Should I Remove The Boar?

[Augustus]

I have a boar, Kav, who I have introduced to my two remaining sows, Flossie-Sossidge and Dilly-Chops.

Kav came from a house where he was left alone for days at a time in the spare room and he has been on his own at mine, albeit in the living room where there is nose and activity. He has been snipped, so we have no worries there. But he is very shy and timid.

Anyway, I am used to boars being boorish when put in a cage with sows. This time, though, it was the young sow, Dilly who was aggressive - she chased the other two and repeatedly mounted them. In the end, Flossie fought back, but Kav just buried himself under a pile of hay. The sows have calmed down now, but Kav just sits in the corner with his back to the cage. He comes out to eat, but then goes back. He looks so miserable.

Should I persevere, or should he go back in the bachelor cage and make up to him with lots of cuddles?

Samabta

 

[Wiebke]

I have a boar, Kav, who I have introduced to my two remaining sows, Flossie-Sossidge and Dilly-Chops.

Kav came from a house where he was left alone for days at a time in the spare room and he has been on his own at mine, albeit in the living room where there is nose and activity. He has been snipped, so we have no worries there. But he is very shy and timid.

Anyway, I am used to boars being boorish when put in a cage with sows. This time, though, it was the young sow, Dilly who was aggressive - she chased the other two and repeatedly mounted them. In the end, Flossie fought back, but Kav just buried himself under a pile of hay. The sows have calmed down now, but Kav just sits in the corner with his back to the cage. He comes out to eat, but then goes back. He looks so miserable.

Should I persevere, or should he go back in the bachelor cage and make up to him with lots of cuddles?

Samabta

Hi!

- how long has Kav been neutered for? I have got the daughter from an over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine) and know of a few other cases, so it is worth waiting a full 6 weeks until a boar is 100% safe. many vets are not aware of this and seem to be rather cavalier about the crucial difference between "mostly safe" and "totally safe".

- have you put him in with the girls, which will elicit a strong reaction and make him feel like an intruder in hostile territory, or did you start with an intro on neutral territory? I would strongly recommend to give your piggies time to work through their dominance in a more neutral setting and to give them time to work it out, as long as there is no major aggression.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/

 

[Augustus]

Hi Wiebke

Hope the tribe are doing okay?

Kav has been neutered for 7 weeks - Flossie is WAY too old to risk a first litter (even if I wanted to breed from her, which I don't). And I've always been a stickler for the 6 week rule anyway.

I only have one cage big enough for an intro, which is the one the sows were living in. It was cleaned down with white vinegar before they went in - fresh paper & hay, naturally and no hidey-holes that smell of anyone, but yes, he could feel a bit overwhelmed.

I get Dilly's behaviour being a dominance thing and that has been sorted out now, ever since Flossie had a go at her back. It's Kav's intense submissiveness. he was shy in the bachelor cage, but this is beyond that . I'll leave them to get on with it - but is there a stage when I should call it quits and hoik him out?

Samantha

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for clarifying these points for me.

Could you subdivide the cage to see whether he will move more freely and come out to feed? Perhaps time and patience can get you there just letting him settle with the girls around and then slowly having more and more shared time? It's likely to be a rather slow process but as there is no aggression, it is worth giving it a try with tiny steps.

I had to the split the Tribe into two groups at the beginning of last year in the wake of a takeover by an ambitious younger top sow and have sadly lost all of the Tribe founder piggies from 2009 and 2010 over the course of last year with the exception of Nerys, who is approaching her 7th birthday. Even Hywel is already 5 years old and getting a bit arthritic and borderline impacted although he is as fat as ever!
You can catch up with my current piggies on Wiebke's Tribe facebook page.

 

[Augustus]

Yes, it's made up of C&C grids, so that's eminently doable. I'll do that so he feels safe, but can still see the ladies.

Sorry to hear you've lost so many. I lost my 7 year old elder statespig, Truffles on Monday. Came home Monday night and she was gone. That might have had some bearing on Dilly's behaviour, I suppose.

Still, I'm at home all weekend to keep an eye on things

S

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, it's made up of C&C grids, so that's eminently doable. I'll do that so he feels safe, but can still see the ladies.

Sorry to hear you've lost so many. I lost my 7 year old elder statespig, Truffles on Monday. Came home Monday night and she was gone. That might have had some bearing on Dilly's behaviour, I suppose.

Still, I'm at home all weekend to keep an eye on things

S

I am very sorry for your loss! You are welcome to post a tribute to Truffles in our Rainbow Bridge section whenever it feels right for you. And yes, as the hierarchy has to be re-established in the wake of losing a top piggy, that would have a bearing on Dilly going overboard.

It was (and still is) sad to see them all go, but most of them lived to a good age of 5-6 years, which in some cases was very good, considering their often very bad background and medical issues.

 

[Augustus]

I am pleased to say that all is well in the Hogway Hotel now. Dilly is top pig and has stopped feeling the need to bully Kav. He is now coming out of his sleeping box now - he finally went in one, but on the whole he stays in, dozing about..... a guinea pig version of a Dad shed, I suppose! Flossie doesn't care who else is in the cage.... as ong as there's FOOOOOOOD!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the update. I am glad that things hae settled down peacefully now.