New additions!

[cookiepig123]

So I was told by my grandad he was taking me and my mum for a meal, we ended up at pets at home and brought home these little guys! Meet Gus (at the top) Chocolate (In the middle) And Alfie! (At the bottom)

 

[mary70]

They are beautiful xx

 

[piggyfan]

They are very cute but I feel I must warn you that three boars cannot live together happily. They usually work best in pairs. You may want to separate one and get him a friend. The best way to do this would be by taking him to a rescue were he could choose his own friend. That would mean less chance of them falling out.

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Lovely piggies but three boars will rarely live together
Be certain to give them the largest space possible to live in as boys are far more territorial than girls - usually at around four months, the hormones will kick in and this is where any problems may rear it's head :...
This is a nice site to read:

http://www.susieandpigs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/caremenu.htm

 

[cookiepig123]

Lovely piggies but three boars will rarely live together
Be certain to give them the largest space possible to live in as boys are far more territorial than girls - usually at around four months, the hormones will kick in and this is where any problems may rear it's head :...
This is a nice site to read:

http://www.susieandpigs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/caremenu.htm

Thanks for the advice, I am fully aware about this and done all my research, I am willing to take a chance with the boys, and if by any means it dosent work a have a boar who is alone right now, I'm giving the babies some time to settle before introducing them to him

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Thanks for the advice, I am fully aware about this and done all my research, I am willing to take a chance with the boys, and if by any means it dosent work a have a boar who is alone right now, I'm giving the babies some time to settle before introducing them to him

Sorry but I really cannot see this working no matter how much research people do :{
Girls will live in a group but not boys...
Fingers crossed you don't end up with four separate piggies in a few weeks :...
Many of us on here are very experienced owners and I have had failed introductions with my established piggies - it is very distressing but made sure I had a back up plan. I resorted to rescue 'sow dating' a little girl who wouldn't fit in with the herd of girls due to nasty fights and adopted the two piggies she liked as companions

 

[Sodapops]

Thanks for the advice, I am fully aware about this and done all my research, I am willing to take a chance with the boys, and if by any means it dosent work a have a boar who is alone right now, I'm giving the babies some time to settle before introducing them to him

An easier solution would be for you to separate ones of the baby boys and bond him with your single boar (after you have quaranatined the little ones first of course). Even then there are no guarantee's - but they stand a far better chance of staying together as two boar pairs than as all 4 or even just the three little ones living together.

The other members are right in what they say - i had two boar pairings - two un-related boars who get on great and then a father and son pairing. My father and son pairing had lived with each other since the son was 3wks old - they lived together for over 2yrs and then one day i noticed it was very tense - the end result was that my eldest boar had to undergo multiple vets visits and 3wks worth of anti-biotics to clear up a huge abscess on his face (the result of multiple bite wounds to his face that even though were cleaned every day became infected rather quickly).

Please have a re-think - knowing what i know now, the waiting game can be a risky one in some cases.....

 

[LisaAli]

We have got to agree with sodapops and guineapigslave about this. We have a pair of boars who are bonded together and are unrelated (one is aged 4 and the other 12 weeks). We currently have a rescue boar reserved for us and after much advice we have decided to pair our rescue boar with another rescue boar. Originally we thought it might be a good idea to pair him with a couple of rescue sows but after discussion with a local rescue and advice here on TGPF we realise that bringing sows into the close proximity of our existing boars may compromise their relationship. We have been extremely lucky that the boar date matching our boys was successful first time that we dont want to upset the fine balance we have established with our boys. During our research although we have heard of more than two boars living together, the chances of success are very slim.

Again it sounds like P@H doing what they do best - thinking of profits before the welfare of the animals.

Please do not think that we are judging you in any way, shape or form. Its only through experience that we all learn about the complex nature of guinea pigs. Again we are glad that you have come to this forum to find out what your next step would be. You are in the right place.

Lisa & Ali x

 

[cookiepig123]

We have got to agree with sodapops and guineapigslave about this. We have a pair of boars who are bonded together and are unrelated (one is aged 4 and the other 12 weeks). We currently have a rescue boar reserved for us and after much advice we have decided to pair our rescue boar with another rescue boar. Originally we thought it might be a good idea to pair him with a couple of rescue sows but after discussion with a local rescue and advice here on TGPF we realise that bringing sows into the close proximity of our existing boars may compromise their relationship. We have been extremely lucky that the boar date matching our boys was successful first time that we dont want to upset the fine balance we have established with our boys. During our research although we have heard of more than two boars living together, the chances of success are very slim.

