Advice on keeping male Guinea Pigs

[Linda Jane]

I have kept guinea pigs in the past but they have all been female. I've decided I would like some more guinea pigs and went to view some male babies which were adorable. I've paid a deposit for three male baby guinea pigs which will be ready in a couple of weeks, but now I'm worried that they won't get along as well together as females. I would like advice from other owners if they think it will be harder for three males to bond, more so than two. I couldn't bear it if one was singled out and bullied. I've been advised by the breeder that they will require at least a 5ft cage so they have plenty of space and she didn't seem concerned that I was taking three instead of two. The people I'm buying from seem genuine but I would like other people's opinions too.

If anyone has experience of keeping boys I would really appreciate your comments as i'm wondering whether I should go back and say I will only have two.

I hope someone can put my mind at rest.

 

[dylansmummy]

boars need lots of space so the bigger the better, also it depends on there personalites as to weather they will get on and that doesnt really start to show until the hormones kick in and you can see how they react to each other and as they are all the same age the hormones will kick in around the same time, i have only ever had boars and have singles duos and a trio in the past but the trio were all different ages and lived free range so space wasnt as issue for them and they were all very laid back personalities. If you take on more than one you need to be prepared to have them individually if needs be however sows can fall out too.

I would personally recommend going to a rescue as the bonding is done for you cutting out the stress also they are good a recognising the different personalities and therefore the matching is usually much more successful in lasting a long time.

Good luck in what you decide. x

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

To be brutally honest, a baby boar trio has about a 10% chance of making it intact through the big teenage hormones and into adulthood - the character combination needs to be just right or you will inevitably end up with one boar making war on the other two or two ganging up on one.
Even with two baby boars it very much depends on how character compatible they are when they make it through the stroppy months; being brothers doesn't make any difference to the outcome - that is a breeder's myth without any foundation in reality. Our behaviour section is littered with fallen-out trios and pairs that have been bought for looks and not for character compatibility. Good that you are doing your research beforehand!

I know that babies are ever so cute - sadly they don't stay so for very long and you need to plan for the long term. Boars are lovely, they are often much more laid back and cuddly than sows, and unlike sows, they mellow as they get older, so it worth having them. The trick is in how to go about getting a stable pair.

If you are here in Britain, we may be able to point you to a good standard rescue; they rehome already carefully bonded, healthy pairs of boars with an age gap, which makes fall-outs very much the exception. You will also get support and advice during the settling in period and the whole life of their piggies, so you can always come back to them if there are problems. Good standard rescues are by far the safest place to get piggies from and avoid the usual pitfalls that await the unwary.
Here is a map of recommended (vetted) rescues that is provided by the Piggy Bank rescue support and volunteer group: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

You also may find our boar guide in the behaviour section very informative and helpful: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?21-Behaviour

We would be very grateful if you posted in the appropriate sections and added your location to your details. That makes it a lot easier for us to give you the right links and advice for your part of the world straight away. You can do so in private messages (on top bar)/my settings/edit profile/location.

I will move this thread to the behaviour section soon.

 

[Bobby&Frankie]

I'm on my first piggies now and they're both boars. They're 15 months now and are calming down nicely, there was a lot of helicoptering and nose offs at around 9-12 months but they seemed to have been settled with Bobby being the boss and Frankie being the henchman and seems to get paid in food! (200g heavier than bobby).
Just make sure you have multiple houses, bottles, bowls and toys so there's less for them to fight over.

My boys grew up in a chicken coop which is around 5ft long with about a 2sq ft indoor area and they were ok
Wiebke beat me to the link of boar behaviour - i recommend bookmarking it as i would have separated my boars if it wasn't for this

 

[MerryPip]

I have always had boars and we have had brilliant pairs that are very close and cuddly as well as pairs that have fought, injured each other and needed to be split.

I would agree with Wiebke in that baby boar trios almost never work and the successful boar trios out there are few and far between.Also do not be conned into thinking that just because two boars are related that they will automatically get on.

A well bonded pair of boys are a joy to have as they are often said to be more affectionate than girls and like any piggy they have amazing character. I would recommend getting advice from a reputable rescue if you are based here in the UK and let them help you find a pair of boys that have chosen to be together. A good rescue will also be there for future advice and back up if you need them. If you ever end up with a lone male then they will also be able to help them find a new friend to suit them in a process called 'boar dating'.

Don't let all this scare you off though, a good, well matched pair of boys are amazing and I love seeing my guys snuggle up to one another and play together, just remember every pair has their bickering moments!

 

[kimlou5288]

We have two boars since babies, they are now 2 years old and never had any problems, lovely charachters. But I don't have experience of keeping three together, I hope they get on, or maybe it would be worth consider just getting two ? Do they have other babies that the third piggie could be paired with ?

 

[Jerrybelly]

I've only ever had boars, and in my experiences trios do not work.

I would also echo Wiebke's comments on rescuing pigs. They will ensure that the pair are very closely bonded so that you will not have any problems as they grow older. Don't assume that just because the pigs will be brothers, they will get on well. Although this might be the case, as they grow older and reach their teenage years they could also fall out.