D Day Tomorrow

[katew]

We have decided to let our rescue boar Mikey finally meet his two wifepigs tomorrow.

They are indoor pigs overnight and outdoor during the day. The outdoor cages are next to each other with an interconnecting door - shut until now, but we will open it tomorrow. Poor Mikey has been pacing up and down, nose touching and biting the bars for over 5 weeks now looking very lonely.

We have moved the outdoor cages to a new spot in the garden with lots of fresh grass. There are 3 different hideys plus a tunnel and the hutch. We will also put out two bowls of dry food (Mikey was food deprived in his last home and I don't want food becoming an issue). We will have towels and oven gloves at the ready incase of any emergency separating. Is there anything else we should do ?

I am so looking forward to this and really hope it works - Mikey is half the size of the girls but twice the ego (think Napoleon) so it could be interesting.

 

[Stewybus]

Generally, it's much easier to bond a boar with females. I have never had problems bonding opposite sex piggies, only same sex. Mikey will probably chase the girls & try to do what comes naturally but this will wear off eventually. You seem to have everything covered, you just need some good weather now.

 

[Wiebke]

Best of luck! I would strongly recommend to remove any hideys until the dust has settled, which may take a few days. Rather have open sided carboard boxes or towel/hankie "tents". Fights and scuffles usually start when one piggy is feeling cornered. It sounds like Mike may well lose the "on" switch for his brain. If anything, give him a piggy sized toddler safe stuffed humping toy to draw off some of the inevitable fire and try to not intervene unless the tension is suddenly flashing up (going from medium to high). If tension levels climb or stay constantly to high to be productive, call it day (but preferably well into the bonding) and restart on the following day. Leave Mikey in with the girls overnight only if you judge it safe. Unlike with boars, you can conduct a cross gender bonding over more than a day, provided you do it in large enough chunks.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/

 

[piggyfan]

I hope the bonding goes well.

 

[katew]

Best of luck! I would strongly recommend to remove any hideys until the dust has settled, which may take a few days. Rather have open sided carboard boxes or towel/hankie "tents". Fights and scuffles usually start when one piggy is feeling cornered. It sounds like Mike may well lose the "on" switch for his brain. If anything, give him a piggy sized toddler safe stuffed humping toy to draw off some of the inevitable fire and try to not intervene unless the tension is suddenly flashing up (going from medium to high). If tension levels climb or stay constantly to high to be productive, call it day (but preferably well into the bonding) and restart on the following day. Leave Mikey in with the girls overnight only if you judge it safe. Unlike with boars, you can conduct a cross gender bonding over more than a day, provided you do it in large enough chunks.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/

Thank you - I will adjust the hideys and find a toy - we used to have a stuffed guinea pig funnily enough. We were aiming to start quite early in the day to give maximum time for adjustment. I was worried about stopping and starting and it is good to know that with cross gender we can factor in a bit more flexibilty. I am so grateful to have access to this site for all the advice !

 

[Wiebke]

All the best! Each bonding is different, so it is always an adventure. You just have to take the time and read the body language. You cannot interrupt and interfere too much, or it will become counterproductive, but you can space it out. Often, tempers are a lot more relaxed on day two if the piggies have had a chance to work well into the dominance sort-out.

 

[katew]

So far so good. Mikey loves the extra space and is bouncing around popcorning. The girls like the long grass and are ignoring him and eating. He has tried a bit of dominance behaviour - some rumbling and nose in bottom which they have largely ignored apart from the odd indignant squeak. No humping that I have seen. The only reaction has been when he tries to get in the dominant female's space then he has been shoved out.

 

[Wiebke]

Any boar will rumble and sniff the bottom (i.e. update on how close to a season a sow is). You just have to wait and see how things develop when interaction replaces the munching. If necessary, stage a few lawn meetings.