Again it sounds like P@H doing what they do best - thinking of profits before the welfare of the animals.

Please do not think that we are judging you in any way, shape or form. Its only through experience that we all learn about the complex nature of guinea pigs. Again we are glad that you have come to this forum to find out what your next step would be. You are in the right place.

Lisa & Ali x

As I said above, I do understand where everyone is coming from when they say it probably wont work out, I will probably separate them but for now I just want them to settle in first, right now they seem fine but I will probably separate them once they settle

 

[piggie-power]

I had 3 boys living together (before i knew better) they lived together quite happily - for about 6 months, then the youngest went through puberty and it was pure hell! I took my kids to school and came back to 3 boys that were teeth chattering all with wounds on their faces

I highly wouldn't recommend it - seeing 2 boys go through puberty and trying to keep them together is hard enough but 3 is just asking for trouble.

Honestly hon, take it from someone who has been there - monitor your boys for the next few days and see which 2 would be best together and then find a buddy for the one on his own - it will be sooooooo much easier for you!

Now i have to say i am INCREDIBLY jealous! Those are some beautiful boys you have there! I'm looking forward to seeing more of them on the forum

 

[AudioHeart]

Hello and a big warm welcome to the forum!

Congratulations on your gorgeous new boars x) Are they settling in okay?

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for them staying together, hopefully they will, to increase their chances of staying together try to get three of everything (water bottles, food bowels, hay trays, hideys) and make sure with your hideys that they have two exits - this is so one boar doesn't get bullied into a cornor). If possible extend their cage/ or get them the largest possible space you can get .

I've now owned four boars, successfully bonded a six month boar into a group of established sows, bonded sows and boars together and had a failed trio of boar bonding, as well as rebonding my two boars back together. Phew I know bonding is a lot of work, and piggie politics can be very stressful!

My failed trio:

They were bonded over six hours, and everything went well but as soon as i placed them into their new home together (a shed with 5ft x 2ft hutch) it went downhill and i had to seperate asap in the evening. Not an experience i would ever want to go through again!

Also it might be worth, if you do have a lone boar to try and bond one your little ones with him now as they are still young bonding a young boar with an older one works best when the boar hasn't hit is hormoal period as they develop a father/son relationship and this should make a solid foundation for their future together just an idea for you to mull over

Looking forward to more pigtures x)

Laura x

 

[cookiepig123]

Hello and a big warm welcome to the forum!

Congratulations on your gorgeous new boars x) Are they settling in okay?

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for them staying together, hopefully they will, to increase their chances of staying together try to get three of everything (water bottles, food bowels, hay trays, hideys) and make sure with your hideys that they have two exits - this is so one boar doesn't get bullied into a cornor). If possible extend their cage/ or get them the largest possible space you can get .

I've now owned four boars, successfully bonded a six month boar into a group of established sows, bonded sows and boars together and had a failed trio of boar bonding, as well as rebonding my two boars back together. Phew I know bonding is a lot of work, and piggie politics can be very stressful!

My failed trio:

They were bonded over six hours, and everything went well but as soon as i placed them into their new home together (a shed with 5ft x 2ft hutch) it went downhill and i had to seperate asap in the evening. Not an experience i would ever want to go through again!

Also it might be worth, if you do have a lone boar to try and bond one your little ones with him now as they are still young bonding a young boar with an older one works best when the boar hasn't hit is hormoal period as they develop a father/son relationship and this should make a solid foundation for their future together just an idea for you to mull over

Looking forward to more pigtures x)

Laura x

Thats some beautiful photos and yes, its hard to figure out the 2 right now but I'm getting there, I actually had my fingers crossed to get the lone boar in with them but they do have an 8ft by 4ft cage so theres plenty of personal space for them and I took that photo before putting toys, hideys ect. in the cage, at the moment they dont seem to be too much hassel, they've been cuddled up together and theres alot of popcorning going on and a little bit of rumblestrutting, so i do hope for the best but if not then I have another cage for my loan boar to mix with a baby

 

[AudioHeart]

Thats some beautiful photos and yes, its hard to figure out the 2 right now but I'm getting there, I actually had my fingers crossed to get the lone boar in with them but they do have an 8ft by 4ft cage so theres plenty of personal space for them and I took that photo before putting toys, hideys ect. in the cage, at the moment they dont seem to be too much hassel, they've been cuddled up together and theres alot of popcorning going on and a little bit of rumblestrutting, so i do hope for the best but if not then I have another cage for my loan boar to mix with a baby

Ooo 8ft by 4ft is a fantastic amount of space *fingers crossed*, hopefully they'll keep their strong bond. I LOVE it when boars cuddle up x)

It was strange that my trio never worked out, as when they were seperated by a mesh divider they used to lay side by side or have a wheek chat, with all three, but as soon as i tried to bond them it just didnt work

(this is harvey, with late percy-roo (and his wife tabby)

I do love boars, i'd have a housefull of them x)

 

[cookiepig123]

Little update

Okay so since I'm still fairly new to owning guinea pigs, to me the boys seem to be doing fine.

