Adopting a neutered male

Grinny Pig

Grinny Pig

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I am thinking of rescuing a neutered male. I have 2 young females and the male is a similar age. Is this advisable. What size cage would be recommended for three? I know territory would be important.
 
Defiinitly advisable, and has good chances of a group bond. I dont know about cage size, anyone?

I think you would need a 160 cm in length at minimum. Ferplast do a model called krolik
 
Grinny Pig said:
I am thinking of rescuing a neutered male. I have 2 young females and the male is a similar age. Is this advisable. What size cage would be recommended for three? I know territory would be important.
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Hi! If you can, please get any neutered boar from a place where you can bring your girls for dating. Initial acceptance is crucial in cross gender pairings; the acceptance rate in younger pairings where the sows are still at a good pup bearing age and not much plagued by cyst and hormone problems is usually good but not always perfect. It depends on how the boar gels with the sows re. dominance.
Boars, sows or mixed pairs; babies or adults?
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

The minimum recommended space is 2x5 ft for a trio of sows or a two sows and 'husboar' pair.
Cage Size Guide

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/recommended-guinea-pig-rescues.158151/The RSPCA Walsall is one of the few places in our area that will do offer this service and that is on our list of recommended good stadnard rescues with mandatory quarantine, vet care and a 6 weeks post-neutering wait.
If you want to rehome privately, then the risks are all on your side, and the tips in this link here apply: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...inea-pigs-vet-checks-sexing-parasites-illness.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi! If you can, please get any neutered boar from a place where you can bring your girls for dating. Initial acceptance is crucial in cross gender pairings; the acceptance rate in younger pairings where the sows are still at a good pup bearing age and not much plagued by cyst and hormone problems is usually good but not always perfect. It depends on how the boar gels with the sows re. dominance.
Boars, sows or mixed pairs; babies or adults?
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

The minimum recommended space is 2x5 ft for a trio of sows or a two sows and 'husboar' pair.
Cage Size Guide

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/recommended-guinea-pig-rescues.158151/The RSPCA Walsall is one of the few places in our area that will do offer this service and that is on our list of recommended good stadnard rescues with mandatory quarantine, vet care and a 6 weeks post-neutering wait.
If you want to rehome privately, then the risks are all on your side, and the tips in this link here apply: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...inea-pigs-vet-checks-sexing-parasites-illness.
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Thank you for your advice. I’m looking at a male called Giovanni on Walsall RSPCA website.
 
Grinny Pig said:
Thank you for your advice. I’m looking at a male called Giovanni on Walsall RSPCA website.
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My Gethin is a dated Walsall boy! :tu:
Here he is with his wife Ffwlbri and his wifelet Carys on Ffwlbri's 8th birthday. Gethin himself has celebrated his 3rd adoption anniversary yesterday.
DSC03837_edited-1.webp
 
Wiebke said:
My Gethin is a dated Walsall boy! :tu:
Here he is with his wife Ffwlbri and his wifelet Carys on Ffwlbri's 8th birthday. Gethin himself has celebrated his 3rd Adoption anniversary yesterday.
View attachment 108626
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Your three are adorable - how does the dating thing work? I am concerned that my girls would be very nervous if I took them to meet a male. Avril is particularly nervous.
 
Good luck. I am sure they will get along just fine, trios like that usually do but as Wiebke mentioned, dating is also a good idea just to be 100% certain. I think 13 square feet or more is usually a good cage size for three piggies so 30 x 62. Do you have a c & c cage?
 
Grinny Pig said:
Your three are adorable - how does the dating thing work? I am concerned that my girls would be very nervous if I took them to meet a male. Avril is particularly nervous.
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The piggies are meeting in a neutral pen under expert supervision. It is usually clear within half an hour whether things are going in the right direction or not. If Avril is apprehensive but not fear-aggressive, then she is could become very vocal in the presence of a boar - which is a good sign, actually.

