Boar Bonding

[Louspiggs]

i currently have 2 male guinea pigs in a 2x5 grid cage(plus a 1x3 upstairs). they are 13 weeks old and get on well being brothers. one of them is clearly more dominant. i am thinking about bringing in a 10 week old boar and i have a store bought cage that he can be kept in for a short while before i introduce them, but I'm worried that they will not get along. i have seeked alot of advice regarding how to bond them and i have decided on how and where i will do this. does anyone know if there is a chance they wont get on in the future (after they re fully grown) even if they get on now? and also is the grid cage i mentioned big enough for 3 boars? if i dont bring this new piggie in there is a chance that he will be given to a pet stop, which i do not want! please help asap

 

[Wiebke]

i currently have 2 male guinea pigs in a 2x5 grid cage(plus a 1x3 upstairs). they are 13 weeks old and get on well being brothers. one of them is clearly more dominant. i am thinking about bringing in a 10 week old boar and i have a store bought cage that he can be kept in for a short while before i introduce them, but I'm worried that they will not get along. i have seeked alot of advice regarding how to bond them and i have decided on how and where i will do this. does anyone know if there is a chance they wont get on in the future (after they re fully grown) even if they get on now? and also is the grid cage i mentioned big enough for 3 boars? if i dont bring this new piggie in there is a chance that he will be given to a pet stop, which i do not want! please help asap

Hi! Unfortunately, you are very likely facing a fall-out between three sub-adult boys before they make it to a hormonally more settled adulthood; the fall-out rate between baby boar trios is about 90%.

Is there a chance that you can create a second tier and find the little new boy a character compatible friend of his own; ideally at a good rescue that offers boar dating? We may be able to help you more effectively if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details. I agree that taking him to the pet shop where no questions will be asked of any "adopters" is rather upsetting.
Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

 

[MerryPip]

You are right to be worried that they won't get on....

As Wiebke says the chances of 3 young males getting on is extremely slim and if you choose to go ahead you will more than likely end up with 3 angry, single males and also potentially some nasty injuries as well! I've been there before myself when I didn't know any better and it cost a lot in out of hours vet bills to clean up the resulting mess!

Your pair are already at the time when their bond is most difficult as they are young and hormonal and adding a third boar would upset the bond they already have. It is occasionally possible to bond more than two boars but usually only with older boars (over the age of 2-3), with careful consideration for compatible personalities and with a very large space. Even then 3 tends to be a crowd!

Boar bonds are all about personality. Perhaps your 10 week old could find a friend of his own and live next door to your existing pair if you really want more piggies? A good rescue would be able to help him find a friend that suits him. An older boar, past his teenage months who could be an uncle to him would likely be most successful for a youngster like him who is just about to hit his hormonal patch. Another baby would be tricky as they may well come into conflict and risk a fall-out once they both hit puberty in the coming weeks. This is less likely with a more mature boar who is more settled and a rescue will be able to have more idea of their personalities and who might suit your lad.

 

[Louspiggs]

Hi! Unfortunately, you are very likely facing a fall-out between three sub-adult boys before they make it to a hormonally more settled adulthood; the fall-out rate between baby boar trios is about 90%.

Is there a chance that you can create a second tier and find the little new boy a character compatible friend of his own; ideally at a good rescue that offers boar dating? We may be able to help you more effectively if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details. I agree that taking him to the pet shop where no questions will be asked of any "adopters" is rather upsetting.
Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

thanks for the reply! unfortunately i really dont have the space for adding any more tiers or space outwards so getting the 10 week old boar with a friend and keeping them seperatly would be too much for me.
i am considering getting 2 10 week old females and giving the breeder one of my males. they are much more experienced with piggies than i am and I'm sure they can match him up with some females. obviously i would get the boar i am keeping neutured. would that trio work? would seperating my current boars cause upset? isnt it less likey for opposite sex piggies to fight? especially since its one male two female? would that trio fit into the cage i have and just in general would you say this would work? thanks

 

[Wiebke]

thanks for the reply! unfortunately i really dont have the space for adding any more tiers or space outwards so getting the 10 week old boar with a friend and keeping them seperatly would be too much for me.
i am considering getting 2 10 week old females and giving the breeder one of my males. they are much more experienced with piggies than i am and I'm sure they can match him up with some females. obviously i would get the boar i am keeping neutured. would that trio work? would seperating my current boars cause upset? isnt it less likey for opposite sex piggies to fight? especially since its one male two female? would that trio fit into the cage i have and just in general would you say this would work? thanks

Please be aware that boars need to have their testicles descended (which happens between 4-6 months of age) before they can be neutered. Then they have to wait a full 6 weeks after the operation before they are 100% safe to go with sows. I have got the baby courtesy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar, just to point out that it can and does really happen! You also need to find a good vet with plenty of experience in guinea pig neutering to cut down on the otherwise still rather high risk of complications.
If I were you, I'd stick with the two piggies you have got and concentrate on giving them a good and happy life, first and foremost. You have made a commitment to look after both of them for the duration of their life.

Any further plans should only have a place if those two fall-out when they reach the teenage hormones. Thankfully, more boar pairs than not actually make it to adulthood together!

 

[Louspiggs]

Please be aware that boars need to have their testicles descended (which happens between 4-6 months of age) before they can be neutered. Then they have to wait a full 6 weeks after the operation before they are 100% safe to go with sows. I have got the baby courtesy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar, just to point out that it can and does really happen! You also need to find a good vet with plenty of experience in guinea pig neutering to cut down on the otherwise still rather high risk of complications.
If I were you, I'd stick with the two piggies you have got and concentrate on giving them a good and happy life, first and foremost. You have made a commitment to look after both of them for the duration of their life.

Any further plans should only have a place if those two fall-out when they reach the teenage hormones. Thankfully, more boar pairs than not actually make it to adulthood together!

really? would that be the best thing to do? i was told that theres a high chance of them fighting as they get older. that was why i considering getting females. if i was 100% sure they wouldnt fight i obviously wouldnt get rid of either of my piggies! it's embarrassing how much i cried over even thinking about giving up one of my boys. i hope youre right! one more question... is a 2x5 plus 1x3 grid cage ok for two boars?