Cage Mate For Lone Boar Or Not?

[BambiPaws]

I adopted a lone boar last week, in the hope of having him neutered and putting him in with my two sows.

My problem is hes had surgery before and I spoke to the vet that he has seen before and they said he didn't recover very well from the anesthesia before. I'm unsure of what to do now, I've heard there can be quite a few problems with introducing boars/living together.
I dont really want to leave him by himself, but if problems do arise between them I dont have the space for another cage.

I have a huge hutch for my sows in my front room and his cage so I really don't have space.

Is it very common for problems between boars?

There are no rescues very close to me either so nowhere I can try the bonding.

 

[sport_billy]

It depends on the boar to be honest. Has he been with another boar before? Do you know historically how he has been?

 

[Janice C]

Speak to the Vet again as they could try either a different anaesthetic or different combination.
As Sport billy said, you need to find out if he's been tried with another boar before. Different ages of boars can work but if he can be neutered he'd probably be over the moon to move in with the girls! My Oliver fell out big time with his brother and now lives very happily with two of my girls. His brother still has ten days to go then he'll get his own ladies therefore two happy boars!

 

[Wiebke]

I adopted a lone boar last week, in the hope of having him neutered and putting him in with my two sows.

My problem is hes had surgery before and I spoke to the vet that he has seen before and they said he didn't recover very well from the anesthesia before. I'm unsure of what to do now, I've heard there can be quite a few problems with introducing boars/living together.
I dont really want to leave him by himself, but if problems do arise between them I dont have the space for another cage.

I have a huge hutch for my sows in my front room and his cage so I really don't have space.

Is it very common for problems between boars?

There are no rescues very close to me either so nowhere I can try the bonding.

There are rescues in the wider London area that offer residential boar dating at the rescue, so your boy comes home with a mate only if there has been success.
East Peckham is one of the rescues that offers this time consuming service. It is the boars that decide whether they get on or not and is a valid alternative if a neutering operation is not advisable.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator

 

[BambiPaws]

Thank you for the replies.

I've found a rescue but was wondering in the mean time, would he be allowed supervised play time with the girls in the run? Or is that too risky?

His cage is next to the girls and they've been sniffing each other and then wheeking and popcorning like mad

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the replies.

I've found a rescue but was wondering in the mean time, would he be allowed supervised play time with the girls in the run? Or is that too risky?

His cage is next to the girls and they've been sniffing each other and then wheeking and popcorning like mad

Your boys can have interaction through the bars to prevent him from pining, but please NEVER put a full boar with any sows under any circumstances. It only takes seconds to make a baby - much quicker than you can intervene.

Additionally, any meetings are not play time for guinea pigs, but bonding time. Interrupting them all the time is very frustrating and upsetting for the guinea pigs. They either belong to a group or don't, but start and stop are in their understanding. If you are looking for a boarmate, I can promise you that no boar will enjoy being relegated to bachalor status after he's been with sows.