Boar Separation - Can They Be Friends With The 'neutral' Pig Still?

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Werezal

Werezal

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Hey all,

Just here to reassurance seek really. I got two baby boars to accompany my adult boar back in December but as commonly described puberty set in and one of the babies challenged my adult for dominance. There have been the 'normal' dominance displays- rumble strutting, teeth chattering and mounting - however, Last night I found my adult boar had been bitten so badly his eyelid had become detached. He's been to the vets first thing this morning and just had surgery to reattach the eyelid and I have absolutely no plans whatsoever to reintroduce them due to the level of fighting.

I just wanted to check out firstly, would it be ok to put their separate cages next to one another? My adult has a good relationship with the other baby and I feel he would still like to interact with him or would you advise zero proximity? and secondly, would it be advisable to let both my adult and dominant baby boar to play with the second baby independently of one another? They seem to have mutually good relationships with the second baby but just despise one another?

Any help is really appreciated,

Many thanks,

Sadie
 
I am very sorry about the Boar Wars!

Please keep them all next to each other and let the submissive baby boar choose who he wants to live with in the long term. Put his cage in the middle and see which boar he interacts with curls up to next more. Then you can stage formal re-intros on neutral ground to get one stable boar pair. if that is your adult boar, then you will obviously have to wait a few days until his eye is better. The boars still need each other for companionship and mutual stimulation through the bars.

Sadly, trios and quartets where majority of boars is sub-adult are particularly prone to fall-outs. :(
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
Thank you as always for such wonderful advice!

I've followed your advice and put them in separate cages but they're all going mad trying to get at one another through the bars. Is this normal following initial separation? They seem to be making one another quite agitated?

Sadie
 
Werezal said:
Thank you as always for such wonderful advice!

I've followed your advice and put them in separate cages but they're all going mad trying to get at one another through the bars. Is this normal following initial separation? They seem to be making one another quite agitated?

Sadie
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Yes, that is not uncommon. Was the eyelid bit off or was it from a hind leg swipe which got caught in the eyelid - the second is more in the way of an accident and not directly aggression.
 
It's hard to say really, it had become detached and had a split down the middle. They have been fighting quite badly recently and there have been nips which have resulted in slight face marks but nothing to this level.

It's hard because they all seem very agitated to be separated from one another and rattling the cage. I'm debating more Charlie (the pig who just had surgery) as it seems to be stressing him out quite badly. I don't know whether or not I'm being an overly cautious pig mum and whether to just allow them to habituate? Thank you again for your advice, I really value it X
 
Werezal said:
It's hard to say really, it had become detached and had a split down the middle. They have been fighting quite badly recently and there have been nips which have resulted in slight face marks but nothing to this level.

It's hard because they all seem very agitated to be separated from one another and rattling the cage. I'm debating more Charlie (the pig who just had surgery) as it seems to be stressing him out quite badly. I don't know whether or not I'm being an overly cautious pig mum and whether to just allow them to habituate? Thank you again for your advice, I really value it X
Click to expand...

In any case, you need to re-introduce them formally on neutral ground and have time to watch them, as well as an oven glove at the ready. it is getting a bit late for that now.
 
Oh no! I'm nowhere near that stage! Charlie has got stitches and strict instructions to chill, he won't be having any direct pig contact for sometime, I meant more would it be ok to pop them in separate rooms? They're all currently in my kitchen in separate cages. I think just being able to smell him is winding my submissive baby up, he keeps rattling the cage (I did record a video but I can't upload it). I've never ever seen him so agitated, he's normally very passive and calm. I was considering putting Charlie in the spare room so he can relax and sleep, I didn't want to cause further chaos by doing so though.
 
Your submissive boy is obviously not at all happy to be on his own... Most young piggies are very upset.

The ratling is going to settle down in a day or two.
 
Being a pig mum is tough! I just want to soothe but I know they've all got to adjust at least until Charlie is healed and then I'll follow the forum advice regarding introductions.

Thank you again for all of your help, I'll leave them be and just wait it out. So lucky to have found this forum you've always been so helpful :)
 
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