Newbie here…support needed! I have adopted a baby boar trio. Unfortunately I never found this forum until I already had them and now see that it wasn’t a good idea! Please don’t judge me…I took advice from the rescue who assured me they were bonded and had been together since birth with no issues etc. They have been with us 3 weeks and we love them. However, they don’t love each other. The charity told me they would settle down in time but I’m not sure. One is seemingly submissive who stays away from the trouble but spends his life getting mounted. Seems like a happy enough piggie though and eats well etc. One has been slightly more dominant since day one but apart from some rumbling around he doesn’t do much more. The third has been causing trouble for about a week. He is constantly chasing and humping the quiet one but is also now clashing with the originally dominant one. They were June born. Eek. The charity suggested castration but I understand this likely wont help. Apart from lots of space, three of everything and no spaces for them to get cornered what else can I do? The two are chasing, mounting, bum bashing, lunging and teeth chattering but so far no biting/injuries. They relax together at times and all eat well (apart from the newly dominant one who can’t stop pestering the other two for long enough to eat much!) but my anxiety is through the roof watching them with all this tension in the evenings and I worry one will get hurt. Is this just normal boar life or are they really unhappy?! Please be kind..I’m already super sad about the situation
Boar worries
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Zorro1
Adult Guinea Pig
Everyone makes mistakes as a new guinea pig owner. I once bought a boar trio and it didn't work out. But a newbie has to learn somehow. Don't feel bad.
From the piggies just having been moved to a new home, their ranking has been disturbed a bit. They're just trying to find out what the pecking order is in this new home. It sounds like there's nothing serious going on, as long as they're not biting and drawing blood it'll be fine.
I think the charity recommended castration because it will likely calm them down a bit. Not to mention a boar's quality and longevity of life is improved by the surgery. However I would not take them to the vet to have them done until they've sorted out what the ranking among them is. Because personally, I wouldn't want to disturb them with anything whilst they're in this phase.
I hope this helps and good luck with your boar trio.
From the piggies just having been moved to a new home, their ranking has been disturbed a bit. They're just trying to find out what the pecking order is in this new home. It sounds like there's nothing serious going on, as long as they're not biting and drawing blood it'll be fine.
I think the charity recommended castration because it will likely calm them down a bit. Not to mention a boar's quality and longevity of life is improved by the surgery. However I would not take them to the vet to have them done until they've sorted out what the ranking among them is. Because personally, I wouldn't want to disturb them with anything whilst they're in this phase.
I hope this helps and good luck with your boar trio.
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
Boar trios are rarely successful Sadly. And neutering doesn't calm them down like it does in other species (unless like in some countries where they neuter before the testosterone emerges. But that is usually frowned upon in the uk)Everyone makes mistakes as a new guinea pig owner. I once bought a boar trio and it didn't work out. But a newbie has to learn somehow. Don't feel bad.
From the piggies just having been moved to a new home, their ranking has been disturbed a bit. They're just trying to find out what the pecking order is in this new home. It sounds like there's nothing serious going on, as long as they're not biting and drawing blood it'll be fine.
I think the charity recommended castration because it will likely calm them down a bit. Not to mention a boar's quality and longevity of life is improved by the surgery. However I would not take them to the vet to have them done until they've sorted out what the ranking among them is. Because personally, I wouldn't want to disturb them with anything whilst they're in this phase.
I hope this helps and good luck with your boar trio.
But i 100% agree with you about them figuring out the pecking order due to the move. They would work better as a pair and a live alongside guinea pig.
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Zorro1
Adult Guinea Pig
It's not impossible for 3 boars to get along, it's just uncommon. Hopefully, in your case, your 3 pigs will accept each other. 
I agree with Julie, and I’m sorry you’ve found yourself in this situation. You will not get any judgement here - our aim is to help!
