One Piggy

Toraks mummy

Toraks mummy

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
26
Reaction score
8
Points
95
Location
Kent
Please dont jump on me: I have had GP's for most of my life. We had 2 boars over 7 years ago and one really bullied the other. We separated them. We lost our last one at 8 years old 6 months ago. I wanted another and have bought a baby who is having loads of attention. The dilemma is, I found the aggression and bullying between 2 boars very stressful last time, but am now worried Torak may be lonely? Please advise.
Thank you
 
I can tell by the start of your post that you are aware we recommend guineas have companionship of their own kind. We also recommend people with lone guineas contact a rescue that offers a bonding service to ensure you get a compatible companion. Are you near any of the rescues on our Locator?

Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
 
PiggyOwner said:
I can tell by the start of your post that you are aware we recommend guineas have companionship of their own kind. We also recommend people with lone guineas contact a rescue that offers a bonding service to ensure you get a compatible companion. Are you near any of the rescues on our Locator?

Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
Click to expand...
I have contacted one in your list for advice (awaiting reply)?but I have also read that lots of pairs of boars don't make it to adulthood as a pair, which has been my experience! I nearly bought a litter mate with him but it was so sad with my other two watching one stop the other feeding or even getting in the bed and I don't really want 2 big cages or to watch bullying again tbh?
 
I have contacted one in your list for advice (awaiting reply)?but I have also read that lots of pairs of boars don't make it to adulthood as a pair, which has been my experience! I nearly bought a litter mate with him but it was so sad with my other two watching one stop the other feeding or even getting in the bed and I don't really want 2 big cages or to watch bullying again tbh?
 
I understand what you mean.
Perhaps we should wait and see if this Rescue can help. Are you happy to give us a rough idea of your location e. g. County just to see if we know of any other places that could help.
 
I can't help more than @PiggyOwner already has, but I did want to hopefully put your mind at rest about boar pairs. My pair are currently about a year old, and I've had them since they were about four months. They've had squabbles and they annoy each other pretty much all the time, but they still fall asleep on top of each other, there has never been any fights. Heck at a year old they still steal food from each other's mouths because one is being too lazy to go find his own food - and the other one lets him do it, and just steals it back again when the original thief isn't paying attention :whistle:

My pair aren't oddballs either (well they are, but not in that respect anyway), many boar pairs do get along fine. The hormonal stages just happen to be the hardest. That said, a rescue may not pair Torak with another young boar. It could be an older boar that Torak ends up getting along fine with, and that might end up being easier than having two hormonal boars at once as well.

Wait and see what the rescue says. Older boars can pair off with younger ones just as easily as younger boars can, and if you can find a rescue that can do the bonding etc on site, that could be even better. The rescue will take your boar in for a specified amount of time (I believe it's usually a weekend? something like that?) and during that time will let Torak meet other guinea pigs to see who he gets along with best, and they'll do the whole beginning of the bonding process on site, to make it easier on you.
 
An age difference in boars can often help as can choosing each other. The key for any boar bond is mutual liking and character compatibility. More than half of all boar pairs actually make to adulthood together, but your chances go up a lot if you let the boars decide who they want to get on with.

Alternatively you can decide to have your little boy neutered once he is old enough (i.e. once the testicles are descending). However, this involves a several weeks wait until he is old enough, an operation at a vet that is experienced and well practised with guinea pig neutering in order to keep the risk of complications down, plus a full 6 weeks wait after the operation until he is 100% safe to go with sows. The little baby in my avatar is the unplanned daughter of an over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine), just to prove this particular point; but it really happens and my surprise baby is not the only one I have ever come across. That means a several months' wait for company. However, cross gender pairings are the stablest of all bonds.

Personally, I would strongly recommend to contact all goos rescues within your reach. The rescues we recommend all have a mandatory quarantine/health care and most offer rescue dating, so you can be guaranteed that you come home with a new companion only if acceptance has happened, no uninvited passengers and you have the rescue to fall back on if things don't go to plan during the lifetime of their adopted pet, so you are not left with two boars that do not get on.

Cage Size Guide
Companionship
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
Thank you for your helpful replies. I decided last night to go back to the breeder as it was less than 24 hours and collect a litter mate, another baby boar who we have called Kasi. I introduced them again in a neutral area and later last night moved them both to the cage, there were some chatterings, mounting by Torak and chasing around with the odd squeak, I stayed close until late last night and so far so good (fingers crossed) they seem to be happy in each other's company. I have also ordered a playpen and another cage, as big as I could find to provide lots of space and enrichment as my piggies have never lived outside! Have seen both boys eating since pairing so hope that's a good sign. I have also weighed them both so I can be sure both eating ok! Thanks again for advice. Torak & Kasi mummy!
 
