Tension between my boars

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dyonataly

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Hi guys. I just want to express my sadness over my 2 boars...

They had a big fight yesterday over a lettuce leaf where blood was almost drawn and now you can just feel the tension between them. To de-escalate the tension I have removed their fleece forest where their cuddle cup is and just left them 2 identical tunnels.

I am so sad because they both love their fleece forest and cuddle cup/doughnut bed and usually they take turns with it without fighting but today I have seen more rumbling when one is on there so have decided to remove it given what happened yesterday.

There was also a lot of chasing today which I have never witnessed.

Do you guys who have boars have identical everything as well? I understand with the 2 identical hideaways but what do you do with the tunnels, etc? The cage looks so empty with just 2 tunnels there :(

Less popcorning as well today for sure :(

I just hope it does not escalate any further :(
 
How old are your boars? Is this an adolescent flare-up?

I don't have any piggies any more, sorry. And my boar set-ups from way back when aren't up to modern standards! From reading on here tho it sounds as if you definitely need 2 cuddle cups and 2 forests, if space. That's partly why I ask about adolescent flare-up - they may have shared nicely till today, but aren't going to anymore.
 
I am just so shocked to see it happen so suddenly :(

I believe so too. it is adolescent as they are around 9 months. I am not sure of their age as they were adopted and the rescue centre is not sure as well. Their testicles have just descended in the last 2 months.
 
The testicles descend at 4 months of age so if you are right and it happened two months ago then your piggies are not 9 months old - they are around 6 months old which is the height of hormone output.
At this point you are going to see an increase in dominance.

Any item in the cage which causes a territorial issue needs to be removed.

For my boar pairs I always had four hides, each with two doors, in the cage at all times.
The two boys I have left are separated so it wouldn’t be helpful for me to post their set up
 
I have read it yes and have followed everything :(

i am just so sad that i couldn't really put all the things they love now in the cage due to space so i was also wondering what other set ups look like. I can only afford 5x2 cage with my space...
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
How are they now? Still chasing? Or are they settling down?

Have you read this recently? Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Otherwise I'm sure somebody else with current experience of boar pairs will be along soon.
Click to expand...

Piggies&buns said:
A 5x2 is the size they need.

Yes that’s absolutely fine
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Thank you, for your reassurance. To me it does not look enough but i am happy now i am reassured. :)

fingers crossed it does not escalate any further....
 
As i say, remove anything which causes a territorial issue.

and keep an eye on them. If they are 6 months old then hormones are spiking so an increase in dominance is to be expected. You just have to watch that it doesn’t go too far.
 
I have separated boars in a 5x2. However, it has 2 floors so each boy has a 3x2 and a 2x2, this works for them. Can you add a floor and ramps? 20240828_163001.webp
 
Fingers crossed it doesn't happen but if I have to separate them i can do 3x2 each together, i will have to give up our coffee corner but hey, they take priority over my coffee corner 🤣🤣🤣
 
Piggies&buns said:
As i say, remove anything which causes a territorial issue.

and keep an eye on them. If they are 6 months old then hormones are spiking so an increase in dominance is to be expected. You just have to watch that it doesn’t go too far.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Yes we will keep an eye. 🥰🥰
 
With pairs of boars I always have two identical houses (with two doors) and two tunnels. I don't add anything else while they are young as they need lots of room for zoomies and popcorning. Hay goes in piles on the floor so they can run through it.
 
IMG_1949.webp
Cage of Fizz and Fuzz 15 month not quite settled in their bond boars. Houses have front and side doors. Tunnels are placed so they can round round and through them. Hay pile across the front of 3 x 4 cage. The houses are on pee pads, I change the pee pads every other day and avoid changing the main fleece and the pee pads on the same day.
IMG_1952.webp
Timmy and Freddie, 4 year old boars who still occasionally disagree who's is charge! Corner houses with 2 doors, everything else is run through. They love to sit under the stools and always want the one the other has! Again I don't change all the bedding in one go.
 
piggieminder said:
View attachment 272318
Cage of Fizz and Fuzz 15 month not quite settled in their bond boars. Houses have front and side doors. Tunnels are placed so they can round round and through them. Hay pile across the front of 3 x 4 cage. The houses are on pee pads, I change the pee pads every other day and avoid changing the main fleece and the pee pads on the same day.
View attachment 272319
Timmy and Freddie, 4 year old boars who still occasionally disagree who's is charge! Corner houses with 2 doors, everything else is run through. They love to sit under the stools and always want the one the other has! Again I don't change all the bedding in one go.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. They are so lucky to have such big cages! :) these are mines' set up now, please feel free to let me know if there's anything wrong lol. The main hideaways both have 2 entrances and they can easily get out of the side doors. Ignore those 2 white circular things those are their icy pods lol.
 

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Not cleaning everything in one go is a good tip, It really works. Even though my boys are older and separated, I still make sure to leave "smelly" stuff in. I use lots of small fleeces, mats and pee pads to ensure not everything needs changing at once.
When they were together there was always two of everything.
 
fluffysal said:
Not cleaning everything in one go is a good tip, It really works. Even though my boys are older and separated, I still make sure to leave "smelly" stuff in. I use lots of small fleeces, mats and pee pads to ensure not everything needs changing at once.
When they were together there was always two of everything.
Click to expand...
Thank you, yes i do do this :)
 
fluffysal said:
Not cleaning everything in one go is a good tip, It really works. Even though my boys are older and separated, I still make sure to leave "smelly" stuff in. I use lots of small fleeces, mats and pee pads to ensure not everything needs changing at once.
When they were together there was always two of everything.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. Fingers crossed they get thru this phase together :)
 
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