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Routinely neutering boars?

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cavykind

I'll start by saying that I am not actually planning to do this (at the moment) but it's something I have discussed with my hubby and something Mary has just posted has prompted me to start this thread.

I have been wondering if it might not be in everyones best interests to routinely neuter all boars coming into rescue, health and age allowing. Even boars that are already bonded to a litter mate or pal. This way there would be (hopefully) less of a problem....as:

If a lone boar, placing them with a female that came into rescue.
Re-homing to a home with an existing sow.
If re-homed as pair of males, if one died they could be placed with a sow. I've had people call many times when a boar has died leaving his male friend. If getting on in years, the owners are often looking for a similarly aged companion and do not always want to take on a baby boar. Introducing adult males can be a nightmare.
Males are in my experience really dificult to place when they are entire and this may be the best way forward?
Any thoughts on this?
Hope I have explained myself okay ::)

Barbara
 
I think it would be a good idea, age permitting. Dog and cat rescues do it.
 
If I was to get all male castrated then the new owner would have to pay towards the cost of this. I think then it might put people of. At the moment I ask for a donation of £10.

Mary
 
I know it is routinely done in a lot of other animals - what is the risk to the boar? Is it now one of those ops that is actually quite safe on the whole with only a small % having problems?
 
I would only neuter a pig if it was needed medically why put them through an op if its not needed and as already said payment of the op might well put future owners off when they can get a pig cheaper not everyone is like us I'm afraid, you could end up with lots of neutered boars and no owners willing to pay out to reimburse your vet bills leaving you out of pocket and a pig with no home,
 
I have been wondering if it might not be in everyones best interests...

I disagree with neutering boars as routine. I can see why people do it, to prevent breeding, ease pairing up etc but it is an expensive operation, with a significant risk of post operative infection or abcesses. Far from being in the best interests of the most important party here, the boar, I believe it is cruel to put all boars through this just because it is your 'practice', and that the decision to have the operation should be done on an animal by animal basis and based on what is best for them.

However I and many many people like me have sucessfully paired up intact boars with other boars. I have not had one single adult to adult pairing fail. I have only had one boar who was not able to be paired and this was when he was intro-ed as a baby and grew up wanting to be boss... even then I am hoping he may mellow with age.

I think in some cases, where you cant find a suitable companion it is a good thing to do to give the boar the opportunity of companionship it might not otherwise have had but it would be a great shame to nueter all males when they can usually be paired up without surgery. I find most rescues who do this as routine are usually 'rabbit' rescues who mistakenly apply the rule that it changes behaviour to guinea pigs. I would not rehome from such a rescue.
 
I (think) I've heard that naturally a boar would live with a group of sows, so although it's not medically necessary to neuter boars and it doesn't change behaviour, is there a case to argue it allows a more natural lifestyle for them?
 
I (think) I've heard that naturally a boar would live with a group of sows, so although it's not medically necessary to neuter boars and it doesn't change behaviour, is there a case to argue it allows a more natural lifestyle for them?

By the same arguement though free, not carefully planned breeding would be ok wouldnt it? After all that is how it happens in the wild. Except of course in the confines of the cage parents and children and siblings would be breeding with each other and all kinds of deformaties would result. The guinea pigs we keep are a long way from their wild ancestors and I think its a bit of an oxymoron to think that a surgical procedure is part of a natural lifestyle.
 
I myself have successfully over many years kept whole boars together and never had any real problems, if one dies then i leave them a few days then introduce another one of my boys to them matching temprement and as i watch all of my pigs very closely and as I have some that have been born here as well I would say I know my boys very well, all of my boys have thier ears noses and feet nothing been bitten off and no major injurys ever sustained so why would neutering be justified for people like me, and as already said I think it would put people off ( not all but the majority) if they had to pay for an op they did'nt ask for and any op is a risk so no i dont think it would be justified, each boar should be judged as Susie says individually and if the owner wants him done then fine , I doubt if any of mine would ever be done unless for a medical reason,
 
Barmy4boars said:
I have been wondering if it might not be in everyones best interests...

I I would not rehome from such a rescue.


You mean you wouldn't re-home from a rescue that routinely neutered boars? If so I respect that but I think you have to appreciate that rescues neuter in the hope of giving guineas a better quality of life and in my experience castrated boars are much easier to find homes for. And that at the end of the day is what I am about...better a castrated boar in a loving new home than a one sitting in rescue for months...or longer :(

As always it is down to personal opinion and choice though :)

Barbara
 
michellemuffin said:
I would only neuter a pig if it was needed medically why put them through an op if its not needed and as already said payment of the op might well put future owners off when they can get a pig cheaper not everyone is like us I'm afraid, you could end up with lots of neutered boars and no owners willing to pay out to reimburse your vet bills leaving you out of pocket and a pig with no home,

Never had a problem with people paying the full neuter fee (I ask for £35.00 for a neutered boar) and I don't live in an afluent area. My neutered boars are usually re-homed to people who have an existing sow :)
I could re-home sebveral neutered boars for every entire male I have, they never wait long to be placed...thankfully :)

Barbara
 
kayjay said:
I (think) I've heard that naturally a boar would live with a group of sows, so although it's not medically necessary to neuter boars and it doesn't change behaviour, is there a case to argue it allows a more natural lifestyle for them?

