Hello 
I have few questions for more experinced owners. I had guinea pigs twice many years ago, but there were living alone. Now I have two boars and no experience. I would like to share my obserwations and ask if it is normal or I have a reason to worry.
Few weeks ago I bought a boar in pet shop. He was alone, because he was much bigger than other pigs, in another cage were sows so he was separated. I bought him because he was cute and nobody wanted him - almost everybody wishes to buy very small animals. We call thi boar Toffee. I think he is few months old, he weighs 600g (1,3 lb). This Friday I adopted another boar from non-profit organization which saved him from very bad conditions few months ago. New boar is called Blacky. He is 10 months old, all live lived with other pigs. Unfortunately I don't know how Toffe behaves in company, so the organization recommended me Blacky as very calm, peaceful pig who doesn't argue. I brought him home and decided to arrange first meeting on Saturday.
I prepared a lot of space (2x3m), towels, food, hosuse etc. in room where no pig was before. First hour was quite intensive, boars were "talking" with each other, chattering, marking the area and running. I didn't intervere, beacuse they didn't fight. After about one hour the hierarchy was clear - the younter Toffee is dominant, Blacky is really calm and can not be provoked. They are not agressive to each other. Toffee was showing domination all the time - pissing, purring, slowly walking near Blacky and humping sometimes. After about 5-6 hour I decided to move boars to coach - new place for both of them. They were a little bit tired and finally lay near to each other. They were really relaxed. After next hour I had to move them to their new cage - DIY wooden cage 120x60cm with floor 45x50cm. They were sleeping in "bed" (plastic basket with a blanket) in one corner. After that Toffee started to show domination again. He was pushing Blacky from food, boils, water, "bed". Blacky was tired so I decided to move him on the cage's floor (Toffee didn't know he can go upstairs), Blacky was sleeping there almost all night (with water and food of course) and walk down early morning, and Toffee started to dominate him again. He is chasing him, pissing on him, pushing from everything Toffee wants. When Toffee is eating from one bowl (one corner of cage) and Blacky starts to eat from another one (in another corner), Toffee is pushing him, purring and chasing. Then he starts to eat from the bowl Blacky did. It looks like bullying for me. Pigs have open cage and can run in the part of our living room, have a lot of space (cage and about 2x3m of free space in room). I prepared houses and a lot of toys and food in different places to distract them a little bit. Toffee shows his domination all he time, they had few 30-40 min. breaks only. Sometimes eat together for a while, but soon Toffee starts to chase Blacky and shows the all food belongs to him. Toffee is "talking" all the time (I am tired of that
), purring, marking the area, chattering sometimes and humping from time to time or on Blacky. Sometimes they just seat near to each other and nothing happens, but it takes 5-10 minutes only... I do not separate them, because they are not biting or fighting, just running, but I don't know what to do now. Is this okay? Will they like each other finally? How long it can be like that? Blacky seems to be a little bit tired (he is bigger and fatter), but he is not very stressed, he doesn't panic - it looks like he is avoiding interaction. Toffee is focused on dominating, I don't want to let him to be a bully and terror Blacky forever.
PS. Boars are not emasculated (castrated).
I have few questions for more experinced owners. I had guinea pigs twice many years ago, but there were living alone. Now I have two boars and no experience. I would like to share my obserwations and ask if it is normal or I have a reason to worry.
Few weeks ago I bought a boar in pet shop. He was alone, because he was much bigger than other pigs, in another cage were sows so he was separated. I bought him because he was cute and nobody wanted him - almost everybody wishes to buy very small animals. We call thi boar Toffee. I think he is few months old, he weighs 600g (1,3 lb). This Friday I adopted another boar from non-profit organization which saved him from very bad conditions few months ago. New boar is called Blacky. He is 10 months old, all live lived with other pigs. Unfortunately I don't know how Toffe behaves in company, so the organization recommended me Blacky as very calm, peaceful pig who doesn't argue. I brought him home and decided to arrange first meeting on Saturday.
I prepared a lot of space (2x3m), towels, food, hosuse etc. in room where no pig was before. First hour was quite intensive, boars were "talking" with each other, chattering, marking the area and running. I didn't intervere, beacuse they didn't fight. After about one hour the hierarchy was clear - the younter Toffee is dominant, Blacky is really calm and can not be provoked. They are not agressive to each other. Toffee was showing domination all the time - pissing, purring, slowly walking near Blacky and humping sometimes. After about 5-6 hour I decided to move boars to coach - new place for both of them. They were a little bit tired and finally lay near to each other. They were really relaxed. After next hour I had to move them to their new cage - DIY wooden cage 120x60cm with floor 45x50cm. They were sleeping in "bed" (plastic basket with a blanket) in one corner. After that Toffee started to show domination again. He was pushing Blacky from food, boils, water, "bed". Blacky was tired so I decided to move him on the cage's floor (Toffee didn't know he can go upstairs), Blacky was sleeping there almost all night (with water and food of course) and walk down early morning, and Toffee started to dominate him again. He is chasing him, pissing on him, pushing from everything Toffee wants. When Toffee is eating from one bowl (one corner of cage) and Blacky starts to eat from another one (in another corner), Toffee is pushing him, purring and chasing. Then he starts to eat from the bowl Blacky did. It looks like bullying for me. Pigs have open cage and can run in the part of our living room, have a lot of space (cage and about 2x3m of free space in room). I prepared houses and a lot of toys and food in different places to distract them a little bit. Toffee shows his domination all he time, they had few 30-40 min. breaks only. Sometimes eat together for a while, but soon Toffee starts to chase Blacky and shows the all food belongs to him. Toffee is "talking" all the time (I am tired of that
), purring, marking the area, chattering sometimes and humping from time to time or on Blacky. Sometimes they just seat near to each other and nothing happens, but it takes 5-10 minutes only... I do not separate them, because they are not biting or fighting, just running, but I don't know what to do now. Is this okay? Will they like each other finally? How long it can be like that? Blacky seems to be a little bit tired (he is bigger and fatter), but he is not very stressed, he doesn't panic - it looks like he is avoiding interaction. Toffee is focused on dominating, I don't want to let him to be a bully and terror Blacky forever.PS. Boars are not emasculated (castrated).
