont even think I'm going to risk introducing him to Jack, I will try him with Hector instead.

I am really tearring my hair out with these piggies!
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Welcome to the club, Jack! Maelog and Hywel (my own unbondable boys) say that it is worth it risking the snip - you still get to bully the girls, but they don't bite back. If you can get as far as Northampton, you will be in the safest hands possible. :)

Some boys sadly will fight even as adults... :(
 
Cheers everyone, Jack is 2 now, and he has been paired with a range of piggies from 5 years to the youngest who was Hector at 6 weeks.

@Wiebke thanks, yes, I think I will be making the trip to Simon at Northampton if I do go down that route (and it is looking like the only option right now!).

Jack really is impossible, he is just spoiling for a fight with everyone he meets!
 
Goth Mummy said:
Cheers everyone, Jack is 2 now, and he has been paired with a range of piggies from 5 years to the youngest who was Hector at 6 weeks.

@Wiebke thanks, yes, I think I will be making the trip to Simon at Northampton if I do go down that route (and it is looking like the only option right now!).

Jack really is impossible, he is just spoiling for a fight with everyone he meets!
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With boars like him, neutering is often the best option, especially after you have gone beyond the bounds of finding him a character compatible friend; provided you have access to a good vet. He will be a lot happier with a submissive sow!
 
Humph.. that's not good is it! I hope everything goes well if you do decided to have him neutered.

We're trying the two things I said in my post before considering neutering, if non of them work then we'll probably opt for neutering and and put him with one of our sows :)
 
Oh No! I'm so sorry you are struggling to find him a friend, poor lad! Sending healing vibes, hopes he feels better soon.
 
thanks! @Flutterby it was horrible when his foot became so swollen and hot :( the swelling is much reduced now and he is bearing weight on it. I panicked a bit at first because he was quite unwell at first. I guess Hector really sunk his teeth into him in retaliation :(
 
Poor guy! At least it's healing now. It's never nice when they are poorly.
 
Oh no I have sympathy for you. Get well soon Jack. Naughty hector. :evil:
 
Really sorry to hear about Jack's situation. I have 3 guinea pigs at present. The two older ones were bonded when I got them. Amos the younger one is really bossy and fell out with his last cage mate Sergei who has since died of unrelated illness. I am worried about trying Amos with any other guinea pigs as it is a really stressful situation to go through (for humans and the piggies).
 
@worried val of york I completely understand as it is very stressful, I'm sorry that Amos is also a difficult character. Can he live side by side with your other pigs?
 
Sorry to hear about Jack and his injuries. Always really disappointing when they fight and fall out but I am trying to train myself to think of it as the start of a new phase when it has happened to any of my boars!
I am sure you will have lots of think about re next steps, neutering vs boar dating, as per above - I would just say that sometimes boars get into a bit of an aggressive/anxiety cycle but it can be broken by the right friend - my key experience of this was Tea Cake who had 12 dates before we found a laid back boar friend who new how to handle him! Now he is happy and relaxed in this new pairing and we only see glimpses of the anxious Tea Cake. Anyhow, good luck with the next stages and healing vibes for Jack. x
 
What a grumpy lad! Some boars just don't like other boars or manage to rub them all up the wrong way....

Sounds very like poor Jack might be better off with a wifey pig. I had to make that decision a few years ago after an almighty bust up between Arran & Suilven. Arran is much happier living with his bossy wife pig now (at my friend's house) so it sounds a good option.

Good luck Jack!
 
Hope Jacks foot gets better soon, if you choose to get him neutered then lots of vibes for that too x
 
Thank you everyone! He is still poorly with his foot so will need to go back to the vets as the baytril has nearly finished, but when he is fully better I will start to look into neutering. He has lost weight since the injury so I am a little nervous but am keeping up the hand feeding and lap time which encourages him to eat.

@MerryPip yes! Jack is just like that. He makes everyone around him fall out! Even the most stable bond - Pumpkin and Boo squabble when he is near. He just causes chaos to all. Despite being a lovely friendly and tame chap.
 
Hywel (previous name Randie) was like that, too. If you can date him with a girl or too, that would be ideal. He is going to be a very happy boy eventually! :(

I am very sorry about the foot. I hope that it heals without major infection. Please continue to hand feed. Try veg and normal food first and then top him up as necessary.
 
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Goth Mummy said:
@worried val of york I completely understand as it is very stressful, I'm sorry that Amos is also a difficult character. Can he live side by side with your other pigs?
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Amos is a guinea pig full of character and I wouldn't change him for the world. He seems to be quite happy next to the 2 older pigs. But I do give him extra attention. He had injured his front paw whilst he was still with Sergei. I took him to vet who said he couldn't do anything apart from giving him metacam. It is obvious from the way the toes have healed he has suffered a break. But that hasn't stopped him tearing round the c and c run (and outdoor run when weather permits)and wheeking louder than any guinea pig I've had. I just have that feeling he is so bossy that he wouldn't accept another guinea pig in the same c and c run. I may try another bonding session when I have moved, but now is not a good time to try.
 
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Sorry I missed this thread, I'm sorry your struggling to find Jack a friend :( how is his ear and foot now bless him?
 
@worried val of york Amos is gorgeous! I wondered if Jack's paw was broken too :( the bite was very severe and deep. How did Amos injure it?

@katie-elizabeth thank you, he is getting better and his paw and ear are not hot and swollen now but he is still tender and a bit miserable :( poor little piggie.
 
Goth Mummy said:
@worried val of york Amos is gorgeous! I wondered if Jack's paw was broken too :( the bite was very severe and deep. How did Amos injure it?

I am not sure how he did it. I hadn't had him that long and he had been with Sergei. I thought all was going well but Sergei turned on Amos whilst I was out. Apart from the bite under Amos' s chin his paw was really swollen and he wasn't putting any weight on it. I took him to vet who at first said his paw could be an aggressive cancer. However after a week on metacam the swelling reduced. Amos has always been a fast moving skittish guinea pig and I think he must have caught it somehow in the C and C run when he and Sergei had a tussle. When I returned to the vett told me there was nothing he could do with the foot. He could xray it but if it was broken there was nothing he could do. But Amos is now fully fit and still a tearaway now he's about a year old. His foot is mishappen slightly but that hasn't stopped him jumping upand on things in his run. I have to cut his nails as they do not wear down like they should if his paw was normal. I hope Jack gets over his injury I would hold off trying to bond him until he is over his injuries - don't try and rush things it'll only make it more stressful. You'll know when you and Jack can face another bonding session!.
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Hi @Goth Mummy Don't know what I've done above. But all I want to say is Amos is fine despite his slightly misshapen front paw. He uses it like any other guinea pig. I wouldn't rush into getting another cage mate yet. You will know when Jack (and you) are up to another bonding session.
 
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