Wilbur and Hugo - Boar dramas!

Piggies&buns

Piggies&buns

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Oh dear, my troublesome twosome! What handfuls you are!

Ive just been out in the shed for a couple of hours - muck out, sweep up, weight checks etc.
I was doing Dex and Pops first and heard a noise coming from Wilbur and Hugo’s hutch. Caught the tail end of what appeared to be scuffle but i didn’t see clearly enough to know for certain. They are 18 weeks old and quite rumbly, zoomy boys so may not have been anything. When I looked closer one was at one end of the hutch and the other at the other end both eating away.

As I was putting D & P back in their hutch and all hell broke loose with Wilbur and Hugo. Had to get my dustpan in there to separate them. Fortunately I always have a plan in mind and was able to get an extra side on their playpen (which is joined to their hutch) straight away so they are now separated side by side - Wilbur in the hutch and Hugo in a 2x3 c&c.
They can have a couple of days to think through their actions and I may see if I’m brave enough to try a reintroduction but as it currently stands neither of them is even looking at or for the other. Time to get a more permanent separated living plan in my mind (which still allows me to get into the shed!) just in case as I am not hopeful the separation will be a temporary one by the way they went at each other.

On the plus side, my two old men are doing well - they both turn 5 in a few weeks! Everyone has a good weight and the little ones are gaining well!
 
Oh no! I am sorry, hopefully they will go back together when they have cooled down. My singles that wouldn't live together seem much more relaxed and happy as neighbours. Their antics teasing each other are so funny to see. The best one is calling a neighbour to the divider and when he gets there to see what you want run away popcorning wildly.
I love/loved my pairs and their interactions especially when they get older and more mellow but friends divided is the next best thing.
 
Dexter and Popcorn obviously had their moments during their teens but it was obvious they were always the best of friends and it was nothing more than teenage showing off. Now as old gentlemen they are just so lovely and mellow. Their progression from scared little boys to now actually being quite affectionate towards me (as affectionate as they are going to get anyway) is so lovely. Even Popcorn, who is the most timid of them all, actually sat and quite enjoyed a little stroke during weight checks!

Wilbur and Hugo have been 100% confident, cuddle loving from day 1. It was very strange going from D&P who need months of coaxing!
Wilbur and Hugo seemed to be fine together though, nothing more than teenage behaviour, certainly nothing that ever gave me any concern for their bond…until this morning. It was literally one minute fine, the next not. When you keep boars you know it’s always on the cards that teens can be rocky but it was the speed at which they turned on each other when nothing seemed to happen to cause it.

Hopefully it was something and nothing, they will cool off and will go back together but I have always had a couple of loose plans in mind if I needed to separate them permanently. Now I just need to think through which one of them is going to work the best if it is needed. As it currently stands, I can’t open one of Wilbur’s hutch doors so Hugo’s cage can only be in its position temporarily!
 
Now it’s been a little while since it happened and they’ve both settled down a bit, I’ve come out to check them over again. There was nothing obvious on them immediately following the incident but I can now see a small wound on Hugo - definitely not feeling good about trying a reintroduction, it clearly was more than a scuffle
 
Piggies&buns said:
Now it’s been a little while since it happened and they’ve both settled down a bit, I’ve come out to check them over again. There was nothing obvious on them immediately following the incident but I can now see a small wound on Hugo - definitely not feeling good about trying a reintroduction, it clearly was more than a scuffle
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HUGS

It never bodes well when they get into serious kerfuffles before or at the onset of teenage; that usually means a character incompabitibility.

I had to separate my two little baby brothers since their scrapping was happening increasingly more often and it got increasingly more serious. It was not yet at the stage of bites but it was heading there... Dad was not helping since he has never really taken to feisty little Brangwyn, so the little one is currently all on his own (with plenty of neighbours). Neutering age cannot come soon enough! :(
 
Hugo seems to be looking for Wilbur through the bars but when he found him, he instantly rumbled and started full on yawning at him. Wilbur doesn’t seem bothered and actually might look happier.
I’m definitely not going to attempt reintroduction, there are clearly issues between them - neighbours they will have to be. Its a shame but it is what it is.
While I can manage living arrangements, theyve done themselves no favours come summer though - while Dex and Pops are enjoying constant day time run time, Wilbur and Hugo will have to go on a schedule!

