Bereaved little man

MunchMummy

MunchMummy

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello. So some time ago we bonded our beautiful 6 year old boar Albie with a little man called Checo. It was beautiful and Checo loved his uncle Albie.

Sadly, 2 days ago, we lost our beloved Albie. It was sudden and we already miss him so much.

This leaves Checo. Now about 5 months old and a complete boar. Initially, we went to local rescues to see what was available. One has a 6-12 month old boar as a possible mate. However, he has to be chipped and neutered before they'll let him go which means it will be several weeks before he can come to us.

Nowhere else near us has any single boars. Which leaves us with neutering Checo and finding a girl or two for him. But again...this is several weeks wait.

This wouldn't be too much of an issue and I'm prepared to be patient, but already he seems much quieter and isn't out and about as much. He's mostly in his hidey. He is eating well and getting lots of cuddles. He is in a room where he can hear and smell other piggies. But I'm worried about him.

What do you guys think about finding a girl to live next to him until he is safe post-neuter...and then introduce them? Is this unfair on any new girl? I want to do what's best for Checo...but not at the expense of another pigs welfare. But I'm also worried about Checo being alone for too long!

They do keep us worrying don't they!

Thanks as ever for your patience and time.
 
I’m so sorry for your loss.

Being able to see, hear and smell other piggies will help him but only you can make the call on whether that is enough for him given he has several weeks wait.

My question would be - as he is in a room with other piggies, what sex are the others? Are they bonded boar pairs? If they are, introducing a sow into a boar room at any time will produce a big reaction amongst bonded boar pairs, with the potential to cause fights and fall outs.

If they are sows and there is no risk of breaking boar bonds, then it would be fine to get sows and have them live side by side with him until he is safe, of course providing his cage is very secure.
Although as you have other piggies, he could just be near them until he is post neuter safe - living next to them is no different in terms of interaction to living side by side with one/two new sows - and then potentially date to find his own sows.
Either way would be fine - it just comes down to what you would prefer
 
Thank you so much.

All my others are bonded sow/neutered boar pairings or groups...1 pair, a three (1 boy, 2 girls) and a quartet (1 boar with 3 sows) and one (temporarily) single special needs sow (but i think Checo may be too much for her! He's very bubbly!) So no other boar bonds to worry about. Checo and Albie were the only boar bond.
 
Getting a younger sow or two (if two, they need to be good friends) and keeping them alongside during the post-op neutering safety wait is a valid option that will work in any space that doesn't also contain more boars-only spaces. Introducing sows into boars-only room can cause fights and fall-outs when they react to their pheromones.

I have done the next door to sows post-op wait occasionally in my mixed gender room and it's always worked out well; just recently with two baby boys that were born here to a sow which was pregnant when rescued. They now live with one and two ladies respectively.
Growing up next to sows will encourage the boars to produce a calming compound which means that he is less likely to totally overreact while learning his boar moves through the bars. Sub-adult sows are usually very accepting of boars; the older sows get, the less accepting they get because by then you are working against their instincts and no longer with them.
It is the lack of this calming compound that causes boars to overreact when coming into contact with sow pheromones and you will need to keep them away from them.
 
Perfect. I think I was always favouring the neutering and sow bond so that's really helped to confirm it's the right move for him. Thank you so much!
 
MunchMummy said:
Perfect. I think I was always favouring the neutering and sow bond so that's really helped to confirm it's the right move for him. Thank you so much!
Click to expand...

Here is more information on neutering: Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

An evaluation of mixed gender pairs and their specific challenges. The same basically goes for 2 sows living with a neutered 'husboar' with the proviso that the sows need to be good friends in order to avoid a longer term 2+1 outsider situation. A mixed gender trio has roughly the same space need as a neutered boar.
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
Thank you so much! I have neutered boar and sow pairings/groups buy the neutering has always happened in the rescue they came from so this will be my first experience of caring for a recently neutered pig. I'm going to bookmark and study the guide in thoroughly.
 
MunchMummy said:
Thank you so much! I have neutered boar and sow pairings/groups buy the neutering has always happened in the rescue they came from so this will be my first experience of caring for a recently neutered pig. I'm going to bookmark and study the guide in thoroughly.
Click to expand...

If you have access to a neutering rescue, then you may want to consider using their vet for neutering your boy as they will have the necessary experience and practice with boar neutering. It can make a real difference. ;)

All the best!
 
I’m sorry for your loss. Good luck finding him a friend.
 
So sorry to read you lost Albie :hug: I hope Checo finds a new friend soon
 
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