Bonding 2 Pairs..

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FayeM

FayeM

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Hi

We've had our 2 boars Norman and Bruce for 6 weeks now and they are currently 14 weeks. Yesterday in a pet shop noticed 2 tiny boars just 6 weeks in a pen with a group of big rabbits so I had to take them with me. Norman and Bruce are in a large c&c cage and the little guys, Bailey and Norris are in a 100cm cage for now. The aim is to get them all in the c&c together however how soon should I plan to start bonding? Any help appreciated
 
To be honest it's very difficult to bond a group of boars especially as they are all babies and will hit the hormonal stage around the same time. Pairs of boars are much more stable but are also not guaranteed to work. If I where you I'd be tempted to keep them as two pairs and get a bigger cage for the new babies.
 
FayeM said:
Hi

We've had our 2 boars Norman and Bruce for 6 weeks now and they are currently 14 weeks. Yesterday in a pet shop noticed 2 tiny boars just 6 weeks in a pen with a group of big rabbits so I had to take them with me. Norman and Bruce are in a large c&c cage and the little guys, Bailey and Norris are in a 100cm cage for now. The aim is to get them all in the c&c together however how soon should I plan to start bonding? Any help appreciated
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Please don't! Quartets have a fall-out rate of 100%, especially sub-adult boars. The only quartets I know of that have been stable for any length of time comprise disabled/carer boars or elderly boars.
If you are very lucky, you end up with two pairs, most likely with a pair and two singles, but we have also had a member that ended up with 4 single boars that would not go back together once the boys hit the hormonal teenage months and stop being cute little babies. Please keep them in pairs with plenty of space for each pair, so they can get away from each other. A too small cage means that fights are more likely.

As tempting as creating a small boar group is, it is a recipe for disaster! :(

Here is more information on what you are dealing with:
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
I'd advise to keep them as too pairs too. I've always had boars and have made a trio work once before but other than that it has never worked....despite trying. You would be extremely lucky if they all got on together. Also if you put them together and they don't get on it can also cause tension between the original pairs :/ Groups of girls work a lot better as in the wild a group of girls live with a male but not a group of males :(
 
Oh no thanks guys! I might have made a big boo boo then hoping it would work. The 2 brothers have been together since birth but the other 2 have just been bonded together and get on so well, I was going to try a big neutral run out on the floor just to see how it went then if it worked build a new c&c cage double the size of the current one. Could I try for an hour or so and if it doesn't go to plan take them out or would that cause more problems? I would at least like to try in the hope they might all get on?
 
FayeM said:
Oh no thanks guys! I might have made a big boo boo then hoping it would work. The 2 brothers have been together since birth but the other 2 have just been bonded together and get on so well, I was going to try a big neutral run out on the floor just to see how it went then if it worked build a new c&c cage double the size of the current one. Could I try for an hour or so and if it doesn't go to plan take them out or would that cause more problems? I would at least like to try in the hope they might all get on?
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No, please DO NOT TRY!
a) Any mixing is NOT play time for guinea pigs, but bonding time. The ensuing tension can destabilise your existing bonds. As always when dealing with boars - please do not break what is not broken. Once your boars start fighting, they will not go back together.
b) while in the best case, it may work for a few weeks, you do not want to have to deal with the resulting mess once the hormones hit - which they INEVITABLY will, I can promise you that! We see enough of that on here. :(
c) please accept that your wishful thinking is just that and please don't put your own desires before your pets' long term happiness. I am very sorry, but you have chosen the wrong gender for creating a herd.

I am however very grateful that you are asking before you are mixing, so we can hopefully help you to enjoy two happy boar bonds. Please be aware that your boys will change in character once they become teenagers at around 4 months of age; the following 8-10 months are going to be rather tricky. More boar pairs than not make it together, but you won't find out whether your two pairs are character compatible until they develop their adult identities.
 
Ok all noted, can I ask - if I build a second c&c cage can they be side by side with a few inches or so inbetween? Thank you all for your help! Good job I didn't just put them all in together!
 
It only takes one lunge with those insisors and an eye could be badly damaged or worse
 
FayeM said:
Ok all noted, can I ask - if I build a second c&c cage can they be side by side with a few inches or so inbetween? Thank you all for your help! Good job I didn't just put them all in together!
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That is 100% fine =)

Excuse the dark photo, it was nighttime.

You can see my four boars all here together.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/dutchese159/P1120028_zps19da64b7.jpg


As for larger groups of boars. It IS possible but to have it happen they all need to be adult piggies way past their hormonal age, which your young piggies haven't yet hit and have to all have very capable personalities. With your four I wouldn't risk it.
 
FayeM said:
Ok all noted, can I ask - if I build a second c&c cage can they be side by side with a few inches or so inbetween? Thank you all for your help! Good job I didn't just put them all in together!
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Yes, they can live next door to each other.
 
Thank you all. Neighbours it it then! Julesie it looks like on your photo you don't have correx it or just it just look like that because it is dark? I was thinking of taking my correx out or just having a correx floor rather than up the sides so that they can see each other but was worried they may climb
 
FayeM said:
Thank you all. Neighbours it it then! Julesie it looks like on your photo you don't have correx it or just it just look like that because it is dark? I was thinking of taking my correx out or just having a correx floor rather than up the sides so that they can see each other but was worried they may climb
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Nope I have no correx up the sides. They were free to see one another and all got on perfectly well. There was a tiny bit of rumbling at the begining from the white piggie whose fast asleep and the black piggie who you can barely see but otherwise they always slept close like the above picture. When I did have correx up they used to try and see one another. When it was gone they seemed happier to see their neighbours.

I should add both dominant piggies had extremely chilled out submissive partners though and never fought with their friends so that could be why they were all so chill together.
 
My neutered boars live with their sows each next to each other on a cheap washable linoleum offcut base. It allows me to adapt all the different pens at need and change the layout whenever necessary. The disadvantage is that all the dirt, dust and poos tend to spill out more. This is my set-up.
IMG_2111_edited-1.webp

I get the usual territorial dominance boar "haka" whenever I change the layout or there is a new boar on the block, but once settled in, they mostly ignore each other. Sometimes, the boars will sleep next to each other across the grids. I think it is more to do with marking their territory because it is like World War III if they ever come face to face by accident.
Neutering boars does not calm them down; they still have got the normal dominance behaviours and do all the boar stuff (including spraying sows with testosterone laden pee during bonding), only that there are no babies!

What is not recommended is having boar pairs next to sow pairs within line of sight. The pheromones when sows can come into season can set boars off and cause fall-outs if the bond is already under stress.

PS: Thank you for adding your location. If you ever land in trouble with your boys at any stage or lose one, you will find that you have got a very good rescue in Keighley, Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue; another good one is BARC in Barnsley. Both are knowledgeable, high standard and offer boar dating at the rescue, so you are in very safe hands there. Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator

You may also find our recommended vets locator helpful: Guinea Pig Vet Locator
 
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