Trio of boars lost a member, opinions on getting a "replacement"?

[Snoot]

Hello!
I wanted to ask other piggy owners' opinions about adding a new boar to an existing pair in my situation.

I had a well working trio of boars aged 4, 3, and 1. The 3yo one died two weeks ago and it hit me very hard. He got really well along with both of his buddies and was more submissive and docile in nature, whereas the oldest one didn't really like the youngest getting too close to him, but tolerated his presence (as long as he kept a distance of a few inches), and there was never any chasing, fighting, guarding food or hideys etc. The youngest one also learned to respect his boundaries, even while being quite dominant with the 3yo (a lot of mounting), and so peace was kept.

After their friend's passing the two have started showing improvement in their relationship: They eat peacefully from the same bowl or hay rack noses almost touching, sometimes sleep close to each other (still at least a couple inches in between, but better than before) and the young one can sometimes, carefully, go right up to his older brother to sniff his face etc. and he tolerates this much better and longer than before.

The new pig would of course be as young as possible to make bonding easier. I am aware of the space and resource requirements for a trio of boars, as well as the introduction methods as I have succesfully added a third to my pair of boars before, but I won't mind any tips! Their cage is about 6,6ft * 3,1ft with a 3,6ft * 1,8ft loft and it has 6 houses/nests (all with at least two entrances) and two hay racks, food bowls and drinking bottles on different sides of the cage, all arranged so there is still plenty of free space to roam. They also get to move freely between the cage and the rest our living room most days (furnished with the pigs in mind, with a lot of hideys and a food spot).

One of the reasons, aside from the obvious reason that I just love them, that I'm thinking of getting a new boar now is because to get the breed I am planning to have next (skinny) can require some waiting time in my country as they're not very common. This could be quite bad considering that one of my two guinea pigs would eventually end up alone and would probably have to wait a while to get a new buddy.

So in short, I was wondering about the likelihood of having them work so well as a trio again. I know the risks and that the hierarchy will have to be readjusted on the possible arrival of a new baby, but I feel like I need to get this out of my system one way or the other and having others' opinions, experiences and tips couldn't hurt!

Thanks in advance for your feedback and for reading such a long text!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!
I wanted to ask other piggy owners' opinions about adding a new boar to an existing pair in my situation.

I had a well working trio of boars aged 4, 3, and 1. The 3yo one died two weeks ago and it hit me very hard. He got really well along with both of his buddies and was more submissive and docile in nature, whereas the oldest one didn't really like the youngest getting too close to him, but tolerated his presence (as long as he kept a distance of a few inches), and there was never any chasing, fighting, guarding food or hideys etc. The youngest one also learned to respect his boundaries, even while being quite dominant with the 3yo (a lot of mounting), and so peace was kept.

After their friend's passing the two have started showing improvement in their relationship: They eat peacefully from the same bowl or hay rack noses almost touching, sometimes sleep close to each other (still at least a couple inches in between, but better than before) and the young one can sometimes, carefully, go right up to his older brother to sniff his face etc. and he tolerates this much better and longer than before.

The new pig would of course be as young as possible to make bonding easier. I am aware of the space and resource requirements for a trio of boars, as well as the introduction methods as I have succesfully added a third to my pair of boars before, but I won't mind any tips! Their cage is about 6,6ft * 3,1ft with a 3,6ft * 1,8ft loft and it has 6 houses/nests (all with at least two entrances) and two hay racks, food bowls and drinking bottles on different sides of the cage, all arranged so there is still plenty of free space to roam. They also get to move freely between the cage and the rest our living room most days (furnished with the pigs in mind, with a lot of hideys and a food spot).

One of the reasons, aside from the obvious reason that I just love them, that I'm thinking of getting a new boar now is because to get the breed I am planning to have next (skinny) can require some waiting time in my country as they're not very common. This could be quite bad considering that one of my two guinea pigs would eventually end up alone and would probably have to wait a while to get a new buddy.

So in short, I was wondering about the likelihood of having them work so well as a trio again. I know the risks and that the hierarchy will have to be readjusted on the possible arrival of a new baby, but I feel like I need to get this out of my system one way or the other and having others' opinions, experiences and tips couldn't hurt!

Thanks in advance for your feedback and for reading such a long text!

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss. You may find this guide helpful in coping with your own feelings: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children

Please be aware that boar trios or quartets are a very tricky combination that fails more often than it works; especially the more sub-adults you have in it as the teenage hormone spikes can cause conflicts. Three teenage boars together have a fall-out rate of around 90%. You have about as much of a change of ending up with three singles as with a working trio.

As much as you crave a new addition right now to lessen your loss, please don't put your working couple at risk.
I would rather recommend to consider starting a separate pair of the breed you want when the time is right and you find what you want.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
I am sorry for your loss.
Please feel free to post a tribute to him on the Rainbow Bridge thread.
I can only echo what @Wiebke has said about boar trios.

 

[Snoot]

Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss. You may find this guide helpful in coping with your own feelings: Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children

Please be aware that boar trios or quartets are a very tricky combination that fails more often than it works; especially the more sub-adults you have in it as the teenage hormone spikes can cause conflicts. Three teenage boars together have a fall-out rate of around 90%. You have about as much of a change of ending up with three singles as with a working trio.

As much as you crave a new addition right now to lessen your loss, please don't put your working couple at risk.
I would rather recommend to consider starting a separate pair of the breed you want when the time is right and you find what you want.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

Thank you for the reply! Your text on grieving was beautiful and true to life.

I suppose my question was more "it worked with them before, so is it more likely to work again", and if anyone has any experience of a similiar situation. They are also not teenagers anymore, their more specific ages are 4 years 11 months and 1 year 4 months and the possible new baby would be as close to 5-6 weeks old as possible to keep a proper age gap.

You are right about risking a working pair though.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the reply! Your text on grieving was beautiful and true to life.

I suppose my question was more "it worked with them before, so is it more likely to work again", and if anyone has any experience of a similiar situation. They are also not teenagers anymore, their more specific ages are 4 years 11 months and 1 year 4 months and the possible new baby would be as close to 5-6 weeks old as possible to keep a proper age gap.

You are right about risking a working pair though.

It is never an easy decision. If you do it, please always have a plan B in case a home bonding doesn't work out. That is one lesson I have learned from nearly a century of bonding attempts! Being lucky once doesn't necessarily mean that you next bonding/teenage months are going well, too. It all depends not just on the age combination, but even more so on the personality balance.

 

[Tiamolly123]

Hi, you had a trio of boars & you were lucky it worked. The 2 remaining are getting on better. Do you really want to upset things. I think it is one of the times it's better to let things, be. I'm sorry about your loss.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

Adding a young boar to the mix could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back back, even before baby reaches his teenage years. He may try and go for the top spot once he hits that stage - that way could lie three separate boars. Or they may just not get on with him and bully/injure him. Why do you want to risk that happening? I’d do as suggested above - keep the two you have together and get a separate pair of the breed that you want. It’s not worth the risk. You were very lucky to have a working trio, but that won’t necessarily be the same case second time round.