Boar bonding help

[Chloe.123]

Hi.

Just want to make sure what I'm doing is right.

I've just let my boars meet for the first time in the neutral area. Although there's been some humping and popcorning. They've mostly been ignoring each other and eating. Is this a good sign? They've been following each other around occasionally and have had a few moments of teeth chattering but there hasn't been any real fights.

I've been looking through the bonding file and it said if they aren't interacting then it's not working? Should I give up on them being friends?

Thanks

 

[Chloe.123]

Also the older and larger of the two keeps going up to the others face and purring at him. Is this normal? He then runs off popcorning

 

[Piggies&buns]

It sounds as if things are going well. Leave them in the bonding pen for several hours, and if things continue to go well (ie no fighting), then clean down the cage they are to live in and move them to it together. They will then be in a two week period of fully establishing their hierarchy and relationship

The purring is rumblestrutting - a mild dominance/getting to know you behaviour

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

 

[Chloe.123]

It sounds as if things are going well. Leave them in the bonding pen for several hours, and if things continue to go well (ie no fighting), then clean down the cage they are to live in and move them to it together. They will then be in a two week period of fully establishing their hierarchy and relationship

The purring is rumblestrutting - a mild dominance/getting to know you behaviour

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

Thank you. I just needed some reassurance!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi.

Just want to make sure what I'm doing is right.

I've just let my boars meet for the first time in the neutral area. Although there's been some humping and popcorning. They've mostly been ignoring each other and eating. Is this a good sign? They've been following each other around occasionally and have had a few moments of teeth chattering but there hasn't been any real fights.

I've been looking through the bonding file and it said if they aren't interacting then it's not working? Should I give up on them being friends?

Thanks

Hi!

They haven't ignored each other if they have been humping and popcorning. Bonding goes in rounds with quiet intervals in between but some are much more on the mild side than other. Feel blessed that yours is very much on the mild side and is looking very positive!

 

[Chloe.123]

Hi!

They haven't ignored each other if they have been humping and popcorning. Bonding goes in rounds with quiet intervals in between but some are much more on the mild side than other. Feel blessed that yours is very much on the mild side and is looking very positive!

I hope its OK to ask another question...

I've just given them their evening veggies and it seems a bit tense again. A little bit of teeth chattering and chasing followed by some purring. Is this OK? I'm worried it might escalate overnight

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Please leave them in the bonding area overnight if you have not yet moved them to the cage but the behaviour is still on the mild side and pretty par for the course; your boys are now in the phase where the hierarchy has been established but is now reaffirmed. The post-intro dominance phase lasts around 2 weeks.
You can find more information about the complex bonding process in our comprehensive step-by-step bonding guide: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Make sure that there are no hideys (especially not ones with just one exit) and just peg a sheet or blanket over the area and sprinkle feed.

The good thing about boar bonding is that it becomes realtively quickly obvious whether a relationship is going to work out or not, unlike with sows and in some cross gender bondings, which can still fail several days in if the leadership outcome is not accepted by both parties and the stance hardens. You have not reported anything that is out of order. So please go to bed and get some sleep!

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I hope the bonding went well .