What age are boars most likely to fall out?

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ah615

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Hi,
This is my first post here and a long one, so thank you to everyone who reads it!
I'm in the position of looking to get guinea pigs, my first in a while. I've kept pigs before, from trios to large groups, but this is a new one for me so I wanted to ask advice.
I haven't had any piggies for a while now but one of my bunnies passed a few weeks ago and so my partner suggested getting some piggies again now we have more time (he was very old bless him and on lots of meds twice a day so very time intensive!) and space. Of course, I jumped at the chance!
I always try to rescue where I can and contacted or visited some local rescues. The ones that do have piggies currently only have single boars and when I asked the one I visited they said they rarely get females in as they tend to just get boars after they have fallen out.
3 boars looking for a new home were pointed out to me by a family member (not in rescue, private rehoming) but I am concerned about the how low the chances of boars making it to adulthood together are. I've done some research about it and saw the 90% statistic for trios and read many threads on here. Despite having had many guineas before I've never had boars together, only groups of sows or a boar with sows. They are 9 months old and according to the current owner there have been no disagreements, there is the dominant boar and then the two submissive ones who don't challenge. I just wondered if, as they were slightly older and already in the adolescent phase, they had a greater chance of being able to stay together or whether there is no specific pinch point and it is way too early to tell.
Thanks again if you have read this and I really appreciate any replies I get.
 
Guinea Pigs are in the most difficult age (teens) between 4 and 14 months. The vast majority of boar trios will not make it to 14 months. This trio are just coming to the hardest phase (around 10 months) and are, statistically, not likely to make it much further, particularly with the stress of moving to a new home (which can set off dominance and territory disputes). The space needed for a boar trio is huge, much beyond the recommended cage size of 5ft x2ft. I would be very wary of relying on the assumption of ‘they get on ok at the moment‘
A compatible boar pair has a much higher chance of success.
If you were to take them on, then you would have to plan for separating into a pair and single and then needing to get another piggy to bond with the single.
Very rarely a boar trio will make it ( it’s unlikely, but it does happen) but even then there will be the constant risk of fall out even if they do get into adulthood. Trios in general can be tricky due to the ‘outsider’ situation occurring

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Cage Size Guide
 
Thanks for the replies, both of you.
I guessed that would be the case, but thought it was worth asking, especially as a) there seems to be a lack of guinea pigs for rehoming in my area and b) I love boars, I've found them so much more personable than sows.
Ahh well, thanks again.
 
Hi. Where are you? Strange for you not to have boars needing home! I found boars to be less likely to get home compared to females... Some rescues go through stages, so it's always good to wait and ask for them to let you know if they have any for rehoming?
 
Hi,
I'm in Kent, near to Maidstone.
Sorry, think I was ambiguous in my post, I can only find boars (and only single boars looking for a home with females), so I could easily find a boar but can't find any females to bond him with. Those that I have spoken to say they rarely have sows in so none incoming imminently.
Thanks.
 
Check websites for the usual rspca, Blue Cross in your area. But there are few advertised on this page. I found it's waiting game with piggies.
And yes, I would be worried about how truthful/aware the private seller is. I've seen some dodgy adverts, they say anything just to get rid of them...
 
Yeah, that's where I've looked/asked plus some small local rescues that I've adopted rabbits/piggies/hamsters from before. RSPCA were where I found some single boars but don't want to adopt a boar and not be able to find him sows for months so he's lonely on his own in the mean time!
Thanks.
 
ah615 said:
Yeah, that's where I've looked/asked plus some small local rescues that I've adopted rabbits/piggies/hamsters from before. RSPCA were where I found some single boars but don't want to adopt a boar and not be able to find him sows for months so he's lonely on his own in the mean time!
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Could you not adopt a single boar and find a second suitable single boar to pair him with?
 
Put out a post on homing page. Iam sure there's someone who knows about some that need home, depending on how far you're willing to travel.
Btw,youbwould have to wait months anyway. Rarely you get a neutered male. So you would have to get him neutered and wait at least 6wks before bringing females in.
 
The rescues I've spoken to so far specified to be paired with females only so I'm guessing they're not used to boar dates (and neither am so I'dhave no idea what to look for on a piggy date!) but worth an ask.
Fab, I will do. Thanks! The boar closest to me is already neutered but would also speak to my vet about getting any females an ovarianectomy, if young enough and healthy. I've had so many cyst problems in the past and I've got a really good exotics vet who has done one for me before, keyhole surgery and really quick recovery time. He does them on his own guineas to prevent any problems.
 
If he's already neutered, they would want him to go with females. Some rescues around me do piggie dating to find the right match. But sounds like you're lucky to stumble across a Guinea pig in general!

I have no experience with females and post op. I was just always told it's too risky. But it's great if you have your own vet that knows what to do!
 
Very true, I hadn't thought if that! I was surprised by how few pigs there are for rehoming my my local area (by local I mean within about half hour), been looking for a few weeks now and there are almost none. One place has this neutered boar, another has 3 boars, 2 brothers who have already had to be separated and an older boar. Last time I had pigs, probably about 5 years ago now, and we rehomed there were so many to choose from at rescues. Looking at one place they list all the animals they get in and they only seem to have taken in 5 female pigs over the last year. They're like gold dust!
He is amazing! With one of my first pigs she literally went bald from the neck down within a week. Took her to the vets, they said ovaries felt normal and no parasites so referred me on to him, he diagnosed tiny ovarian cysts and performed surgery. Just took out her ovaries so was done via 2 tiny incisions on her sides and she healed really quickly. Stayed with him for the rest of the time I had guineas!
 
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