Replacement Buddy

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Pigmom

New Born Pup
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Hi. I'm new here. I hope I don't offend anyone by just jumping to my question.

My Biscuit (male, just neutered, 6 mos old) lost his buddy. I'm going to get another buddy for him but I'm having trouble making a decision. My options:

1. 2 mos old female, intact

2. 6 mos intact male (will be neutered)

3. 2 neutered males, pair bonded, ages 2 & 4 yrs

4. 2 intact males, pair bonded, 1 year old (will be neutered)

Biscuit is chill but will stand up to a bully. The other gps are reported to be chill as well.
Without meeting them, which option is the best for my Biscuit?
 
I’m sorry for your loss.

You Can’t keep three males together so those options are out. A trio of boars almost always fails and results in fights and still single piggies.

Bonding him with another Male at his age can be tricky. Sometimes it’s fine but attempting to bond two teenage boars (so option 2) may not work.
As he is neutered then he needs to wait for six weeks post neutering to become infertile and then bonding with a female would be best. But a bond comes down to character compatibility so there is no guarantee of acceptance without dating him with a sow. While a sow/boar pairing is the most stable, they still need to like each other so you can’t just put two piggies together and assume all will be well. it could take meeting a couple of sows to find one who he gets on with

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m sorry for your loss.

You Can’t keep three males together so those options are out. A trio of boars almost always fails and results in fights and still single piggies.

Bonding him with another Male at his age can be tricky. Sometimes it’s fine but attempting to bond two teenage boars (so option 2) may not work.
As he is neutered then he needs to wait for six weeks post neutering to become infertile and then bonding with a female would be best. But a bond comes down to character compatibility so there is no guarantee of acceptance without dating him with a sow. While a sow/boar pairing is the most stable, they still need to like each other so you can’t just put two piggies together and assume all will be well. it could take meeting a couple of sows to find one who he gets on with

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
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Thank you. I've never had to contend w/ trios before. A lot of details to consider.
 
VickiA said:
I’ll be honest. I’m part of a rescue and we regularly get young boars surrendered. At his age we would neuter him, wait 6 weeks post neutering and find him a sow wife or wives.
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It sounds like you don't expect males to bond easily if at all. I wasn't aware of the difficulties entailed. I'm leaning toward the female. Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Its only difficult when they’re in their teenage months with raging hormones. When was he neutered? And do you have any rescues near you?
 
Oh believe me, we are a rescue that are very experienced with boars. We are one of the rescues that offer boar / boar bonding. The issue is that as a juvenile boar he has yet to hit his big hormonal spike, and that’s when most problems occur.
 
Boars can bond but the fact that your boy is in his teens is where the problem lies and why it is likely to be hard. A trio of boars definitely definitely won’t work though.
Finding him a sow once he is safe at six weeks post neuter is definitely the best way to go.
 
Pigmom said:
He was neutered yesterday.
No rescues nearby.
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He can’t be bonded with a female for six weeks then as until that time he will still be fertile.
If you take on a piggy on spec, then you do need to have a plan b in mind in case the bonding fails (ie spare cages so they can live separately.)
When the time comes, these are bonding guides which details how to carry out a bonding in a neutral area etc
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
Did you have him neutered with the intention to bond him with a sow? As above I think that would be best and agree with what Piggies&Buns has told you. Be prepared for the worst and expect the best ☺️
We’d love to see a photo of your boy.
 
VickiA said:
Oh believe me, we are a rescue that are very experienced with boars. We are one of the rescues that offer boar / boar bonding. The issue is that as a juvenile boar he has yet to hit his big hormonal spike, and that’s when most problems occur.
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Gotcha. I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.
 
Siikibam said:
Did you have him neutered with the intention to bond him with a sow? As above I think that would be best and agree with what Piggies&Buns has told you. Be prepared for the worst and expect the best ☺
We’d love to see a photo of your boy.
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He was neutered yesterday w/ his buddy w/ the intention the 2 boys would be together. His buddy does yesterday from post-anesthesia complications.
Biscuit is the brown w/ pink eyes. The other one is the one who died.
 

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Piggies&buns said:
Boars can bond but the fact that your boy is in his teens is where the problem lies and why it is likely to be hard. A trio of boars definitely definitely won’t work though.
Finding him a sow once he is safe at six weeks post neuter is definitely the best way to go.
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Thank you.
 
Pigmom said:
He was neutered yesterday w/ his buddy w/ the intention the 2 boys would be together. His buddy does yesterday from post-anesthesia complications.
Biscuit is the brown w/ pink eyes. The other one is the one who died.
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I am sorry to hear that.

Were you told that two boys had to be neutered to live together?
 
Piggies&buns said:
I am sorry to hear that.

