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What is normal boar behavior?

georgie.gabel

New Born Pup
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In October I adopted two baby boars. They weren’t raised together, but they were introduced to each other on neutral ground, and there was no fighting, humping, or teeth chattering at all. Now however, if they are in a stressful situation (like me vacuuming the room) they can fight over hiding places, even though i have four in their enclosure. Plus when there is food around, they sometimes will lunge at each other. They will still snuggle together if they are relaxed, but the smaller piggy is the one that makes those decisions, because he usually gets anxious if the bigger boy approached from behind. Right now I have two separate hay piles, however, they share a water bottle and pellet bowl. Would it help if I gave them another bowl and water bottle? Is all this normal behavior?
 
Yes please do give them two of everything. It can also help to not use food bowls at all and instead just scatter veg and pellets around the cage. This is good as it stops any hogging issues but also encourages natural foraging behaviour and keeps them busy.

Explain what you mean by fighting over hiding places - is it because they both try to get into the same one when scared? Do all their hideys have two exits? You shouldnt use hideys with only one exit for boars as it can mean a piggy can get cornered inside it
 
Thanks! When I feed their veggies of a night I scatter and hide them so that they have to forage for them. I will definitely put another bowl and water bottle in their cage.

If they are really scared of something (like a vacuum or moterbike driving past) and dart into the closest hidey, they will lunge at each other, but won’t bite. It usually goes on for a few seconds before one of them decides to leave for another hidey. All of the hideys I have have two or three exists.
 
Thanks! When I feed their veggies of a night I scatter and hide them so that they have to forage for them. I will definitely put another bowl and water bottle in their cage.

If they are really scared of something (like a vacuum or moterbike driving past) and dart into the closest hidey, they will lunge at each other, but won’t bite. It usually goes on for a few seconds before one of them decides to leave for another hidey. All of the hideys I have have two or three exists.

You can scatter pellets in amongst hay as well, its the same process. As soon as I got rid of food bowls (even though they had one each), then any bickering over food stopped altogether.

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the hidey issue, they are just finding themselves going to the same one but as long as one leaves and everything calms down I wouldn’t be concerned. Mine will squabble for a couple of seconds if they try to go into the same hidey but it never lasts long
 
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