Unhappy boars after separation?

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AngeH

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Hi All,

I posted a thread recently about my boars (Wilbur and Wallace) having some amber/red dominance warnings. After a fight resulting in two small nicks (no serious bloodshed fortunately) I read all the links and took advice and separated them. The original post was: small-fight-or-pending-problem-bonding-boars.182613/#post-2467275

I kept them together for another day or two after the tussle - as I'm working from home right now so able to fully monitor - and they were calm and friendly and often out together. But then it escalated again by Wilbur (original sub) still pushing for dominance over Wallace. It was another full-on lunge and got a little nasty but fortunately I was able to intervene quickly.

My worry is after separating them they both seem unhappy. It's been 3 days. but they're just sitting in their corners and are very inactive. They are both usually very active and out eating a lot, tootling around, changing snoozing places and popcorning. But they've stopped all of that, are not squeaking for food anymore and just seem a bit folorn. Wilbur has been biting at the bars now and then but it's not constant. They occasionally interact through nose sniffing through the C&C and coming out for their food at the same time. And then go back to their corners and sit there all day (they are separated on the same level by C&C grids so can still interact and both have a good amount of space).

Is this just a period I need to get through given the change in their living situation? I'm trying not to attach human emotion to them (!) but they just seem so sad? It's so upsetting.
 
If their relationship has completely broken down then being separated is the only option.
Give them some time and see how it goes.
Would looking to bond them with another piggy each be something you would consider? Either another boar (ideally by dating at a rescue centre to ensure compatibility - they are in their teens though which is the hardest time to bond) or neutering them both and finding a sow for each of them?
 
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Thanks piggies&buns.

Yes, I would consider pairing them with a sow or another boar - although it's not something I can do for a while as I don't have the cage space to create enough room for two pairs right now. I'll have to hope they perk up soon and see what I can do in time.

I've been very lucky not to have to separate any boar pairs before now, so I think I'm just feeling a bit upset about it all :(
 
It’s not nice when relationships break down.
If you’ve got c&c cages, then they can stack thereby saving floor space. That’s of course only any good when they both have a new live in companion though
 
You can stack c&c cages so could have space if it’s there now. Sorry it didn’t work out, some friendships are fraught.
 
Hi there, can I ask how things are going now? Have things calmed down? I’m in a similar situation and have just separated (see (Argument injuries and a possible snotty nose)

I will not be going down the route of having 4 guineas and I don’t know if they could live happily single and seperated long term.

Very sadly it seems I will have to take one back to the rescue I got them from. I’m gutted. In the meantime I have one in a run in the kitchen and one in a hutch but he comes in for the day with run of the rest of the kitchen. A second indoor run is arriving today.

Yesterday during their ‘together but separate’ time they still attempted to fight at the indoor run wall so I’m wondering if it gets better? They settled down and had some nice moments but it’s stressful wondering if they are gonna take a lunge, for all involved!

I’ve been up at 4 am these last few days worrying about them and thinking over everything 🙈
 
Diane H said:
Hi there, can I ask how things are going now? Have things calmed down? I’m in a similar situation and have just separated (see (Argument injuries and a possible snotty nose)

I will not be going down the route of having 4 guineas and I don’t know if they could live happily single and seperated long term.

Very sadly it seems I will have to take one back to the rescue I got them from. I’m gutted. In the meantime I have one in a run in the kitchen and one in a hutch but he comes in for the day with run of the rest of the kitchen. A second indoor run is arriving today.

Yesterday during their ‘together but separate’ time they still attempted to fight at the indoor run wall so I’m wondering if it gets better? They settled down and had some nice moments but it’s stressful wondering if they are gonna take a lunge, for all involved!

I’ve been up at 4 am these last few days worrying about them and thinking over everything 🙈
Click to expand...
I've no experience of boars. I hope you find a solution x
 
Diane H said:
Hi there, can I ask how things are going now? Have things calmed down? I’m in a similar situation and have just separated (see (Argument injuries and a possible snotty nose)

I will not be going down the route of having 4 guineas and I don’t know if they could live happily single and seperated long term.

Very sadly it seems I will have to take one back to the rescue I got them from. I’m gutted. In the meantime I have one in a run in the kitchen and one in a hutch but he comes in for the day with run of the rest of the kitchen. A second indoor run is arriving today.

Yesterday during their ‘together but separate’ time they still attempted to fight at the indoor run wall so I’m wondering if it gets better? They settled down and had some nice moments but it’s stressful wondering if they are gonna take a lunge, for all involved!

I’ve been up at 4 am these last few days worrying about them and thinking over everything 🙈
Click to expand...
They do eventually calm down and stop trying to get at each other. At the moment it’s still ‘fresh’ but they will stop.
 
Hi Diane H,

I'm sorry to hear you've been in a similar situation, it really is gutting. I separated mine as it was the only solution, but because I have a large C&C cage I was able to use some additional grids to put a divider in the middle of it. So they can still interact with each other but can't get to each other. The first week there was a lot of divider chewing! But that stopped completely after a week or so.

However, when I get them out for cuddles, they come out together and they snuggle up together - no problems at all. A month or so ago when cleaning them out I put them together for floor time and the one who was pestering the other just chased him around and was getting a little aggressive. However, the last few weeks, when I've done the same thing, they cuddle up together under a fleece. So it does seem to have calmed.

I'm not taking the risk of trying them back together yet, especially as they are still under 15 months so I think there's still a potential for problems. But I am tempted, in a few months, to try more floor time and some possible re-bonding (following all the instructions on here) to see if it could work again when they are past the last testosterone spike.

If you can somehow keep the cages near each other and allow them interaction, plus maybe see how they are at cuddle time with you, maybe there is also a chance in future. Although others on this forum will know better than me what the chances are of it re-working.

Otherwise if you do need to make the decision to take one back to the rescue, if it's one that offers bonding services, you could try to pair one of them up with another?

Good luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
@AngeH putting together and separating can be stressful. To them each meeting is a hierarchy/dominance sorting out. If you’ve decided to split them then they need to stay split. I wouldn’t advise doing what you’re doing now. But if you decided to try again in future then that would be fine.

Given how @Diane H piggies behaved I wouldn’t suggest she tries again to be honest.
 
Ok, thanks @Siikibam. I'm surprised it's not ok for them to be together during cuddle time as there is literally no issues at all between them (no dominance moves or anything, they just cuddle up together, settle instantly and squeak away as normal). I didn't think that would be causing them any stress. I feel awful now.
 
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