Were you told that two boys had to be neutered to live together?
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No. They were very smelly. Also, while they were great friends together, Peanut started biting Biscuit aggressively, which had never happened before. There was no other variable introduced that would have triggered that behavior except puberty. I know hormones have an impact and neutering seemed to be a way to reduce aggressiveness. My previous experience w/ gps reflected that.
 
At six months that is when hormones do kick in resulting in dominance behaviours and scent marking, but unfortunately neutering doesn’t change their behaviour, it only prevents pregnancy. If their relationship was growing tense and potentially failing then they wouldn’t have been able to remain living together, neutered or not.
 
Piggies&buns said:
At six months that is when hormones do kick in resulting in dominance behaviours and scent marking, but unfortunately neutering doesn’t change their behaviour, it only prevents pregnancy. If their relationship was growing tense and potentially failing then they wouldn’t have been able to remain living together, neutered or not.
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Thank you.
They seemed to be such great buds. I didn't realize that could change for no reason.
 
Pigmom said:
He was neutered yesterday w/ his buddy w/ the intention the 2 boys would be together. His buddy does yesterday from post-anesthesia complications.
Biscuit is the brown w/ pink eyes. The other one is the one who died.
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Ooh I’m so sorry for your loss! ☹
Knowing that I would say be aware that neutering doesn’t calm them, it merely stops them making babies.

Sorry replies after the above.
 
Pigmom said:
Thank you.
They seemed to be such great buds. I didn't realize that could change for no reason.
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Sadly it can change. While they are young two piggies can be fine together, but once they hit their teens and get their own ideas on dominance, at around six months, character incompatibilities can come to light and result in dysfunctional and broken bonds. This is why we have also advised not to bond him with another boar, given his age
 
Piggies&buns said:
Sadly it can change. While they are young two piggies can be fine together, but once they hit their teens and get their own ideas on dominance, at around six months, character incompatibilities can come to light and result in dysfunctional and broken bonds. This is why we have also advised not to bond him with another boar, given his age
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I appreciate the advice. I don't want to end up w/ a bad situation.
 
Pigmom said:
I appreciate the advice. I don't want to end up w/ a bad situation.
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Don’t worry. I didn’t know much about them when I got my first pair (boars) either. I admit to mistakes I made at the beginning. And still feel like I make mistakes now, despite their popcorning when I’m getting hay for them 😁


Don’t hesitate to ask any question you want. And I hope we’ll see more pics of your boy.
 
It sounds like you’ve gone above and beyond for your boys, wish you’d found the forum sooner! Really hope you can find your little man a friend ASAP.
My Luigi was a ‘no boar’ piggy, beat up his last cage mate badly and doesn’t like males. He’s now well and truly whipped into shape by his two ladies! So I’d definitely recommend some lady friends now he’s neutered (after he’s safe).
So sorry for your loss or your other little man x
 
alpacasqueak said:
It sounds like you’ve gone above and beyond for your boys, wish you’d found the forum sooner! Really hope you can find your little man a friend ASAP.
My Luigi was a ‘no boar’ piggy, beat up his last cage mate badly and doesn’t like males. He’s now well and truly whipped into shape by his two ladies! So I’d definitely recommend some lady friends now he’s neutered (after he’s safe).
So sorry for your loss or your other little man x
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Thank you. I wish I had found before this as well. I think we'll be looking for a little sow for him in time.
 
Pigmom said:
Thank you. I wish I had found before this as well. I think we'll be looking for a little sow for him in time.
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Ask anything you need to, this forum’s brilliant and invaluable to me! Looking forward to hearing about your little guy’s tales :) Keep us updated and if you need any help we’re all around!
 
Oh my goodness. I am so very sorry to read that his buddy does as a complication of surgery. That is so sad. You so clearly want the very best for your piggies. I definitely think that a sow will be the best option once he is safely 6 weeks past his neutering (to prevent babies). Please let us know how things progress.
 
VickiA said:
Oh my goodness. I am so very sorry to read that his buddy does as a complication of surgery. That is so sad. You so clearly want the very best for your piggies. I definitely think that a sow will be the best option once he is safely 6 weeks past his neutering (to prevent babies). Please let us know how things progress.
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Thank you. I will. 😊
 
Welcome to the forum and so sorry that you lost Peanut.
I have a neutered boar living with 3 sows. It has some exciting moments but works well for all of them.
Hope you find a lovely companion got Biscuit
 
Merab's Slave said:
Welcome to the forum and so sorry that you lost Peanut.
I have a neutered boar living with 3 sows. It has some exciting moments but works well for all of them.
Hope you find a lovely companion got Biscuit
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Thank you. I hope he's not too lonely until we find him a buddy.
 
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