Stumped with a bond.

[2Pigs2Many]

Hello there, back after some years. I have two male pigs who are 3 years old, I got them together since they were wee babies and they were caged together in a rather large area until they reached roughly a little over a year in age. That's when the fights broke out, they got abscesses, got taken to the vet and placed on antibiotics+metacam. I really need some assistance, they each are in a large cage alone, but the bars are together and they will rub noses, talk to talk to each other and even bite on the bars together as if they love each other but they hate each other at the same time since that incident 1.5 years ago or so?

I was planning to adopt two spayed females and place one in each of their cages because I feel like they're lonely, but I can't seem to find any in my area and the local shelter doesn't even spay or neuter their pigs! (Yet, over the phone they say they are against breeding, which I agree with but... adopting out unaltered pigs sounds hypocritical). Anyway, what is the best way to go about this? Is there a way to even go about this? I don't want them to be lonely and have to rely on looking at each other through the bars for interaction. It's been a year since I've gotten them together in a caged area (not with their smells, completely clean), and they still tried to mount each other and my shy boy will chatter his teeth. They're like polar opposites with moods, one's like a little social dog that loves everyone and everything and one is very skiddish and shy around strangers but not me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Swissgreys]

It is great that you want to get friends for your boys.
Guinea pigs really are happier living in pairs/groups assuming they all get on.

Given that it is extremely difficult to find spayed females in general, the best plan would be to consider having your boys neutered (which is much less invasive than a female spay) and then after the 6 week post op wait, seeing if you can find them both a female companion each.

 

[Siikibam]

Was blood drawn when they were fighting previously? If so then I’m afraid there’s no turning back.

Piggies don’t do ‘playdates’. Each time you put them together they have to re-establish dominance and hierarchy. It’s stressful for them so not advised.

@Swissgreys beat me to it. You're more likely to find a neutered boar than a spayed sow. Another alternative is to take them boar dating at a rescue and let them choose their own friend.

Mounting is normal dominance behaviour. Unfortunately there are som epiggies that can't live with each other but can't live without each other either!, a bit like us slaves humans!

 

[VickiA]

I agree with the above. You are highly unlikely to ever get a spayed sow (the only rescue who routinely spayed sows closed their doors years ago). The best bet would be to neuter them both, wait 6 weeks and then find them a sow each.