They will have to live as they are for a week - Hugo is fine in 2x3 for now and the night times are warm enough in the shed that he won’t be cold (really don’t like having a c&c in the shed) and I’ll have to manage with only being able to open one hutch door!
My favourite permanent living plan is going to take a little longer to put together than I have time available to me now. I’ll live with my thoughts for a while before rearranging my entire shed though!

Sorry to hear about your boys @Wiebke.
 
You have my sympathy.

My boars had a serious fight (while I was on a zoom call in the same room with a client....they picked their moment! ) when they were almost two years old. There were a lot of wounds...a vet visit was needed. They had lived all the time until then together. I didn't get them until they were 20 months old, so i thought they were well bonded and unlikely to fall out at that age.

The pig who thinks he's top pig is constantly at the divider rumbling or just desperate for interaction. They other one seems to enjoy the peace from constant humping but still engages often with the other one. I thought I might try another bonding session after about 6 months, but I think it's highly likely it would fail, so I'm not going to risk it.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Hugo seems to be looking for Wilbur through the bars but when he found him, he instantly rumbled and started full on yawning at him. Wilbur doesn’t seem bothered and actually might look happier.
I’m definitely not going to attempt reintroduction, there are clearly issues between them - neighbours they will have to be. Its a shame but it is what it is.
While I can manage living arrangements, theyve done themselves no favours come summer though - while Dex and Pops are enjoying constant day time run time, Wilbur and Hugo will have to go on a schedule!

They will have to live as they are for a week - Hugo is fine in 2x3 for now and the night times are warm enough in the shed that he won’t be cold (really don’t like having a c&c in the shed) and I’ll have to manage with only being able to open one hutch door!
My favourite permanent living plan is going to take a little longer to put together than I have time available to me now. I’ll live with my thoughts for a while before rearranging my entire shed though!

Sorry to hear about your boys @Wiebke.
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I know the feeling... I am constantly rearranging my layout with all the changes in the piggy personnel to find the optimal solution. The last year has been really challenging! :(

Right now, I need to squeeze in another temporary 2x3 cage for Brangwyn until he is safe to meet the ladies he is currently living alongside of and one lot of which will hopefully accept him but at the worst, he can go and live with his half-sister Blodwen.
 
Sorry that Wilbur and Hugo are causing you such problems.
I’m sure you will find a workable solution.
 
Oh dear. Wilbur and Hugo what are you up to? Do hope not too much re-configuring required 😬
 
Oh blooming heck boys.
You have my sympathy. Finding housing solutions when they’ve suddenly decided that they no longer want to tolerate each other full time is such a pain. It’s so fortunate that you were there to hear the kerfuffle.
 
i have empathy for you .ive had alot of boars who seem to be incompatiable .and had lock on fur ball fights.Thats why i prefere neutered boar with sows.i absolutley love boars.I'm sorry you have had to separate your boars,the headache having to find space for two separate dwellings.They will be happy.x
 
VickiA said:
Oh blooming heck boys.
You have my sympathy. Finding housing solutions when they’ve suddenly decided that they no longer want to tolerate each other full time is such a pain. It’s so fortunate that you were there to hear the kerfuffle.
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Yes it was fortunate. It’s the downside to them being in the shed. I could so easily have missed it and walked into the aftermath of something worse. I am certain they haven’t fought before though.
The positive to them being in the shed is that I can rearrange things for them more easily than I could do indoors. Having already prepared for the possibility of a teenage fall out and the back up plan in mind made it much easier to spring into action.
 