Baby boar trios will usually appear happily bonded…but only as babies. Its once they hit their teens at 4 months old (teens are 4 months until 15 months of age) that things will change and most trios will start to have problems and ultimately fail. Very few boar trios will make it successfully
You are right and they do go into a period of establishing a relationship due to a new environment (usually takes around two weeks) but you do need to be prepared that it isn’t likely to stop at that and the third/newly dominant boy could make life difficult for the other two.
You have been given incorrect advice by the charity. In guinea pigs castration does not change behaviour, it won’t calm them down, and it won’t make them get on (castration does not affect piggies like it does other animals - all castrating a boar does is stop them causing a pregnancy)
You can of course provide lots of space (for a boar trio that is a cage of at least 300x100cm so they all have a square metre of territory each), and three of everything (ensuring all hides have two exits) and see what happens but even with lots of space, as a bond comes down to character compatibility then no matter what you do if they aren’t compatible then things sadly won’t work.
The advice would be to split them into a compatible pair and a single piggy and have the single live in a separate cage alongside the pair. This is how they will be happiest.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Baby boar trios will usually appear happily bonded…but only as babies. Its once they hit their teens at 4 months old (teens are 4 months until 15 months of age) that things will change and most trios will start to have problems and ultimately fail. Very few boar trios will make it successfully
You are right and they do go into a period of establishing a relationship due to a new environment (usually takes around two weeks) but you do need to be prepared that it isn’t likely to stop at that and the third/newly dominant boy could make life difficult for the other two.
You have been given incorrect advice by the charity. In guinea pigs castration does not change behaviour, it won’t calm them down, and it won’t make them get on (castration does not affect piggies like it does other animals - all castrating a boar does is stop them causing a pregnancy)
You can of course provide lots of space (for a boar trio that is a cage of at least 300x100cm so they all have a square metre of territory each), and three of everything (ensuring all hides have two exits) and see what happens but even with lots of space, as a bond comes down to character compatibility then no matter what you do if they aren’t compatible then things sadly won’t work.
The advice would be to split them into a compatible pair and a single piggy and have the single live in a separate cage alongside the pair. This is how they will be happiest.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
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I’m so sorry you have been given this wrong advice by the rescue. Your best course of action will be to pair one of the two dominant ones with the quiet one. Then you can either get a friend for the single one or he lives alongside for interaction. I was once told by a pet shop that I could add two more boars to my bonded pair. 
. Well that didn’t go down well and I ended up with four single piggies. 
. Good luck.
. Well that didn’t go down well and I ended up with four single piggies. . Good luck.Thanks, I just feel bad for them! What happened with your trio if you don’t mind me asking? When did they run into problems?Everyone makes mistakes as a new guinea pig owner. I once bought a boar trio and it didn't work out. But a newbie has to learn somehow. Don't feel bad.
From the piggies just having been moved to a new home, their ranking has been disturbed a bit. They're just trying to find out what the pecking order is in this new home. It sounds like there's nothing serious going on, as long as they're not biting and drawing blood it'll be fine.
I think the charity recommended castration because it will likely calm them down a bit. Not to mention a boar's quality and longevity of life is improved by the surgery. However I would not take them to the vet to have them done until they've sorted out what the ranking among them is. Because personally, I wouldn't want to disturb them with anything whilst they're in this phase.
I hope this helps and good luck with your boar trio.
Thanks for your reply. They are around 4 months now so that sounds about right! Things are tense between them still today so I am looking at separating them into a pair and a single. I’m just trying to figure out the logistics of how to give them the space they all require if separated into two areas
Oh no it seems that incorrect advice is quite common! I feel bad for them that they have ended up in this situation and are now a bit stressed. We are all a bit stressed by the situationI’m so sorry you have been given this wrong advice by the rescue. Your best course of action will be to pair one of the two dominant ones with the quiet one. Then you can either get a friend for the single one or he lives alongside for interaction. I was once told by a pet shop that I could add two more boars to my bonded pair.
