Making The Choice To Separate Two Boars

[Danielle Smith]

Anyone can see in my post history that there's been a bit of a saga regarding my two boars, Tubs (dominant, but fear-reactive) and Flubs (submissive, but not enough for Tubs' taste). They've never really co-existed peacefully, and things have went up and down during their teenage months. They are now 14 months old. They live in a 2x6 C&C cage with a 2x2 loft.

Over the past few weeks, I've been finding more and more scratches and shallow bites on Flubs' face (with some on Tubs' too). It culminated two days ago with a relatively big cut at the corner of Flubs' mouth and I made the decision to separate.

Since then, they've both been quiet and skittish, biting on the separating C&C grids to get to each other (though Flubs has taken full opportunity of the chance to rumblestrut loudly without getting lunged at). If I break their line of sight (i.e. take one out of the cage), the other starts plaintively wheeking. This never used to be the case.

Yesterday, I cleaned their cage completely, wiped down the grids and coroplast and put in fresh fleece, and then tried to put them together again. The video below is the result after 2 hours; sometimes they are piggy training and generally relaxed but otherwise they are lunging at each other and chattering (see from 3 minutes 30 seconds in the video). Outbreaks of constant lunging made me separate them again.

Have I done the right thing? I'm going to the vet today to talk about getting them neutered and I want to be sure that bond was dysfunctional enough to consider separating them. Any opinions are appreciated.

 

[DM030819]

Are you planning on housing them with a female each after neutering as it won't calm down their behaviour and make them friendlier?

They'll be getting at each other in this setup as there's nothing else for them to do. There's just one little pile of hay for them to interact with. They need hay at each end of the cage so they don't have to interact with each other if they don't want to.

Boar pairs need two of everything unless they're good buddies. It'll make the likelihood of fighting less as they won't need to squabble over food bowls, water bottles, beds etc.

I know many people like ramps and second levels but I've found that it can make fights happen more often as it's funneling them together into a smaller space.

If you can a wider cage may decrease the tension.

I've not seen any of your other posts or videos but simply going by this I would try them together again. In a big neutral space like the bathroom or kitchen floor. Multiple hay piles, multile food bowls and beds. Chattering is part of pig communications and I've seen worse for my current two who live together after a rocky start.

 

[Danielle Smith]

I was planning on finding them each a sow-wife, and housing one pair in the 2x6 and the other in a 3x4.

Their regular setup has lots of tunnels, log bridges, toys, a massive hay pool, and cuddle sacks and cups. This was just the bonding set up, with as little for them to squabble over as possible. There was also a hay bag at each end of the cage, but I guess having the hay pile might have been a distraction and something to squabble over.

They were originally housed in a 3x4 but they didn't fight any less in there which was a shame... My issue is that if they are re-bonded in a big neutral space, they are okay (some chattering and lunging but a lot less), but move them to a 3x4 or 2x6 C&C and they really aren't happy together, with scraps and small wounds daily.

I wish we had the space for a free-range pig-room

 

[Chloe B]

Hi I don't have much advice as such but I wanted to say that you are not alone as I have two boars about 14 months old and am in the exact same position as you with them! I am at my final straw after so many incidents and so much hoping that they will bond, and I am considering separation for my two after finding a nasty bite on one of my boys back ends.

I have to agree with Jaycey that neutering won't calm them down and should only be done if housing with females.

I think if you have not separated them before then it is worth trying to rebond. But if like me you have tried this and to no avail, then separation would be best.

Hopefully some more experienced piggy owners will offer some helpful advice. Good luck with your piggies I do hope it works out for them one way or another!

 

[Danielle Smith]

I'm sorry you're going through the same thing, Chloe. They've been separated twice (this time included), but things always go back to how they were (lunging and bitemarks on their faces), even if the introduction is relatively peaceful. The only situation in which this doesn't happen is when they are kept in a massive 5x6 C&C, where they chatter at each other occasionally but are otherwise okay. 2x6 and 3x4 C&C's just seem too small for them to keep out of each other's way.

I should have been more clear about the neutering; it is only for the purpose of housing them with females! I know neutering won't calm them down, but I figure if I get it done now I have the option to pair them with females in the future.

I hope you have luck with your piggies, whether you end up separating them or not.