Just trying to gather as much information as possible...

[Kym]

Hi everyone,

I am going to my first meeting this evening to discuss Boar Dating. I'm sure that I will be give plenty of help and advice but I feel it is always important to seek advice from a variety of sources. I am hoping that Charlie will find a little (or big) brother soon. However, I want to make sure I know exactly what I am doing before I go any further. If anybody has any tips/advice on the steps of Boar Dating or any stories of a sucess; it would be much appreciated!

I do have a specific question though. Charlie likes to run around the house popcorning away and letting out a nasty stink every few seconds! I am aware that this is his way of marking his territory/leaving his scent. However, is this going to cause problems for the new arrival. Charlie is very sweet natured. He has never ever been aggressive toward any animal or human since weve had him (from eight weeks). Please let me know your thoughts as I feel this may be a bad sign for him.

Kind regards,
Kym.

 

[lauraboara]

Hi Kym. Have just posted in your other thread about boar dating but have you seen this thread yet?
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233

Lots of stories about boar dates which might help.

re Charlie, don't worry about the scent marking, he might do that even more when you introduce a new boar but that is just one of the joy of boys :x (I believe sows scent mark too though!)

 

[Wiebke]

Scent marking is an important part of piggy life; girls do it, too, especially the hormonal ones! Charlie sounds like a very likeable, normal boy to me! Scent is a much stronger and more important sense for guinea pigs than it is for us humans. They pick up valuable information through it - it's like reading the newspaper! charlie is simply "piggy blogging".

I have never boar dated two boars, but have piggy dated at rescues (mature sows or cross gender pairings with adult piggies) on several occasions over the years, always with great success. The worst that can happen is that you notice pretty quickly that the chemistry simply isn't there or that the humping gets out of paw; that is why a selection of potential dates is important.

Most piggies will find somepig they hit it off with sooner rather than later, actually, but you can never tell for sure beforehand who with! Dating at a rescue means that the meetings always happen under expert supervision and that you don't have to face the whole stress and responsiblity of an introduction yourself. A rescue lady can also explain to you which behaviours during introductions are positive or not, if you keep asking her.

Best of luck! Piggy dating is as nerve racking/exciting as human dating, but you will find it ever so worthwhile coming back home with two happy boys and the delight of getting to know a totally new, completely different personality over the next few weeks and to seee their relationship develop.

 

[Kym]

Thank-you very much for your replies! I have taken a look at the link, however, I live in staffordshire and so I fear these little boys are too far away x