Thanks everyone. Things are still tense today between them so I am looking to separate them to relieve everyone’s stress levels! Unfortunately they will have smaller areas for now until I figure out a way that I can accommodate them living separately in a good sized cage within the space I have available
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
Don't worry. Remember you're doing all you can. Your caging is a decent size for if they were getting along. How are they today? Any calmer. *JulieOh no it seems that incorrect advice is quite common! I feel bad for them that they have ended up in this situation and are now a bit stressed. We are all a bit stressed by the situation
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
I would try for a pair and a single. As when you take one out the trio things will remarkably calm.
The key thing is to ensure the two who remain as a pair have a good size space - two boars ideally need 180x60cm or a 2x5 c&c cage (a minimum of 150x60cm). The reason for making sure they get a good size straight off is that you dont want them to then run into problems if they dont have enough space. Plus each change in territory will cause a new round of establishing and dominance so moving their cage/changing its size isnt something you want to do often.
The single needs a minimum of 120x60cm (a minimum of a 2x3 c&c, but a 2x4 would be better) alongside the pair.
You're doing a great job!
It’s tricky trying to give them all the space they need so will have to order some new grids and see what I can do with the floor space I have to accommodate the cage! They aren’t great today. Some restful times when they are all relaxing but as soon as one moves it triggers a whole load of chasing and teeth chattering. The quiet one is hiding away a bit more as well.
You are doing the best you can.
When I had split my herd of 5 suddenly I felt awful, as the 2 groups ended up in cages that were really too small.
It was only temporary until i sorted everything out properly, but I still felt bad about it.
While you are working with less space you can maximise floor space by using things like tunnels and fleece forests (I made my own by cutting up an old fleece blanket).
You will get there, but give yourself time as you have been let down with the advice you got from the rescue.
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
Yeah that doesn't sound good. Id be inclined to try the quiet one with the least dominant one.
Have you tried contacting the rescue that you got the pigs from and explaining the situation?
They should be prepared to admit their mistake, and if space is going to be a struggle moving forwards would you consider keeping a pair and returning one of the boys? That means you would only have to have 1 cage.
I know this would be very difficult, but the rescue should be prepared to help out under the circumstances.
Thanks. I’m trying to get the pair into a good size bit straight off and the single might have to be in a slightly smaller area until I get some more grids delivered to extend his bit. And rearrange my living room furniture to make space for it!
He will be fine with a bit less space initially. You’ve been landed in a difficult situation so you’re doing well to make the best of it.
I have tried to reach them today actually but couldn’t get through. I’m a bit reluctant to hand him back if they aren’t giving out great advice and might not do what’s best for him again if that makes sense. I have said to my son that it’s a possibility Snow might need to go. I feel like it’s partly my fault so I should try fix it but equally want him to make sure Snow lives a happy life too!
Most definitely not your fault, please don’t think it is
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
They'll probably say he has to live alone as he doesn't get along well with others (this isnt the case its just that trios are a nightmare). We will make space for him at Ayrs guinea pig rescue if that's what you decided to do. But i would recommend first checking if you needed to return him to the other rescue as per your adoption certificate, i tried to look last night but drew a blank.
Yea I was thinking that they would maybe be a good match. Poor Snow seems to be the one instigating it all at the minute!
Julie M
Forum Donator 2023/24
Little rascal.
Yea I’m worried he’d just be destined to be a single if he went back to the rescue he came from. I think he’d get on well with the quiet one if there wasn’t three in the mix. I will have a look at the paperwork. I have been working from home today (plus posting on here!) so once I’m finished and get my wee boy off to bed I’m going to see what I can do with them all. We are really attached to him already so reluctant to let him go so I’m hoping I’ll find a good solution with the space in my living room! I’ll maybe message you later on or tomorrow with an update
Cute and comical little rascal
Bill & Ted
Forum Buddy
So sorry you have been given such wrong advice from the rescue. Regarding keeping Snow and maximising cage room. L shaped cage layouts going round a corner often fit quite well when you are struggling for space. Good luck I hope you can keep Snow x