Gus came out to see me today!

I'm still not too sure on whether to spot clean the cage today or not? Don't know if it will terrify them or if they'll be okay with it?

 

[n3ss]

Gus is so gorgeous drool

He looks like a right little gentleman xx>>>

 

[WDMMBT]

An easier solution would be for you to separate ones of the baby boys and bond him with your single boar (after you have quaranatined the little ones first of course). Even then there are no guarantee's - but they stand a far better chance of staying together as two boar pairs than as all 4 or even just the three little ones living together.

The other members are right in what they say - i had two boar pairings - two un-related boars who get on great and then a father and son pairing. My father and son pairing had lived with each other since the son was 3wks old - they lived together for over 2yrs and then one day i noticed it was very tense - the end result was that my eldest boar had to undergo multiple vets visits and 3wks worth of anti-biotics to clear up a huge abscess on his face (the result of multiple bite wounds to his face that even though were cleaned every day became infected rather quickly).

Please have a re-think - knowing what i know now, the waiting game can be a risky one in some cases.....

I had a situation very similiar to Sodapops. Billy, Whizz's son, was introduced to his father and his uncle when he couldn't be found a home. He lived with him fine for a year before attacking Whizz and giving him a very nasty wound on his back. He too went through 3wks of antibiotics but ended up having an operation two weeks ago. The abscess beneath his skin was so big that the scar down Whizz's side was 2 inches long. Most of it is healed now but I don't want to hear that the same has happened to one of your beautiful piggies.
It broke my heart to hand Whizz over to the vet on the morning of his operation, knowing how serious it was and the dangers that meant he could possibly not come back.
I thank God that we got him back safely and that is healing so well. But Billy caused three months of stress that I will not soon forget.

 

[PepperPig]

They are adorable! My dad did that to me when I was six. He said we were going to the best toy store in the world and he took me to the animal shelter and got the cat I had been begging for!

 

[tabelmabel]

Lovely piggies but three boars will rarely live together
Be certain to give them the largest space possible to live in as boys are far more territorial than girls - usually at around four months, the hormones will kick in and this is where any problems may rear it's head :...
This is a nice site to read:

http://www.susieandpigs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/caremenu.htm

thanks for posting this link - I had seen this site before but not for a while - that is a very sad story about poor bullied Terry on there.


To the OP (whose name escapes me already! So sorry) hello and congratulations on your new little boys - you are definitely in the right place here for all the advice you need as there are so many piggy experts here (not me - I am pretty new to it all too)


I will enjoy seeing how your piggies get on!

 

[cookiepig123]

thanks for posting this link - I had seen this site before but not for a while - that is a very sad story about poor bullied Terry on there.


To the OP (whose name escapes me already! So sorry) hello and congratulations on your new little boys - you are definitely in the right place here for all the advice you need as there are so many piggy experts here (not me - I am pretty new to it all too)


I will enjoy seeing how your piggies get on!

Thanks! well its day 2 with the trio and they're literally eating out my hand already haha, feel I'm gonna have a pretty good bond with these guys, they're c&c cage has literally taken up half my bedroom, I don't mind though, its an amazing feeling having guinea pigs and I will be sure to keep everyone updated on how they are getting on! :<>

 

[tabelmabel]

I will follow your story with interest as we have only had our 2 boars 6 weeks (they are 14 weeks old now) we got them from a breeder and she was extremely informative about their care - came away a bit worried about grease glands and willy cleaning and that's what brought me to this forum! (though I should say that the breeder is VERY helpful and approachable and I would feel able to contact her with any specific queries) It was just by pure luck we were put in touch with this breeder by our vet and she has paired our boars up specially (a dominant and a submissive) so (fingers crossed) they should be ok. I have them in a large C and C too - great fun!

Enjoy the forum - and I will look forward to seeing how your 3 settle in!