To neuter Timmy or not

[sammyroo]

When I wanted a new friend for Sammy last year, I also encountered a lot of resistance from some rescues who were adamant that they would not re-home a boar to be paired with a boar. Sammy was already 4 years old and I was not prepared to put him through neutering at that age.

I managed to get a new adult friend for him from RSPCA Medway. I did have quite a long chat with them first and explain that they would be in separate cages to start with and only introduced slowly. When we went to get Rupert, we did not take Sam with us; they only met as next-door neighbours to start with at home and built up very slowly. They are now best friends :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
but doing it that way does mean you will not know for certain whether it's going to work out until you've had the new one a few wheeks.

In our case the decision was more simple than yours - Sam was too old to neuter and he was clearly lonely following the death of his brother so even a 'next-door' friend was going to be better than staying all alone.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I really hope you can find Timmy a friend. I'm sure he could be very happy with another male! Its such a shame you are coming across so much resistance from rescues.

I find this attitude by so many people about not being able to bond boars so upsetting. No wonder so many people don't want the boys. When Ellie and I took in a number of piggies (male and female) for re-homing we were able to re-home the females but although everyone said how lovely the males were no-one wanted to offer them a home. Well they are all very much loved and wanted now because I kept each and every one of them! They all live in pairs and its clear to see how much they love their cage mate.

I am really concerned that people are wrongly assuming that you can't keep boys together and that neutering or a lonely life are the only options.

 

[Caviesgalore (EPGPR)]

I agree totally with your comments furryfriends. When we lost Tetley in the summer, people "in the know" recommended neutering or getting a baby boar. As some of you may remember I was unsure what to do for the best, just like LJ. I had originally had two pairs of boars one pair aged nearly 4 and nearly 2, the other, of which Tetley was one, aged 3 and nearly 2. In the end I divided a large run in two and put the pair in one half and Curly my remaining 2 year old in the other half. We continued like this for a week or so and tried lots of lap time with the girls and I each having a piggy. In the end we removed the divider in the run one day, put it on a nice new patch of grass and added a huge plate of fresh food popped the three boys in and hey presto!

I'm not saying keeping boars together is a doddle (some girls can be just as bad ;D), but I find it hard to understand why people are so negative. My three are loving being together, yes they have their moments but lets face it we all get days like that.

Good luck with your quest.

 

[MemberY]

I really hope you can find Timmy a friend. I'm sure he could be very happy with another male! Its such a shame you are coming across so much resistance from rescues.

I find this attitude by so many people about not being able to bond boars so upsetting. No wonder so many people don't want the boys. When Ellie and I took in a number of piggies (male and female) for re-homing we were able to re-home the females but although everyone said how lovely the males were no-one wanted to offer them a home. Well they are all very much loved and wanted now because I kept each and every one of them! They all live in pairs and its clear to see how much they love their cage mate.

I am really concerned that people are wrongly assuming that you can't keep boys together and that neutering or a lonely life are the only options.

Believe me, if I had the chance to go to some rescues with Timmy and find him his friend, I would. I have one last chance with Bobtails as Piglover suggested. All the other rescues I have heard of are outside my rehoming area. I have read here and on other threads how difficult rescues find it to rehome single boars, especially older ones yet here I am looking for exactly that, I can offer a wonderful home and I can`t even get past stage one >

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I really hope you can find Timmy a friend. I'm sure he could be very happy with another male! Its such a shame you are coming across so much resistance from rescues.

I find this attitude by so many people about not being able to bond boars so upsetting. No wonder so many people don't want the boys. When Ellie and I took in a number of piggies (male and female) for re-homing we were able to re-home the females but although everyone said how lovely the males were no-one wanted to offer them a home. Well they are all very much loved and wanted now because I kept each and every one of them! They all live in pairs and its clear to see how much they love their cage mate.

I am really concerned that people are wrongly assuming that you can't keep boys together and that neutering or a lonely life are the only options.

