Single boar - advice on next steps please

[curlykrish]

Hello, as some of you may know from my other post, Kylo passed on Monday leaving behind his 6 month old son Ren. Because Kylo was so young (9months) the vet advised to wait until Ren gets to about 8 months to rule out him having inherited anything sinister.

I don’t really want to leave him alone all of that time and so have been offered a temp boar who can live next to him for a month. Would this be a good option? (He would be on his own sectioned off part of the cage separated by grids)

Then he might be alone for a while as we would wait until he is 8 months, have him checked by the vet and then plan on getting him neutered so we have more options on piggies we can pair with him. Would this be a sensible approach? Would it be bad to have him alone for 2 months given he is so young? I could try to get another temporary friend. Also, just worried he will still be in his teens - is it possible to do new bonding at this age?

 

[Siikibam]

I would try and keep his alone time as minimal as possible. Having one live next door isn’t a bad idea for now. It can be difficult to bond boars in their teens, but it’s not entirely impossible. It’s still about character compatibility. Could you get him to rescues where he could be bonded? I would ask around first before you rule it out entirely now.

When would you book him in for the neutering? Even that waiting time (6 weeks) he would do better with some company, even if through the bars.

If the single boar isn’t bonded with another could you try them together?

 

[curlykrish]

Thanks. Will speak with the rescue that I got Ren from. I’m sure they are more than willing to find him a suitable partner.

The vet suggested to wait until we can confirm he is fine before getting him Neutered, but I agree, I think this would end up being 3 months away until he is ready.

The temp boar can’t be bonded because he has another home to go to, so he is truly only on loan. But rescue may have other boars that could be a
Match.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, as some of you may know from my other post, Kylo passed on Monday leaving behind his 6 month old son Ren. Because Kylo was so young (9months) the vet advised to wait until Ren gets to about 8 months to rule out him having inherited anything sinister.

I don’t really want to leave him alone all of that time and so have been offered a temp boar who can live next to him for a month. Would this be a good option? (He would be on his own sectioned off part of the cage separated by grids)

Then he might be alone for a while as we would wait until he is 8 months, have him checked by the vet and then plan on getting him neutered so we have more options on piggies we can pair with him. Would this be a sensible approach? Would it be bad to have him alone for 2 months given he is so young? I could try to get another temporary friend. Also, just worried he will still be in his teens - is it possible to do new bonding at this age?

All the best!

 

[curlykrish]

Hello, just an update on Ren... we got a boar on loan from the rescue today to keep Ren company. His name is Neville and will be with us for the next 5-6 weeks. Quick question - how long should i expect rumblestrutting at the barrier / trying to bite at the bars /teeth chattering / whining go on for? Also - they have managed to stink out the room with whatever they are doing! at the moment they only take a break for a few minutes to eat something / rest and then they are back at it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hello, just an update on Ren... we got a boar on loan from the rescue today to keep Ren company. His name is Neville and will be with us for the next 5-6 weeks. Quick question - how long should i expect rumblestrutting at the barrier / trying to bite at the bars /teeth chattering / whining go on for? Also - they have managed to stink out the room with whatever they are doing! at the moment they only take a break for a few minutes to eat something / rest and then they are back at it.

they’ll do it until they get used to each other - each piggy is going to be different so it’s impossible to say how long really.
They are scent marking. Make sure you don’t overclean their cages - the more you clean, the more they will mark, the more it will smell

 

[Wiebke]

Sounds very much like a measuring up contest of which of them is the biggest macho boar. If Neville is only temporary, then they can stay like this and give each other enough mutual stimulation through the bars by marking their territories and playing one-upboarship with each other. it would be less upsetting for both sides but this behaviour is likely to last another day or two.
I call the rumblestrutting along the bars a 'boar haka'. It is the normal way how boars measure up against each other. He who has the biggest rumble comes out on top. Boars also do this to impress sows, since it is the sows that accept a boar/choose a boar, not the other way round.

PS: Even neutered boars can still stink up a room in now time flat when meeting other piggies of either gender...

 

[curlykrish]

Thanks! Its actually quite funny to watch because although Neville is only a month or two older than Ren, he is probably twice the size and produces a really deep and serious rumble, but it is Ren that it giving it all he has and constantly beckoning Neville to come to the bars and really biting on them. He is now sleeping by the bars and just waiting! Neville has walked off several times as if to say "give it a rest!" but then also doesn't really want to give in! At least its brought Ren out of always being inside one of his hidey's or sheltered area.

 

[curlykrish]

Hello - just thought i'd give an update. Ren is really enjoying his next door neighbour's company and his weight gain has improved. He still has a go at the biting the bars every so often and sleeping by the divider to mark his territory long after Neville has retreated. We will be taking him to the vet tomorrow for a check up and discuss neutering. Here is a video of both of them enjoying their mid-day grass time.