Toraks mummy said:
Thank you for your helpful replies. I decided last night to go back to the breeder as it was less than 24 hours and collect a litter mate, another baby boar who we have called Kasi. I introduced them again in a neutral area and later last night moved them both to the cage, there were some chatterings, mounting by Torak and chasing around with the odd squeak, I stayed close until late last night and so far so good (fingers crossed) they seem to be happy in each other's company. I have also ordered a playpen and another cage, as big as I could find to provide lots of space and enrichment as my piggies have never lived outside! Have seen both boys eating since pairing so hope that's a good sign. I have also weighed them both so I can be sure both eating ok! Thanks again for advice. Torak & Kasi mummy!
Click to expand...


thanks for the update - :)
 
One of my adopted ones lived on her own for a year because her partner died and we looked for a new partner. Now she is very happy with 5 other friends
 
Yep, they are all really happy, aged between 6 month and 8 years old, 4 of the 6 are adopted
 
Hopefully the match will work out! They really do enjoy company. Your mention of finding past dominance behavior stressful makes me think that it's really important to look at guinea pig behavior like you are another guinea pig and not as if they are human beings. I think as people we would be stressed out if we felt 'bossed' by someone we lived with and we tend to feel bad for the underpiggy because of that... however, guinea pigs are wired to live in a hierarchical group and what looks mean to us in terms of seeing dominant pigs assert dominance may actually be security to them, as they need to understand where they stand within the group. Of course, there are cases where pairs don't make it and there is actual physical fighting and risk of injury where they need to be separated for their own good, but I think it's important for our own wellbeing if we keep on reminding ourselves that guinea pigs themselves don't feel 'bullied' by normal dominance behavior, and in fact need to know where they stand in relation to other pigs, as it's how they are wired to interact.
 
Freela said:
Hopefully the match will work out! They really do enjoy company. Your mention of finding past dominance behavior stressful makes me think that it's really important to look at guinea pig behavior like you are another guinea pig and not as if they are human beings. I think as people we would be stressed out if we felt 'bossed' by someone we lived with and we tend to feel bad for the underpiggy because of that... however, guinea pigs are wired to live in a hierarchical group and what looks mean to us in terms of seeing dominant pigs assert dominance may actually be security to them, as they need to understand where they stand within the group. Of course, there are cases where pairs don't make it and there is actual physical fighting and risk of injury where they need to be separated for their own good, but I think it's important for our own wellbeing if we keep on reminding ourselves that guinea pigs themselves don't feel 'bullied' by normal dominance behavior, and in fact need to know where they stand in relation to other pigs, as it's how they are wired to interact.
Click to expand...
 
So I listened to everyone's advice and got a litter mate for Torak, his brother Kasi and all seemed to be going well but this morning Kasi got out of the wrong side of bed and has had a go at Torak! It was a fight but I tapped the cage and they stopped but Kasi continued to pursue Torak who seemed frightened! I have now put them in the playpen and they seem a little calmer but now I am worried this aggression will continue! Have others with 2 boars had a fight in the past?
Please advise I fear history repeating itself! Toraks mummy!
 
What looks like a fight to us is often normal dominance behaviour. With hormonal young boars moving them around or even rearranging/cleaning out their cage can start it off. I have 2 pairs of boars who enjoy nothing more than a good rumble and grumble at each other with occasional chin offs. Have a good read of the threads Wiebke gave you and try not to panic, it looks like they hate each other to us but certainly with my older pair it's just because they can. Think old married couple who enjoy a snipe at each other. With the younger pair it's the under pig having a go for dominance or the top pig reasserting himself to make sure the under pig isn't thinking about trying to take his place.
Good luck I hope all goes well with your pair.
 
Thank you for your helpful reply, it was
piggieminder said:
What looks like a fight to us is often normal dominance behaviour. With hormonal young boars moving them around or even rearranging/cleaning out their cage can start it off. I have 2 pairs of boars who enjoy nothing more than a good rumble and grumble at each other with occasional chin offs. Have a good read of the threads Wiebke gave you and try not to panic, it looks like they hate each other to us but certainly with my older pair it's just because they can. Think old married couple who enjoy a snipe at each other. With the younger pair it's the under pig having a go for dominance or the top pig reasserting himself to make sure the under pig isn't thinking about trying to take his place.
Good luck I hope all goes well with your pair.
Click to expand...
,
 
Thank you for your helpful reply. It was definite the "under pig" having a go and did look like a fight, seem better after time out in their playpen. I just want them both to be happy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top