Neutering

[Chancey]

Hi there!

I wasn't sure where to put this in so I apologise!

I currently have 5 sows but we've fallen for two boars that we've come across. I'm from Scotland, Fife and I'm not too sure about an exotic vet that is experienced with neutering as it's something I'd like to consider if I do bring home these two boys. Does anyone have personal experience of a vet in Fife or surrounding area that is recommended?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there!

I wasn't sure where to put this in so I apologise!

I currently have 5 sows but we've fallen for two boars that we've come across. I'm from Scotland, Fife and I'm not too sure about an exotic vet that is experienced with neutering as it's something I'd like to consider if I do bring home these two boys. Does anyone have personal experience of a vet in Fife or surrounding area that is recommended?

Hi! Are you planning to have both boars living together with all your sows? That is unfortunately not going to work; the boys will fight.

- You can either keep both boars together ideally in a separate room, or out of reach of sow pheromones in the same room (away or above the sows).
- You can split the sow group, so that each boar has got some sow-wives living in two groups.
Boars, sows or mixed pairs; babies or adults?

- When neutering, please be aware that you also have to factor in a full 6 weeks post-op wait until your boys are 100% safe to with sows. My Tegan is the surprise daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine!); it can really happen as late as that. I have since heard of other cases. All good rescues with a neutering policy have a 6 weeks post-op and there have been no accidents in years and with several hundred boars neutered and bonded.

Here is our recommended vet locator: Guinea Pig Vet Locator

 

[Chancey]

Hi! Are you planning to have both boars living together with all your sows? That is unfortunately not going to work; the boys will fight.

- You can either keep both boars together ideally in a separate room, or out of reach of sow pheromones in the same room (away or above the sows).
- You can split the sow group, so that each boar has got some sow-wives living in two groups.
Boars, sows or mixed pairs; babies or adults?

- When neutering, please be aware that you also have to factor in a full 6 weeks post-op wait until your boys are 100% safe to with sows. My Tegan is the surprise daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine!); it can really happen as late as that. I have since heard of other cases. All good rescues with a neutering policy have a 6 weeks post-op and there have been no accidents in years and with several hundred boars neutered and bonded.

Here is our recommended vet locator: Guinea Pig Vet Locator

Hi!

Our sows are in a pair and a trio, so we had planned to possibly put one boar in with the pair and the other the trio if we get them neutered!

They'll be in a different bedroom, I am worried about the scent though as the pair of sows is in there (we'll be moving them in to a different room tonight though) is there a way to air the room out well enough or something we can do to reduce it?

 

[Chancey]

Is it also much of a problem to smell like sows? My partner and I would be worried that if we had been holding one of our girls against our clothes, and then a little later one of the boars, would they react to it much - to the point of issues between them?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Our sows are in a pair and a trio, so we had planned to possibly put one boar in with the pair and the other the trio if we get them neutered!

They'll be in a different bedroom, I am worried about the scent though as the pair of sows is in there (we'll be moving them in to a different room tonight though) is there a way to air the room out well enough or something we can do to reduce it?

You can keep mixed gender groups next to each other without problems. You can also keep a single boar next to sows (especially while they are recovering from their neuter, so they can become friends through the bars).

But you cannot keep bonded boars next to sows; they have be out of sight and reach of pheromones, either across the room or above the girls; or if next to them, which a big opaque divider.

Is it also much of a problem to smell like sows? My partner and I would be worried that if we had been holding one of our girls against our clothes, and then a little later one of the boars, would they react to it much - to the point of issues between them?

Always feed, handle, groom, exercise and cuddle boars before sows so there is no fresh scent carried across as long as they are together. Once they are bonded "husboars" and live with their sows, it does no longer matter.

PS: Here are our post-op care tips: Tips For Post-operative Care

 

[Chancey]

You can keep mixed gender groups next to each other without problems. You can also keep a single boar next to sows (especially while they are recovering from their neuter, so they can become friends through the bars).

But you cannot keep bonded boars next to sows; they have be out of sight and reach of pheromones, either across the room or above the girls; or if next to them, which a big opaque divider.



Always feed, handle, groom, exercise and cuddle boars before sows so there is no fresh scent carried across as long as they are together. Once they are bonded "husboars" and live with their sows, it does no longer matter.

PS: Here are our post-op care tips: Tips For Post-operative Care

Does that mainly apply to fresh scent? So if I were to do it in that order, boars before sows - and then an hour or two later, say I wanted to go spend some time with the boars or in the room that the boars are in, would that be fine?

Regarding the brothers, do we separate before or after neutering? By separate I mean more, cage next to each other but different cages! So they can still see/interact before they would be introduced separately to the pair and trio?

Sorry if my questions are common sense, I hadn't planned on getting boars any time soon, it genuinely was because we fell for these two! So I'm trying to do as much as I can to make sure I look after them the best I can!

 

[Wiebke]

Does that mainly apply to fresh scent? So if I were to do it in that order, boars before sows - and then an hour or two later, say I wanted to go spend some time with the boars or in the room that the boars are in, would that be fine?

Regarding the brothers, do we separate before or after neutering? By separate I mean more, cage next to each other but different cages! So they can still see/interact before they would be introduced separately to the pair and trio?

Sorry if my questions are common sense, I hadn't planned on getting boars any time soon, it genuinely was because we fell for these two! So I'm trying to do as much as I can to make sure I look after them the best I can!

You can either keep the boars together as a pair through recovery and then all the rules about "boars first" apply (including washing your hands and ideally using a different pullover or apron when cuddling your boys) or you split them up and let them recover next to and with interaction through the bars to the girls they are going to be bonded with. In which case there is no problem with scent transfer etc., as there is no risk of boar fights and fall-outs. Personally, I would recommend the second. The interaction through the bars during recovery helps smoothe any intros as the piggies know each other already.

 

[Chancey]

You can either keep the boars together as a pair through recovery and then all the rules about "boars first" apply (including washing your hands and ideally using a different pullover or apron when cuddling your boys) or you split them up and let them recover next to and with interaction through the bars to the girls they are going to be bonded with. In which case there is no problem with scent transfer etc., as there is no risk of boar fights and fall-outs. Personally, I would recommend the second. The interaction through the bars during recovery helps smoothe any intros as the piggies know each other already.

Thank you so much for all the help! We brought the two boys home a couple of days ago - Natsu and Gray:




I'm honestly unsure which would be best to do in terms of bonding. I originally planned to bond my pair and trio to have a five sow herd. But now I'm not sure which would be more rewarding for the piggies - bonding those five and keeping the boys as a pair in a different room. Or neutering them, and doing the one boy to the pair and one boy to the trio.

 

[Wiebke]

I would recommend to keep your boys as a pair for the time being. See how it goes when they come into puberty and keep the neutering option with a sow pair/trio in mind for the case they need splitting then.

Take your time to settle them in and see how things go at least you have options to try out and find the best solution for your piggies' personalities.

You may find that your sows don't gel well, especially if the two top sows are ambitious and neither wants to step down. While piggies are social animals and depend on interaction, they are also animals with a very complex social system and very much their own minds!