Boar-ish Behaviour

[rattata]

Hello everyone! Hope your weekend is going well
so far.

Quick question about boars and their general territorial behaviours; whenever they go into an outside run for grass time will they have to again reestablish their pecking order, and again once they are back in their enclosure every time?
If they ever have to go to a boarding facility and obviously because it’s a brand new environment they’ll have boar-ish discussions to reassert leadership ranking, but once back at home will they then “remember” and be more settled?

I haven’t gotten mine yet as somethings come up, but it’s given me time to again think about some issues that may come up that’s gender specific..

 

[Truffolo]

My take is that as boars rely on scent marking, so if the cage has been duly decorated, things should fall into place and the normal dominant-boar, subordinate-boar should be the prevailing set up. It is like they are putting on a uniform, matron - staff nurse or private - corporal. If you take their scent away, it's like leaving them in their pyjamas. Underlying tensions may surface and disrupt their hierarchy. Hopefully in the garden they should be too busy eating to fight. Going to a new place may supress territorial behaviour while both piggies are settling in. Many people only clean half the cage each day to allow the scent marking to stay to try to reduce potential conflict. Good luck with your piggies to be!

 

[Piggies&buns]

A new place which does not smell of them is a new territory which causes a round of reestablishing the hierarchy.
In some very sensitive boars - usually teen boars - going to the run and cleaning the cage can cause it.
Going to a boarding facility will cause it. Coming home again may also cause it if the cage was removed of all scent.

Only cleaning half the cage can minimise it.
Using already scent marked cage items in the run which smell of them can minimise it.
Rubbing new bedding with soiled bedding can minimise it.

Reacting to group or territorial changes: Dominance and group establishment/re-establishment

 

[rattata]

Thanks @Truffolo @Piggies&buns . I’m hoping that because they’re approx 1 year+ and have always been together that their bond is strong enough to not be “overly sensitive”.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks @Truffolo @Piggies&buns . I’m hoping that because they’re approx 1 year+ and have always been together that their bond is strong enough to not be “overly sensitive”.

Still follow the advice because they are still full of testosterone and will be ‘sensitive’ until they are elderly, 4-5 years old. I don’t trust piggies certainly under 18 months/2 years of age when it comes to hormone spikes!

 

[rattata]

Still follow the advice because they are still full of testosterone and will be ‘sensitive’ until they are elderly, 4-5 years old. I don’t trust piggies certainly under 18 months/2 years of age when it comes to hormone spikes!

Duly noted!