Yes I believe it does :)
I have known several people keep a neutered boar with a small harem and it's generally a lovely situation for them. As always of course it depends on temperament and space.

Barbara
 
michellemuffin said:
so why would neutering be justified for people like me

I'm not talking about people like you MM, I'm referring to male guinea pigs in a rescue who have a better chance of finding a home if neutered :)

Barbara

PS thank you for all the interesting feedback everyone, much appreciated!
 
I got a rescued rabbit (neutered male) from a rescue last year, and paid £30 which included a donation towards the neutering. I think this is quite fair, considering that many rescues do the good work out of their own pockets.
 
I think that for now we will simply go for neutering single boars that come in to CavyKind...obviously age and health permitting and with vet approval :)

Barbara
 
It is personal choice as you say Barbara but I stand by my comments. I do feel a little bit put out to be honest as it does look from the double and triple posting in this thread as though you have to answer every comment and have the last word. I don't think this is necissary surely I can have my say, you can have yours and we can disagree? With all the hard work I have put into trying to educate people against routinely nuetering boars I hope you understand that I feel extremely disappointed that this is the choice of someone I hoped knew better.
 
Barmey4Boars - Can I ask why you're so against routinely neutering boars? Is it mainly the risk of the op? Rabbits are routinely neutered now, and not always to change behaviour, but to enable them to live with a female without unwanted pregnancy. I'm just curious as to why this is totally accepted in rabbits but not in guineapigs?

Also, do you think you've had few problems pairing up boars because you have no females near them? I'm interested as I have a single boar living above girls and am unsure whether to leave him single, try pairing him up with a baby boar, or neuter him so he can live with the girls.
 
Hi Kayjay

the op for Guineas is very different from the rabbit op as far as I understand it. More delicate. Plus guinea pigs are particularly suseptable to post op infection. The second thing is vets- few vets know that much about guinea pigs or have much experiance of operating on them. Which makes it moe risky. Please understand if owners already have girls and want the boar to live with them I can see the merit in that. If they have boars who won't get on with other boars, again fine- they will have more chance of getting on with a lady and its a lovely way top live I am sure. If owners find a good vet and are prepared I think that is totally fine. Good even.

But for a rescue to decide across the board to nueter all boars when many would go with other males with out surgery is a shame. Thats all I am saying. There are incidently plenty of mixed sex rescues who with a little patience and time pair up boars with boars with no problem and only nueter in special cases.

I think the key to my sucess with the boys is having no girls around. If you do have girls and there is not a way you can keep them apart, then perhaps, if you are willing to travel to find a good vet the op might be the best option for you. I have a page on it on the site that i reworked recently and that has lots of links to other good sites about the op.
 
Barmy4boars said:
It is personal choice as you say Barbara but I stand by my comments. I do feel a little bit put out to be honest as it does look from the double and triple posting in this thread as though you have to answer every comment and have the last word. I don't think this is necessary surely I can have my say, you can have yours and we can disagree? With all the hard work I have put into trying to educate people against routinely neutering boars I hope you understand that I feel extremely disappointed that this is the choice of someone I hoped knew better.

Aren't I allowed to answer individual points that came up? I answered politely and in a considered fashion, I most certainly wasn't after the "last word" as you put it.
The amount of time you put into educating people against routine neutering of boars has nothing to do with me and the way I choose to run my small rescue. I make all my guinea pig decisions based on what I feel to be in the best interests of my animals. You have to remember I am dealing with rescues and my aim is to get them into good permanent homes. I have a good vet and I have never had him or anyone else question my motives.

Yes you have your ideas and I respect that, but you cannot expect everyone else to share them.
I will not be routinely neutering paired boys as explained but certainly have no qualms about the single lads. If people don't approve, that is their prerogative and it doesn't bother me at all.

I find the comment "I feel extremely disappointed in someone who should know better" very condescending Susie and am disappointed in your choice of wordsif I am honest.

Out of all the guinea pigs I have ever had neutered only one has ever developed an infection, it was easily treated, he was fine in himself and he soon recovered. Thankfully I have never had a guinea pig die during or after the operation. If I was dealing with lot's of problems, losuing piggies, would I do it? Of course not :)

Barbara
 
Sorry Barabara I dont want this to become personal, clearly you feel I am having the last word in the same way I felt you were having the last word. I have lots of e-mails from people who have had post op infections etc. months down the line so maybe everyone doesn't have as good of a vet as you do. If I feel a little strongly that would be the reason.

I am not shocked the vet would not question you. He will be making a fair bit out of your decision I imagine.

Anyway if that is your decision then go for it. But I do hope if there is a couple of nice mellow boars you might consider pairing them up rather than always opting for surgery. I understand that you believe you have good intentions here.
 
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