Adding 3rd Boar

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wind1

wind1

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I'm considering putting my lone boy with 2 of my bonded boys. All 3 of them are laid back calm guineas, 2 very laid back and the other one only gets a bit silly when there is food about but even then all he does is moan a bit and kick his back legs out if the other one gets too close. Very funny to watch! The two bonded ones have been together for 18 months and there has never been any aggression between them. They don't tend to snuggle up together but they are obviously great friends and do wheek for each other when one is taken out of the hutch. I can put them in an area where other boys have been and they have a good sniff and drag their bottoms about for a bit but it doesn't make them behave any differently to each other. They would be in a 5 foot by 2.5 foot run which I think is enough space for them. My only worry is if it doesn't work out will the two bonded ones still want to be together. I would hate for them to be split.
 
Hello!

I think it's a bit of a risk - could all work out beautifully or could mean you have 3 single boars! I ended with 3 single boars, after introducing a third to a previously happy pair. That's the only experience I've had of it though, so hopefully others will be more help!

Is the third one content to be by himself?

Sophie
x
 
This is my dilemma too! I have a bonded pair and 2 singles who I don't think will get on again because they are so dominate. I'd love to pair Sunshine up with Eccles and Pudsey but don't want to rock the boat and end up with 4 seperate boars.

I guess you could try it for play time and see how it goes. The one to contact it Lez she is trying to bond Munchie, Bob and Heath she has had success with them.

Good luck!

Louise
x
 
Or me! It was a complete risk as Benjamin was the new addition to the family and Garry and Minty were a firmly established pair. But, throwing caution to the wind, I introduced Ben to them. I think it's fairly easy to see early on if they will all get on. Probably naively, I put Benjamin in with the other two straight away. I watched them for a while in the cage without the lid just in case I needed to fish Ben out, but short of a lot of noise, chasing and re-ranking (careful how you say that!) and the usual dominating behaviour, there were no problems. I watched them for that first 24 hours, never being far away, and on the second day, Minty stopped his almost constant rumbling/dominant noise. Garry has never had a problem with Benjamin, although he has never been a dominant piggy but he will put Ben in his place. Nothing aggresive - just natural piggy behaviour.

I think it's obvious to see if the pigs won't like each other or if one will be left out. Thankfully, mine are mixing well....good luck with whatever you decide.
 
I'm so pleased for Benjamin! Makes me think it can be done. In my case I am going to try and bond Sunshine and Twinkle but if not I will try and get Pudsey, Eccles and Sunshine together and maybe Twinkle can be taken to a rescue to find a boar.

I hope that S&T will go back together. I want them to be bezzie mates! :D
 
Good luck! It's nice to see them all getting on. First thing in the morning, I chuck a handful of hay in the hayrack...gives them something to do til I can get them cleaned out! Quite often, I stick my head round the door to see them all chewing away, gathered round together...it's like a Mothers's meeting! :smitten:
 
Bless them, boys seem to have more chatter about them. My girls just shout at one another! ::) This morning Fleur wants both igloos and has moved them to her corner, but when Flora saw me she started popcorning! So funny, my boys just want loves and cuddles. ;D
 
Awww...sweet! I've never had girls before...never say never though!

Minty is currently destroying the hayrack - it's hanging on with one hook. Benjamin is between looking on wondering what he's doing and stuffing his face with museli. I think he's debating whether to join in! Haven't seen Garry yet, but I've heard him shake himself...is hiding in the house. Awww...they're good boys!
 
I have now put these 3 boys in a seperated c & c cage. There has been lots of bottom swaying and rumbling between them but no lunging at each other through the wire which I hope is a good sign. I have got them in the garage (they are outdoor pigs) but I don't know whether to put them back in their hutches tonight or just leave them where they are. They have boxes full of hay so will be just as warm as in their hutches. Also should I swap sides tomorrow so the lone guinea goes in where the other 2 have been and vice versa?
 
Give it a try! I don't know that there is a right or wrong way to introduce pigs, you just need to keep an eye on them! I had a sleepless night the first night I put mine together! But the rumbling is normal (went on for 24 hours constantly here!). When you put them together, you might find some nudging or the odd gentle kick as they each find their place.
 
Situation all changed! I have 2 young hormonal boys who had a fight a few weeks ago. I left them together in the hope they could sort it out and things did quieten down for a while. One became dominant and the other seemed to accept it. But the dominant one started to bully the quieter one and at the weekend he just continually chased him away from everything, food, beds etc. So I made the decision to seperate them and put the quieter one with the lone boar I was trying to bond with the other two. (Confusing isn't it?!) They are now in a seperated run and have been for 2 days. I will take it very slowly and see what happens. It does mean though that I now have another lone boar but a very dominant one. He seems to be happy enough on his own, possibly happier than before because he now doesn't have to fight for all the territory he wanted.
 
These 2 have now had play time together 3 times (about half an hour each time). There has been quite alot of teeth chattering but each time it has been less than before. Minstrel who is 11 months is going to be the boss I think. Zebedee who is 6 months goes up to him, chatters his teeth then turns and runs away. I will continue to give them this time together over the weekend and see how they go. The rest of the time they are in a run which is divided by a wire panel so they can see each other all the time. I am hopeful that this pairing will work.
 
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