Rescue's what do you think?

[sue 1974]

I have been given two 3 year old guinea pigs. One boar and one sow, both living together He has not been castrated They have never had a litter in all the years they have been together.

I will keep them for 10 weeks to check but would you still rehome them as a pair without getting him castrated, knowing he ha never go her pregnant?

 

[x-vic-x]

My main concern would be if you rehomed them together and they were put with another female, would he get her pregnant. As to your question I have never been in this situation so I really don't know.

 

[loulx]

We had a boar who we were trying to mate with one of our sows who never managed to get her pregnant so after about a year we thought he must be erm... shooting blanks if you catch my drift... A couple of summers ago Mum went on holiday and a friend looked after all the piggies for us. A few weeks later it was pretty obvious that two of our girls were pregnant - it became clear that Starbuck had not only managed to get his long term - platonic - girlfriend pregnant, but one of the girls in the hutch next door too! (We still don't know quite how he did this, our friend must have let them have shared floor time and was too embarrassed to admit it) Either way, we had two healthy litters a couple of months later and now he can't live with his girlfriend anymore!

I know of other instances where boars and sows have lived platonically together for whole lives, but based on personal experience, be careful as things can change!

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

There is no way i would rehome them together,i have heard of pigs that havent "mated" in years and then one day it just happens,and also if the new family were to get another sow to put in with them and he did get her pregnant thats another issue,also i think its bad as far as rescue image goes if people here you rehomed 2 piggies that are able to breed,
I think its great that you are exploring all the options,seeing as they have been together 3 years i would neuter boy and have him and the girl together as they may be very close x

 

[Logiebear]

I agree with the others hun, I wouldn't risk it. You just never know if a simple change in environment and the smell s around them can trigger a change. I'd seperate them very soon and find them other friends before they end up breeding. Hope that helps xx

 

[The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue]

I would keep them together as its not nice to split a bonded pair if they have ben married for some time.I would neuter him and that way they can stay together and another sow would not be at risk
Helenxx>>>

 

[gizzy]

The boar may be sterile, there is apparently a way of telling .

I will look through my stuff and get back to you on this .

As it would be a shame to separate them if you can verify sterility

 

[sue 1974]

Thanks, it didn't seem right to re home them. I will get him castrated.

 

[gizzy]

This is a piece written by a friend of mine , who was a close college and friend of the late great and much missed Peter Gurney .

I will phone my friend and find out where the information was sourced

INFERTILITY

quote>
There is no way to tell whether a sow is infertile unless you know that she has had a hysterectomy,but it is possible to tell whether a boar is fertile.

Boars have a 2 pronged stylus at the end of the penis and if this is missing or if there is only one prong,the boar will almost certainly be sterile.

As I do not breed I have never put this to the test so if you are in a position wherein you would not be able to keep babies,it would be wise to be cautious with this.

I have only had one boar with the stylus missing, and only 4 0r 5 with an incomplete one,so I think the number of sterile boars is probably quite low. <Unquote

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

Sue

We had a pair of pigs in from the Peterborough 40 who had always lived together, a boar and a sow, without producing babies. However we decided the same as you, that it was too risky to rehome them as a pair - they were with Vikki. The boar was neutered.

Sophie
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