So sorry about Hugo and Wilbur, it does sound like a reintroduction is unlikely. I absolutely love boar pairs, they do keep you on your toes and are so much fun and silly too. It’s just a shame if those hormones get the better of them. I consider myself very lucky with Bill and Ted, they were such a happy rumbly pair, I actually never worked out who was boss. Hope you can rearrange the shed to suit you and the boys
 
Bill & Ted said:
So sorry about Hugo and Wilbur, it does sound like a reintroduction is unlikely. I absolutely love boar pairs, they do keep you on your toes and are so much fun and silly too. It’s just a shame if those hormones get the better of them. I consider myself very lucky with Bill and Ted, they were such a happy rumbly pair, I actually never worked out who was boss. Hope you can rearrange the shed to suit you and the boys
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Thank you.
I certainly appreciate Dexter and Popcorn’s relationship and strong bond even more now!

I'm sure I can sort the shed situation - if nothing else it’ll give me a good opportunity to thoroughly sweep all the bits in the shed which don’t often get done!
 
I’m sorry to hear Hugo and Wilbur have had a falling out. It is a pity but you were obviously well prepared with plans B and C. Hope it’s not too much of a headache to rearrange everything.
 
Well, after coming up with a living plan, implementing the plan and living with it for a few days, I decided I didn’t like it after all! I was having to step straight into a cage as soon as I opened the shed door (previously I had a little entrance space before coming up to a cage), climb in one playpen to get to the other and wasn’t going to be sustainable and potentially risky when I’m carrying a hay bale or if one of the piggies decided to dart across.

So now I’ve had to remove the 6ft hutch and put in a 5ft double storey hutch. Dexter and Popcorn in the top part. Hugo in the bottom part and Wilbur in a ferplast plaza 160 in an L shape with Hugo.
Obviously Wilbur and Hugo each have a lovely space but Dex and Pops have had to go back to a 5ft which I dont like that I’ve had to do.
It does however mean that I’ve got my entrance way back, plus a good sized bit of playpen space back again so D&P are going to get first dibs on each day as a reward for their patience!

Its warm here at the moment so I’m not worried about Wilbur being in a commercial cage in the shed at present (shed is fully insulated) but it’s due to get back to minus figures next week and although I don’t have trouble with the shed getting particularly cold, the fact he can’t be in a hutch makes me a little uneasy. Tomorrows job will be making him a thermal cover for his cage.
 
It is a shame and yes it’s a headache! Hopefully I managed it now though!
I always had separation plan but it’s only when you put it in practice that you see pitfalls you hadn’t anticipated!
They are definitely in the ‘can’t live together can’t live apart’ camp but hopefully much happier now.

A friend of mine recently gave me a king sized duvet and some thick blankets which were past their best for the house but perfect for the piggy shed. I obviously already had a few anyway but now this has happened and separate cage needed these extras were certainly even more welcome!
 
The duvet and blankets will be perfect for keeping the cold out. Sounds like you have sorted living arrangements out. You are right, you need the space to manoeuvre especially if you are carrying things, you don’t want to end up on your back or worse, a piggies back 😞 Boys! The little monkeys 🙄
 
Hopefully Dexter and Popcorn will be okay with first dibs on playpen time.
 
It’s been a long time since I updated my threads.

So here are the little ones! Well, not so little - 8 months old now.
Wilbur is very affectionate, always loves a cuddle but his favourite thing is rumbling at everything. He’s really rather boarly now!

Hugo is seems to be a bit less happy about the split between them, I think he really needs the interaction more than Wilbur appears to. He also just wants to be out and running around all the time!
He does, however, cause mayhem when he is right next to Dexter (Popcorn seems less interested in the antics of the youngsters!) so I’ve had to make sure they aren’t side by side.

There has been a change in the shed for summer. Got to try to find a way that means they don’t need to come into the house in summer as early as it has been (unless absolutely necessary of course), so hutches are now in the shaded part of the garden and I’m hoping they can go into their hutches and they remain cooler when the shed is too hot (which happens really much earlier than outside temperatures suggest). Going to try an extra layer of insulation in the shed also.
 

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Time does fly doesn’t it! They’re absolutely gorgeous, all of them 😍
 
All three boys have had their first bit of lawn time today. Finally warm and dry enough! They’ve normally already had quite some time before now!

They weren’t happy about going back in though! Hoping for a long warm summer!
 
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