Can I keep two boars and a sow together?

mezmezmeeez

mezmezmeeez

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Yes, I know, guides online say not to do it.
But today when I went to the vet, they had this gorgeous poor guinea pig in a tiny cage whom had yet to find a home.
Poor baby's nails were messy and long and my heart broke seeing her in a cage that was barely twice her own size obviously meant for hamsters.
Since she is 9 months old, chances of her finding a forever home is near zero as everyone wants a baby guinea pig with the misconception that they are easier to bond with (even when I got mine any piggy older than two months wasn't even introduced to me even when I said I don't mind an older pig).

I'd get her in a heartbeat, problem is, I have two small boars myself. One nearly 3 months and the other 1.5 months old.
I'm not sure if I can put them in the same cage (it's a 6x2) and I can't really afford a whole new cage and all that comes with it as I am a student.
Also there's a problem of breeding (they are different breeds of pigs, can they even procreate if they aren't the same breed?) since nuterizing pigs isn't possible here.
My parents will obviously be against it because I'm way too invested in my own pigs wellbeing (I don't think my dad had ever seen me cry until I started taking care of my piggies), but, again, I live alone and they only visit every other month and it's not like they can make me give her back if I do end up getting her.
Should I get her? Should I not?
I just can't get the poor thing out of my mind and none of my friends want to raise a pig.
 
No you cannot keep a sow with two boars. It will cause your boars to fight and it will break their bond.
The fact they your boars aren’t neutered is also a reason to never put a sow with a boar. You’d end up with lots of babies and it would be putting the health/life of the sow and babies at risk.

if you get her, she would need to be kept in A totally separate cage. her cage would have to go into a different room to your boars. You wouldn’t be able to keep a sow, even if in A separate cage, even in the same room as your boars as simply smelling a sow could cause your boars to fight even if they can’t get to her.
you would then need to find her her own new friend To live with.
 
Thank you both for your replies!
I guess I'll have to pass on her then.
I'll make sure to post the pictures I took on instagram on the off chance that someone will get her :( Hopefully she can get a good home soon.
So I guess crossbreeding is possible with pigs? Would the offspring be fertile though?
 
mezmezmeeez said:
Thank you both for your replies!
I guess I'll have to pass on her then.
I'll make sure to post the pictures I took on instagram on the off chance that someone will get her :( Hopefully she can get a good home soon.
So I guess crossbreeding is possible with pigs? Would the offspring be fertile though?
Click to expand...

we are a non-breeding forum and will not discuss it
 
BIG NO NO

Sows can get pregnant from 4 week onward (as soon as they are weaned) for as long as they live; boars can make babies even sooner, from 3 weeks onward; basically as soon as they are weaned.
Sows come into season again within hours of giving birth. They are nonstop breeding machines until they die in birth or from birthing complications, or from being too worn out by back-to-back pregnancies. Fatalities in birth (babies and/or mothers) are much higher than in humans even on the best of care because their babies are so much larger and further developed; that percentage is going further up with every following birth as they take their toll on a constantly overburdened body.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/

That doesn't even take into account the kind of mess that happens if you even mis-sex one single piggy or not separate them soon enough.
And the mayhem that sow pheromones from a sow in season cause to a boar relationship! The pandemic should have taught you what an exponential curve is - it also goes for uncontrolled procreation. Not to mention that you cannot constantly take piggies out and put them back in a relationship without forcing them to go through the whole bonding process all over again - but every time anew with more frustration.
The rules for sows and boars are in this guide here, chapter 3: A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

Too many of my own adoptees are the result of uncontrolled breeding from a situation that you are considering creating by intent. Many of them are paying a high price in genetic and behavioural deficits that are continuing to shape their lives and even those of their rescue-born children.

PS: Please accept that we are a strictly no intentional breeding forum and that we would have to ban you if you followed through on your plan to put a fertile sow with your two unneutered boars. We would rather not have to do that.
Terms of Service And Forum Rules

As much as your heart goes out for the little girl; if you cannot give her the home she really needs, please don't put her through a new kind of hell of your own making.
 
Wiebke said:
BIG NO NO

Sows can get pregnant from 4 week onward (as soon as they are weaned) for as long as they live; boars can make babies even sooner, from 3 weeks onward; basically as soon as they are weaned.
Sows come into season again within hours of giving birth. They are nonstop breeding machines until they die in birth or from birthing complications, or from being too worn out by back-to-back pregnancies. Fatalities in birth (babies and/or mothers) are much higher than in humans even on the best of care because their babies are so much larger and further developed; that percentage is going further up with every following birth as they take their toll on a constantly overburdened body.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/

That doesn't even take into account the kind of mess that happens if you even mis-sex one single piggy or not separate them soon enough.
And the mayhem that sow pheromones from a sow in season cause to a boar relationship! The pandemic should have taught you what an exponential curve is - it also goes for uncontrolled procreation. Not to mention that you cannot constantly take piggies out and put them back in a relationship without forcing them to go through the whole bonding process all over again - but every time anew with more frustration.
The rules for sows and boars are in this guide here, chapter 3: A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

Too many of my own adoptees are the result of uncontrolled breeding from a situation that you are considering creating by intent. Many of them are paying a high price in genetic and behavioural deficits that are continuing to shape their lives and even those of their rescue-born children.

PS: Please accept that we are a strictly no intentional breeding forum and that we would have to ban you if you followed through on your plan to put a fertile sow with your two unneutered boars. We would rather not have to do that.
Terms of Service And Forum Rules

As much as your heart goes out for the little girl; if you cannot give her the home she really needs, please don't put her through a new kind of hell of your own making.
Click to expand...
Of course I won't breed them!
Even if one my boars magically ended up being a sow and got pregnant, I could never give the babies away. I'd separate the bunch of them, but I'm simply incapable of giving anything I think is my responsibility up. I get attached way too easily.
As for the breeding question, I was just curious. Not going down that rabbit hole at all.
I've already posted stories on my instagram searching for a good home for her; After the helpful replies on this forum I decided against getting her myself since I'd rather not strain my savings on a new cage.
Still, thank you for taking the time to reply! It's oddly heartwarming how much the people here care.
 
gerbilord said:
do you have any guinea pig rescues near you which you could take her to? They could give her a better life/cage and potentially a friend?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not.
Most of the reason I was so adamant on getting her is because I think the vet will either just let her loose or sell her to a laboratory (which? why is testing on guinea pigs even allowed?) if they don't find a home for her soon. It's a situation all too common.
Still, I have my fingers crossed. My friends are also spreading her pics; might find her a good home!
 
mezmezmeeez said:
Of course I won't breed them!
Even if one my boars magically ended up being a sow and got pregnant, I could never give the babies away. I'd separate the bunch of them, but I'm simply incapable of giving anything I think is my responsibility up. I get attached way too easily.
As for the breeding question, I was just curious. Not going down that rabbit hole at all.
I've already posted stories on my instagram searching for a good home for her; After the helpful replies on this forum I decided against getting her myself since I'd rather not strain my savings on a new cage.
Still, thank you for taking the time to reply! It's oddly heartwarming how much the people here care.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I didn't expect that you would once you became aware of the consquences. The problem is that you would still inevitably end up with more cages...

If you want to have a look at our pregnancy section, you can see that we are dealing with these kinds of messes all the time - and those are just the unplanned pregnancies and suprise births. :(

I was going to propose that you'd try social media to find the poor little girl a new home. 9 months is still only teenage...
 
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