You may find our bonding guide helpful, so you can spot key interactive behaviour and dynamics for yourself. the guide also contains some cross gender videos.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

The good thing about dating is that you only adopt if the dating session is going well. That means you do not end up with a boy your girls don't like.
 
Oooo Giovanni is so very handsome! I have adopted from RSPCA Walsall previously and I have to say they were excellent. I adopted Isobel from them a few years back and took just one of my three to meet her (the bossy awkward one) as I knew if she was ok then the others would accept her. It wasn't a match made in heaven but they tolerated each other so I got to bring her home. I also adopted a neutered boar when I had just two females more recently and took them both on a car trip to meet him, the lady set up the kitchen and it was a case of plonk them down and see what happens :))
 
cavylover2002 said:
Good luck. I am sure they will get along just fine, trios like that usually do but as Wiebke mentioned, dating is also a good idea just to be 100% certain. I think 13 square feet or more is usually a good cage size for three piggies so 30 x 62. Do you have a c & c cage?
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What is a
cavylover2002 said:
Good luck. I am sure they will get along just fine, trios like that usually do but as Wiebke mentioned, dating is also a good idea just to be 100% certain. I think 13 square feet or more is usually a good cage size for three piggies so 30 x 62. Do you have a c & c cage?
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No, I have the grid panels which I use to cut my utility room in half for a run, but only have a shop bought cage. The largest space I could make for a cage would be 12 square feet which I don’t think will be big enough. My girls only have 8 square feet in their cage at the moment, which is not ideal for two. However, they have two hours a day ‘run around time’ outside their cage, which they love. I maAy have to rethink piggy number three.
 
Lady Kelly said:
Oooo Giovanni is so very handsome! I have adopted from RSPCA Walsall previously and I have to say they were excellent. I adopted Isobel from them a few years back and took just one of my three to meet her (the bossy awkward one) as I knew if she was ok then the others would accept her. It wasn't a match made in heaven but they tolerated each other so I got to bring her home. I also adopted a neutered boar when I had just two females more recently and took them both on a car trip to meet him, the lady set up the kitchen and it was a case of plonk them down and see what happens :))
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Thanks, that’s good to know. I think the lack of space I have available is my biggest problem.
 
Wiebke said:
The piggies are meeting in a neutral pen under expert supervision. It is usually clear within half an hour whether things are going in the right direction or not. If Avril is apprehensive but not fear-aggressive, then she is could become very vocal in the presence of a boar - which is a good sign, actually.

You may find our bonding guide helpful, so you can spot key interactive behaviour and dynamics for yourself. the guide also contains some cross gender videos.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

The good thing about dating is that you only adopt if the dating session is going well. That means you do not end up with a boy your girls don't like.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that’s really helpful.
 
Grinny Pig said:
Thanks, that’s good to know. I think the lack of space I have available is my biggest problem.
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Do you have space for a cage big enough for 3? Rescues hate turning people away and usually you will find they will try and support you with advice to allow the adoption to go through rather than just turn you down.
 
Lady Kelly said:
Do you have space for a cage big enough for 3? Rescues hate turning people away and usually you will find they will try and support you with advice to allow the adoption to go through rather than just turn you down.
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At the moment, I know I don’t have enough space for three- I need to think about different housing options.
 
Wiebke said:
The piggies are meeting in a neutral pen under expert supervision. It is usually clear within half an hour whether things are going in the right direction or not. If Avril is apprehensive but not fear-aggressive, then she is could become very vocal in the presence of a boar - which is a good sign, actually.

You may find our bonding guide helpful, so you can spot key interactive behaviour and dynamics for yourself. the guide also contains some cross gender videos.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

The good thing about dating is that you only adopt if the dating session is going well. That means you do not end up with a boy your girls don't like.
Click to expand...

The bonding guide is great. I’m now wondering if my two girls actually like each other. Hazel is definitely dominant.
 
It seems a shame to not get a rescue boar in need because they dont offer dating, but dating is the way to be certain. Shame
 
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