What Shall I Do With My Separated Pair Of Boars?

[Ruby Inferno]

So, my boars are nearly 8 months old. I got them in May when they were 2 months old from a pet shop (I hadn't done my research, I didn't know pet shops were bad, though the one I go to is actually pretty good for a pet shop. These were my first ever piggies). There were 4 boars in one tank, and I chose two, Caramel and Doughnut. I bought their supplies from there, including a 1.5 ft deep double hutch which I now know is a bit small, I used the bottom floor for storing supplies and the top floor for them to live in, obviously no ramp.

During July time, I was out the whole day for about a week so they didn't really have any exercise time during that week (they get exercise outdoors, either on the lawn or on the patio). I began noticing a lot of chasing around, I wasn't sure what was going on. When I proceeded to put them out for exercise time, I noticed they were sitting on opposite sides of the run from eachother. Caramel was chasing Doughnut around, making him squeak in terror.

That was when I realised Doughnut's back was covered in wounds from Caramel! I noticed tiny bugs crawling near the wounds which freaked me out, so I took both piggies to an emergency vet and it turned out Doughnut had got flystrike from the wounds. It was caught extremely early and treated, so he is fine. Caramel didn't have any maggots on him because he wasn't wounded at all.

I separated them, Caramel living in the bottom floor and Doughnut in the top. It appeared Caramel was bullying Doughnut. I don't know if it was just because they had reached puberty, the hutch was too small, or if they hadn't had enough time outside the hutch, but I don't really know what to do. I don't want to end up with 4 piggies, but I don't want my boys to be lonely. There is limited space in my house. Would they be able to live side-by-side with a mesh divider? I've heard http://www.rabbithutchwarehouse.co.uk/ does special requests, so I could ask for a 6 foot long hutch with a divider in the middle and two bedrooms so they would have 2x3 foot of space each while being able to keep eachother company. Isn't 2x3 foot the minimum space requirement for one piggy?

In my garage (not used for cars or any vehicles whatsoever, just used for storing things) I have a surface that measures approximately 100x120 cm. If I divide that in half that would be 50x60 cm each, nowhere near big enough. I can't use the floor because A. There's not enough space, and B. It's going to get way too cold down there during winter.

Also would it be possible to reintroduce my boars?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Wiebke]

It would be good if they could live next to each other for mutual stimulation. 2x3 ft is the absolute minimum for a single piggy. Is there are a chance that they can time share a run, so they have several hours both each day that they can exercise?

 

[1GuineaPig1]

Try to make it so they can smell and hear each other, but can't actually get at one another. It is best to keep them separated for a while, and after a week or so you can get them out for floor time together. If there is any aggression, put them back in separate cages immediately. Do it once a day until they get used to each other again. It very well could be hormonal problems. If they don't get used to each other, you might just have to keep them in separate cages for a while.

 

[Treacle]

You could try giving them a bonding bath together. Clean the cage within an inch of its life and then see how it goes. Bonding baths make them both smell the same for a while, they also seek comfort from each other while being bathed, sort of 'any port in a storm'. My young pair did, they just huddled together. Before they had been lots of chasing. I have a hutch and a mesh divider that I can tie wrap in place, it is not permanent, as I can just cut the ties to take out, any trouble I just divide them, bath them.
But with boars, space is the key, keeping them occupied, lots of places to hide, lots of hay in tubes and hides. As long as one boar is boss and the other submissive they should be ok, once the hormones die down. Unless they just don't get on, in which case, permanent separation will be the only option .

 

[Wiebke]

If there have been bloody bites, boars usually will not go together again, no matter how hard you try.

 

[Ruby Inferno]

I've been time sharing their run anyway, but it's too cold so they haven't been able to recently which I am not even slightly happy about! Life is quite busy but hopefully my mum will find space in the house for them to run around as soon as possible, probably in the garage. I have been thinking about giving them a bonding bath, but I've never bathed a piggy before so it might be a bit hard to keep up with both of them because I'm a bit inexperienced, also a bit scared Caramel might injure Doughnut again even if I separate them quickly.

Treacle, my problem is, Doughnut is a very laid back piggy and Caramel is very much dominant. Caramel was just bullying Doughnut, not a lot of fighting back or anything.

I've measured my hutch properly, it is 105x50 cm. I suck with feet/inches.

Argh I was tired when I wrote the first post, 100x120 cm divided in half obviously isn't 50x60 cm... That would imply the divider bends round and cuts the length of both of the axis. If I put a divider just through the 100 cm axis, that would make 120x50 cm for each piggy, literally only 10 cm shorter than the minimum space for two piggies.

I could get a 100x100 cm cage (divided to make 100x50 each) because there isn't really a 120x100 cage out there, but I don't think that's very big. It would be 30 cm, which is equal to a foot (20 in the longer axis, 10 in the shorter one), smaller than the minimum size for two piggies, so that's pretty much the minimum size for one piggy each (2x3 feet) but with the proportions a little different if that makes sense.

If I can find a good place for exercise in my garage/house, I would be happy to leave them there several hours a day, I will aim for at least 4 hours each piggy. I can't divide my run in half because it wouldn't really be as spacious, and it would require a lot of mesh. And I probably don't have space for a second run.

Edit: How does this cage look? http://www.littlepetwarehouse.co.uk...KOOu16t5BW-ZYptJQKx1ufzun-vk2QMXerBoCokTw_wcB

 

[LydiaMinx]

Having had personal experience with this, I can back @Wiebke up by saying once there's blood they normally will not tolerate each other again. I tried the lot to get them to accept the other again but they just won't! So my boars are not living together, but are in a 4x3 C&C cage divided into 2x3 each (with lofts) with a grid divider, so they can still see and smell each other. They often (most nights) sleep pressed against one another through the divider and will lick the others noses, but can't live together - they seem happy enough like this for now.

You obviously have the option of boar dating (depends if you live near a rescue that offers it or if you are able to get more pigs) or neutering and bonding with females (again, more pigs and sometimes a risk during op), either way they'll likely have to continue to live seperately. I can't say how useful my C&C has been in this circumstance, I'd recommend if you can get your hands on one!

 

[Ruby Inferno]

I'd rather not get any more piggies for the moment, haha, I think having them live as neighbours seems like the best option for me.

And I've already said why I don't want C&C in my garage.

Edit: Wait no I didn't! I don't want C&C because I want the cage to have a sturdy roof in case anything such as mice gets into the garage.