Bereaved Boar

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NatalieMT

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Unfortunately one of my sows, Pickle, died a few days ago. She was almost 8 years old so it wasn't unexpected although very sad. She had shown quite a few signs of advanced age in the past couple of months and just passed in her sleep.

This has left Ed (neutered male) without a companion. They had been living just the two of them since I got Ed last Summer. I have a number of others sows and I don't plan on getting any new additions.

From what I have read on the internet it becomes clear when the time is right to start new introductions. I'm wondering how he might take to 3 sows this time? At the moment he seems okay, still comes for his food, but I think he will become lonely relatively quickly, although he can still hear the other guinea pigs. He is very laid back, 2 out of 3 sows are the same one is a little bit bossy but not too bad. They will move into an 8ft by 2ft hutch, although it has a removable divide in the middle. I am thinking of putting him one side initially so he can hear/smell the new girls. Is this wise or should I go about this in a different way? I've not had this exact situation before, I just bonded another neutered boar with 3 girls but he was intact prior to that and wasn't bereaved.
 
I think it is worth trying to bond him with your sows. It is always worth a try and it would be nice for them to all live together. They may argue at first but once they sort out the order hopefully it will settle down and they can live together.
 
Hopefully I can put them all in the run together if we have a dry day. Then perhaps depending on how that goes then can move in together with or without the divide.

I do have another pair of sows if they really don't get along. However one has been a bit aggressive in the past so that'd be my 2nd choice option, I'd prefer them to be a 4 than a 3.

My other 3 sows who are all totally soft have a boyfriend now otherwise I'm sure they would have accepted him. They totally ignored any advances from Boris and so he stopped bothering... They all cuddle now which is so sweet.
 
Rather then wait for a dry day to put them in the run,why not put them all in your hall as it is a neutral place.
 
I am sorry for your loss!

You can always try intros indoors; the kitchen floor or (if wipeable) the bathroom floor or even the bathtub itself with a towel for footing will do.

I usually have a big flat plate of grass or hay in the middle, but no other distractions or hideys. Never use hideys with just one entrance as a piggy that feels trapped can react aggressively.

If possible, let your boy live right next door to the girls with interaction through the bars/mesh, so they can get used to each other before the intro. Don't try an intro as long as there are signs of hostility.

Here are more tips for staging intros: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38562

Best of luck!
 
Thanks for the suggestions. My hall and kitchen aren't really suitable due to the flooring, the bathroom floor is also pretty funky so the bath it will have to be, but it's a corner bath so a bit larger which is a bonus. Plus I can go in, close the door and sit and watch without the cat deciding he wants to play too!

I will let you know how it goes, I feel so sorry for him all alone at the moment. Pickle hadn't looked as good before she passed, but she'd still always come to the bars for food. When she didn't come one afternoon I knew something wasn't right. She must have passed quite quickly because she was fine in the morning and still a little warm when I found her about 4pm. She'd had a lovely, long life though and her and Ed had been very happy together this last year. She didn't like other females but she took to him very easily!
 
He went in with the 3 ladies yesterday, they really did not like him! They were making a lot of noise, even when he wasn't near them and one of them chattered at him and tried to face off with him a bit. Nothing became really aggressive but you could tell they weren't happy. As soon as he was removed, they went silent and went back to eating the grass. I think 3 ladies might have been a bit much for him to start off with, they are quite a handful ha ha.

So Ed has moved in next door to my 2 other sows, with the mesh divide. So far they have eaten at either sides of the divide and seem quite interested in each other without being hostile. Hopefully they will meet properly tomorrow.
 
Maybe just one sow to start with would go better. Poor thing having three sows against him!
 
piggyfan said:
Maybe just one sow to start with would go better. Poor thing having three sows against him!
Click to expand...

He was just living with the one until she passed, but unfortunately now I'm only left with these 2 groups to try him with. The other group of 3 ladies I have were just successfully bonded with a boar so they're all taken. That was a very easy bonding because they're all elderly and couldn't have cared less about him attempting to try it on! So it comes down to the 3 that weren't very keen on him or the 2 he's now next door to. I can't really split the two because they're mother and daughter and then I'd still be left with a singleton! I'm hoping the 2 will accept him, the mother is extremely docile, the daughter is slightly more fiesty but she seemed to want to see what was going on with him in an inquisitive way as opposed to an aggressive one.

If it really ended up with them also not liking him I'd have to take him dating somewhere or to meet some other suitable sows because I wouldn't want him on his own. But I have 12 guinea pigs and I don't really want to get more. I would because it's about him, not me and I have space but really I'd prefer to keep numbers down.
 
Just wanted to wish you luck, looks like you have a few different options which is great. So sorry to hear about Pickle, 8 is a great age for a piggy!
 
Thankyou! She was very old and towards the end it showed, she had a super life though and the end had to come at some point.

Ed is still doing some dating, he met my other 2 sows Willow and Boo who I have previously mentioned. Boo was not bothered, which surprised me because she is usually the stroppy one but Willow was chattering at him and lunging for him. No one was bitten etc but it wasn't quite the reaction I anticipated! I am going to try again this week but I am also going to see which rescues if any have any older single females that may like to bond with him.
 
Just wanted to update this! Although it took me a while Ed is finally living with the 3 females I mentioned earlier - Miffy, Piglet and Squidgey Pig! It's early days but it seems to be going okay so far. Squidgey Pig was chased rather a lot earlier today but it's all pretty calm now.

They seem to be enjoying all the space they have (8ft by 2ft) and it's nice that Ed can be with them, which he likes, rather than on his own!
 
Miffy and Piglet are pretty soft with him, but Squidgey Pig is the boss and obviously wishes to remain the boss. Ed isn't really that bothered, I think he'll just let her do what she likes! Squidgey Pig is actually a pretty solid pig, I wouldn't mess with her ha ha ha!

They have 2 bedding areas, one either end of the hutch, so they can split off if necessary but I caught all 4 of them quite happily in the same one earlier.
 
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