Believe me, if I had the chance to go to some rescues with Timmy and find him his friend, I would. I have one last chance with Bobtails as Piglover suggested. All the other rescues I have heard of are outside my rehoming area. I have read here and on other threads how difficult rescues find it to rehome single boars, especially older ones yet here I am looking for exactly that, I can offer a wonderful home and I can`t even get past stage one >

Thats what I find so annoying! Here you are wanting a single boar to put with your Timmy and its proving impossible. You are able to offer a really loving home and you are coming across all this negativity! And they wonder why people go to pet shops! I am just so disappointed for you.

My bonded males are so loving towards one another - they seem to have such a strong friendship that when one dies the other is totally devastated. I truly believe that Joe wouldn't have lasted very long at all when his dad Mr Tiggy died, if he hadn't gone in with Ralfie and Berby. Snap, who is a right little chatterbox, didn't utter a sound for over a month after his mate Ginger passed away. Now he is with Goggles he is back to his usual chatty self. Why should your Timmy be denied this? I really hope you can find him a little mate soon, you are trying so hard!
xx

 

[Caviesgalore (EPGPR)]

My bonded males are so loving towards one another - they seem to have such a strong friendship that when one dies the other is totally devastated. I truly believe that Joe wouldn't have lasted very long at all when his dad Mr Tiggy died, if he hadn't gone in with Ralfie and Berby. Snap, who is a right little chatterbox, didn't utter a sound for over a month after his mate Ginger passed away. Now he is with Goggles he is back to his usual chatty self. Why should your Timmy be denied this? I really hope you can find him a little mate soon, you are trying so hard!
xx

Curly was the same when he lost his dad. He buried himself in the corner under a pile of hay, tucked his head down and stayed there - this is from a 3lb plus boy who loved food almost as much as he did getting himself into trouble! Now he has two friends he is back to his old self, falling in the rubbish bags, pinching all the food from the colander, making a complete racket everytime I go near the shed!

I do hope you can find Timmy a friend, thank you for trying so hard.

 

[maryh]

Have you tried Christine at Animal Lifeline? I know she has a lot of piggies for rehoming at the moment and is expecting more in on Saturday.Her place is a short waalk from Cheam Village.

I am certain she has a lot of boars in right now.

Her telephone number is 0208 2740034 worth a try anyway.

 

[piglover]

Yeah She tried her yesterday Mary, she wan't much help just told Fiona to get him neutered. I suggested she tried Delia at Bobtails and just took him there on Sunday to see if Delia could help her.

 

[sammyroo]

If you can get to RSPCA Medway, they didn't do a home check on me, just had a chat to make sure I knew what I was doing.
They are quite close to the motorway so may be a reasonably short drive time-wise even if the distance looks long on a map.

 

[MemberY]

I had a look at the Bobtails website, have a look on their policy for bonding adult boars...they are against it too >

http://www.bobtailsrescue.org.uk/care2.asp?newsID=4

 

[sammy]

How many lonely boys are out there because people aren't prepared to give bonding a chance :'(

 

[sammy]

Emma has still got Bertie

 

[karenrgpr]

Can I just say I'm not anti anything, but want my boars to go to homes where they will be with friends and sometimes that means castrating the single ones. I never break up pairs of boars and it took a year to find one pair a home- if they'd been castrated they'd have probably gone sooner- not sure if I'm proud of that or not : I either do the bonding my self (when its 2 rescue boars) or we do introductions here, if it doesn't happen on the day then I don't let them go- or haven't so far.

My concern in this case would be that my rescue boar may end up on his own with a Human that dotes on him and doesn't want to give him up (fair enough) and he spends his life alone. Nothing personal Fiona, just looking out for my boys. If it was a home that is comfortably able to split the cage then that changes things too, I would certainly go for that.

I think a lot of people here are seeing this as black and white with absolutely no grey area or other point of view and throwing accusations around.

