Do some piggies just like being on their own?

[netutopia]

Max is a one year old peruvian boar, my friend had him originally and then he came to live with us.

We got him a young male friend, Percy, they were OK for a while but I separated them as they had a fight, Percy is now neutered and happily living with 4 sows. Then we got another young male to live with Max, he just hid away all of the time and was terrified to come out of his wooden house, so we put him with another boar and took the decision to get Max neutered so that he could have a sow as our male to male pairings had not gone well.

I decided to try Max with 2 of the girls from my 5 in a neutral run, to see how he reacted, and he was not impressed. He kept chasing them (which I know is normal) but they were both terrified of him and hid in a wooden house, every time they tried to come out he chased them back in, and ran in the opposite direction.

The girls were "free to good home" piggies from local people and are nervous sisters. They have now gone back into the group with the other 3 no problems and Max is on his own. My group of 5 bonded straight away with none of this behaviour.

Do neutered boars usually pair up with sows ok? I'm wondering whether Max is just happier with his own ompany? He does get lots of fuss.

 

[MemberY]

Sometimes I think enough is enough with trying to bond! I had a single boar and tried him with two baby boars at different times. He played a reluctant dad role for a while but once puberty hit them, he chased them off. He was happy alone but was a "lounge" pig and the living room was his oyster until he passed away last year. He was just happy being alone but I did have other pigs in c & c cages next to him so he could "visit" through the bars.

 

[MemberX]

Perhaps if you have a bold sow Max could be tried with her. I personally wouldn't give up on it. Nobody could be more of a pain than Twinkle he fought with his cage mate Sunshine when puberty hit and now he lives with Milo!
Perhaps a sow of the same age who won't take no nonsense from him.

Good luck!

 

[netutopia]

Sometimes I think enough is enough with trying to bond! I had a single boar and tried him with two baby boars at different times. He played a reluctant dad role for a while but once puberty hit them, he chased them off. He was happy alone but was a "lounge" pig and the living room was his oyster until he passed away last year. He was just happy being alone but I did have other pigs in c & c cages next to him so he could "visit" through the bars.

Thank you for your reply.

I assumed that it was just boys that Max wasn't keen on which was why we got him neutered but now I'm not so sure. All of our piggies live outside which is why I am trying my best to pair him up (my husband is allergic to them)

He loves being out in the run next to my other boys so he does sort of get company that way.

 

[netutopia]

Perhaps if you have a bold sow Max could be tried with him. I personally wouldn't give up on it. Nobody could be more of a pain than Twinkle he fought with his cage mate Sunshine when puberty hit and now he lives with Milo!
Perhaps a sow of the same age who won't take no nonsense from him.

Good luck!

Thanks! How do you find a bold sow? There is one in my 5 that is but I couldn't remove her from the group as the dynamics may change too much.

 

[MemberX]

Haha maybe try a rescue, Max could visit and mingle and take it from there. Some rescues allow you to take your pig along, it's worth a try as a last resort.

I have three bold sows, Leia, Fleur and Goldmoon! Leia is a minx she is getting a neutered boar in 6 weeks to live with her and her sister I'm hoping that calms her down!

You know Max better though, as long as he can see the others he may be ok on his own, I think trying the rescue is a good idea because then you can say well I did try all options and the little monkey may like his own space.

 

[Goldie]

Yes, perhaps an older and bigger sow would sort him out!

It is usual for neutered boars to chase and mount sows but it usually settles within a few days. Obviously you would need to keep an eye out for things getting nasty, but most of the time it sorts itself out.

Having said that, sometimes piggies just don't like company from either sex and are happy on their own. Like what happens in the human world, I guess.