Separated Boars - Need Help!

[GPmummy]

I am completely devastated as I have had to separate my two boars who are 2/3 months old. They have been fighting as just as I thought it was sorted they were in for a cuddle and we had one going back on hind and teeth bearing. So cue dash into garage to try to work out what I can do (they live outside). One in sleep in a cat carrier tonight, I have set it up with straw and saw dust, a nesting ball and will cover with a blanket and keep it in garage. The other one is in the hutch i the garage.
My problem is we have very little space both in garage and garden and I am not sure I how I am going to house these boys now. We bought a brand new hutch which cost a lot of money and now I feel it is all wasted. I am so upset and didn't expect this at all. The Guinea Pigs were my daughter 7th birthday present so we could get rid of one.

I need some practical advise on how to house then now. Also do they need to avoid each other 24/7. I am guessing they can't even share a run?
Is this it now? Will they never get on?
Will they get lonely?

Please, please, please help

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I am sorry for your problems. You can give them a night to cool off and try a formal intro on neutral ground after a bath tomorrow. Please only move them into the cleaned hutch when they are fully dry and they get on. However, if one of the boys is popcorning and a lot happier on his own, you know that the bond is not working.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/

Housing solution: Stack another hutch on top of your existing one, so you can accommodate two groups. They can time share a run if necessary or you can try to divide the run.

You have several options if things don't work out:
- boar dating at a good rescue. This means that character compatibility is taken into account. A good rescue lady will date your little ones preferably with mature boars, so only your youngster will go through the big hormones. Mutual liking/character compatibility is taken into account. this maximises your chances for a stable bond and minimises the risk of further fall-outs down the line. You will always have the rescue to fall back on in case there are problems. We can give you recommendations if you tell us your general area or you can use our recommended rescues locator on the top bar.

- wait until your boys are old enough for neutering (4-6 months old depending on weight, health and physical development). This requires an experienced vet with a good track record for piggy neutering to minimise the risk of post op complications. The boys will be safe to join a girl or two after another 6 weeks post op wait (I have a surprise baby from an over 5 weeks post op boar living with me, just to make the point!). The advantage of going through it all is that cross gender pairs are the most stable of all piggy bonds and that fall-outs are virtually unknown. Again, dating at a good rescue will ensure that initial acceptance happens and they like each other for a happier bond.
We have got a piggy savvy vet locator; otherwise, you can ask for recommendations if you let us know your general area.

- if your boys have to live on top of each other, they will have very little interaction. They are not likely to get on until they are mature and settled adults at the best - if ever!

 

[GPmummy]

Thank you wiebke for your quick response. Sadly it looks like a new hutch as the one we have has a pitched roof and the bottom is the run. Going to see if we can adapt it but I don't think we can. The bottom run is comfy so going to put one in there tomorrow and leave the other at the top (you can shut them off from each other.

So would they need friends? Can I wait till they a neutered and see if they get on? I'm worried about getting more!

 

[Wiebke]

Neutering boars will not mend a bond and will not allow them to live together safely, I am very sorry - unlike with rabbits, it only prevents boars making babies.

If you are seriously considering neutering, then I'd rather consider bonding each neutered boy with a suitable sow under expert supervision at a good rescue. Once initial acceptance has happened (at the rescue, so no risk for you of coming home with a new piggy that is not working out!), there are no fall-outs between sows and boars.

Please sleep over your options and try another intro tomorrow before making your decisions in a panic!

 

[GPmummy]

Thank you. I think our plan is to keep them separated until the weekend and then give the hutch another deep clean, bath them and put them in the run and see how they behave. It is such a shame as they have been together for 4 weeks now and love to snuggle up and be together but now they seem to have decided they don't like each other. In the day one will live in the bottom of the hutch, like a run with lots of tunnels and nests to hide in and the other will be in the top with tunnel and hide out. Hope fully that will be ok for them until the weekend

 

[Goth Mummy]

Oh i am sorry you are going through this as well. I had to separate my boys as well last night. They have been together since they were 3 weeks old and are now 6 months.