Three boars and a love triangle

[ThePiggyPalace]

I have three lovely boars. There's C, aged 4, T, aged 4 and B aged 1.

C is shy and laid back and B who has a strong personality and best described as a bossy boots lived together until about 5 months ago. B reached the teenager stage and him and C ended up clattering their teeth at each other and I was sure it would end up in a fight. I separated them and tried to bond them again but it was more clattering of teeth from both of them and it looked like one was going lunge for the other, so both were solo piggies.

My darling boy, E passed away in December and he lived with T. T is another strong personality and a bossy boots too. Ever since B was a tiny baby he's had a fascination with him. It's beautiful, but they've never lived together. T has always loved snuggles and people but in the past few months when I take him from the room, him and B are constantly calling for each other. Its noisy! T isn't happy til I take him back into the room.

T and B have floor time together and they get along brilliantly despite their strong personalities. There's a lot of humping each other to work out dominance but nothing aggressive. They're obsessed with each other, especially T with B. T has been quiet lately, but eating and playing fine. He's usually a whirlwind but hasn't been. Today he was staring over at B and they were having their usual chatter. While I cleaned T and Cs home, I put T in with B, keeping a close eye on things and they got along brilliantly. I've kept an eye on them all afternoon and T had been back to his usual, happy, vibrant self whilst with B. I just went to their room and got T out for a snuggle and C who was on his own at this point wheeked! He never, ever wheeks! I think he was missing T, so T has gone back in with C. Now, my query is, I have a huge space for them and can configure their home to connect to make an even bigger space. Would I be foolish to try all three of them together over the weekend while I can keep an eye on them with plenty of distractions, food and toys to keep them calm? I don't want any of them to be a solo piggy (even though they can all see each other and each piggy pen is across the small room from the other. If not, I'm going to have to get a new piggy for the solo aren't I? I wouldn't know who to keep as a pair in that instance. T and C are bonded, but T loves B so much and B loves him back.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Attempting a trio is not something we would normally advise. Of course there is nothing stopping you trying it if you wish but you would have to be prepared that it may not work as a trio and that you could still up with a pair.
I say this because if C and B have not got on in the past, there is no reason to think they will now - piggies don’t tend to forget and they do hold grudges if they have previously fallen out with or failed to bond with another. It could mean that rather then ending up with T and C as a pair and B single, you could end up with T and B as a pair and C single. of course it doesn’t really put you in a different situation to now.
The probably less likely outcome but still something to keep in mind, if C rejects B and T and B end up as a pair (C single): if T and B decide a week or so down the line that they cant fine tune the details of a bond, there is a chance C may not accept T back (not necessarily a high chance but you wouldnt be able to rule it out), and then you’ve got three singles.

It is not recommended to allow unbonded piggies floor time as each meeting, to them, is seen as a full on bonding attempt which they can never see through to conclusion. Short meetings are never recommended for boars. It doesn’t sound to have caused fighting issues to T and C though which is good ( it’s a real possibility when unbonded piggies are allowed to meet and then a pig goes back to their bonded partner).
I’m mentioning this in case anybody else reads this thread and thinks they can have multiple short meetings between unbonded piggies - it is usually a recipe for disaster particularly if one/both piggies are actually bonded to others

What will be needed for it to work is for one to be happy to be bottom of the hierarchy. Of the other two, one would need to be prepared to step down from wanting to be dominant. If that happens then you may get lucky. T and B may be ok during those short meetings but unless and until they are together (and indeed all three of them) long enough (and remember full bonding and hierarchy process takes two weeks), then you won’t know for sure whether it is actually possible for T and B to form a hierarchy - they won’t have been able to do it during short meetings (Acceptance can occur but it doesn’t mean they can form the details of a hierarchy).

They will still need to go through the full bonding process and behaviours so food and toys won’t keep them calm.
Make sure you only have hay and water in a neutral territory bonding pen if you are going to try it. Any hides and toys in the neutral bonding pen can create territories and cause fights

It does seem one of them could remain single and that you may need to get a fourth piggy.

I note you say they are across a small room. Do keep in mind that piggies can only see clearly around 30cm in front of them, so unless their cages are directly side by side (as is necessary for any single piggies) then they cannot see each other properly.

Good luck for you decision and if you do decide to give it a go!

 

[ThePiggyPalace]

Thank you so much for your sound advice @Piggies&buns. I've been potentially causing them issues by making sure all the boys get time with T. I'll move Bs pen so he can be right next to T and Cs pen and start to prepare for welcoming a new boy to the herd. Everytime I say I'm not getting another piggy, I do! I'm overruled by piggies in my house by 3 to 1. It's a good job they don't boss me about. Oh wait, they do! One was tapping his bowl this morning for fresh nuggets! I clearly wasn't quick enough for his highness!

 

[Piggies&buns]

That is the safest thing to do - new piggy rather than trying a trio

They are all so bossy! I’ve just been out to feed mine and heard Hugo yelling at me while I was still a good 10 metres away from the shed!

 

[ThePiggyPalace]

I've realised that T isn't living his best life with C. He's always be a social boy, but he seems quite depressed when he's not with B. When he's with B, he comes alive, he's active and plays lots. When he's with C he sleeps a lot and his playful self just isn't there. He lost his best friend in December too so still may be feeling that. It's a horrible decision to make as I don't want C to live alone as he clearly adores T, but T needs to he happy too and perhaps a new piggy friend coming to live with us soon can help C be happy.