 

[sammy]

How many lonely boys are out there because people aren't prepared to give bonding a chance :'(

I didn't mean to offend any one :-X I am in no position to advise anyone,I have a lone boar who lives happily alongside my three girls I know it's not ideal but he seems very happy (if only they could talk).He apparantly fought with every male he has ever been put with :'((I just think it's sad that there must be many boars out there like mine)

 

[MemberY]

I totally understand where you are coming from Karen and I wouldn`t want to give a boar back because I would have fallen in love with him Splitting the cage doesn`t mean they will be happy with that either. Lennie and Timmy have a 6` x 4 1/2 `C & C split down the middle. They can see/smell/interact but Lennie totally ignores Timmy, in fact he turns his rather large bum towards him on purpose. My other boars when having their run around time go up to Timmys cage a lot and Timmy just rumbles at them and bites the cage. So he is not happy just with through cage contact either.
I am not against neutering Timmy, just a bit worried that a sow in the same room will cause my other boars to flip out at eachother.
If a rescue has a senior un neutered boar, they can`t have him castrated anyway, so isnt it better to try bonding him with a boar and if it doesnt work, well nothing is lost as he was alone anyway? He would still have a loving home and the interaction of other piggies.

 

[piglover]

I either do the bonding my self (when its 2 rescue boars) or we do introductions here, if it doesn't happen on the day then I don't let them go- or haven't so far.

Karen, Fiona's point was that she couldn't even get in the door of the rescues with Timmy at least it seems you try introductions she couldn't even get one!

 

[MemberY]

That's right Sue, that is what is frustrating me!
If I took Timmy along to a few and gave it a try and none worked, well I will have tried with an experienced rescues help, then I could positively make the decision to neuter!

 

[jnenbnb]

Have you got any pics of the gorgeous little fella so we know who we're talking about?! ;D sorry, I'm just anything for a photo opportunity!

 

[karenrgpr]

The problem is we often don't know the age of the pigs and if they're healthy then there is no reason for not castrating if it finds a home. If we didn't then we'd be able to rescue no more and would be putting boars to sleep and that would be wrong!

PigLover: I if someone wants a boar and I have one then we give it a go but it must be right for my boar primarily. I can't speak for others. Before I was sure of James' surgical skills I didn't let him near my boys! Then Jenny came on the scene and was taught alongside James... At the same time if castration is right then I go for that.

 

[MemberY]

Have you got any pics of the gorgeous little fella so we know who we're talking about?! ;D sorry, I'm just anything for a photo opportunity!

Yes, here is Timmy causing all this fuss ;D

 

[karenrgpr]

and what a gorge boy he is

 

[MemberY]

Emma has still got Bertie

Which one was Bertie Sammy? Was he not the gorgeous peruvian who fights with other boars? I can`t remember!

Anyway, thanks to the kindess of folk on here, I have a couple more avenues to follow so I will keep you all posted and should I sucessfully bond him with another boar, we will have a huge piggie party ;D

 

[jnenbnb]

he's lovely and well worth the fuss :smitten:

 

[sammy]

Emma has still got Bertie

Which one was Bertie Sammy? Was he not the gorgeous peruvian who fights with other boars? I can`t remember!

Anyway, thanks to the kindess of folk on here, I have a couple more avenues to follow so I will keep you all posted and should I sucessfully bond him with another boar, we will have a huge piggie party ;D

He's the heinz 57 a real sweetie :smitten:the good thing is if it didn't work out I'm sure emma would let you take him back...give her a ring,nothing to lose

 

[jnenbnb]

What is heinz57? ive heard that mentioned a few times and not got it?! xx

 

[sammy]

I think it's abit of this and a bit of that :

 

[joy_sweetcute]

hello every one

ok so if you do deside to get another boar then do please get them nutered
#1 reason why...
because this will slim the chance of fighting

I'm not impling that boars arnt good pets because they are but they are taratorial an dthis is mostly trigurged(sp?)hormaones so yea

hope i helped
joys mum

 

[maisynpoppy]

i thought that didnt make a difference in piggies? ?

 

[karenrgpr]

Unlike in other animals castration has not been shown to have a large enough effect on behaviour to warrant it being done. Guinea pigs tend to stay the same though logically they should calm down But this is guinea pigs we're talking about :

I'd only have them castrated if they're to go with a female

 

[MemberY]

Hello Joys mum
Guinea pigs are different to cats and dogs, as in neutering makes no or at least very little difference to their behaviour. The chances of fighting or not remain the same. The only reason to neuter a guinea is so he can be paired with sows and cannot get them pregnant.
Thanks for you imput though