Dominance Over 6month(ish) Baby Boar?

[Glitterpig]

Okay, so iv had a group of 5 lads living together for the past few weeks since moving into an 8ft living space out in the shed. Before this they where in a run together all day together and seperated into two cages (purely for the space) later in the day over night. i had an original group of 6, only a pair for a few years untill a year ago when i fostered - then kept perminently a group of 4, i then got my youngest after losing my 8 year old himmy because his cage mate really wasnt himself.. i havent got a replacement for my recent passing of my shelty as i fiured theyre in a group now and seem fine.

All seem fine and no fighting can be witnessed, but i have been noticing my poor youngest lad, a 6-8month old boar is being covered in what i can only imagine to be another guineapigs sperm? I had to clean his poor face the other day, bath him a few days before that and today iv picked him up to find a big thick white splodge all stuck to his side (The other stuff iv washed and cleaned has been clear-ish, watery, this is thick white gloop) that was really tricky to pull off and makes me wretch every time it happens, but iv never seen this thick sticky stuff before.

The strange thing is, whenever I'm around and i sit with themfor an hour a day at least as well as a few visits to the shed during the day to check on them they are all together, getting on fine, thats why I'm so confused as to why just the one is being covered in this stuff, and why not any others... and i dont know whos doing it.

Advice?

 

[Wiebke]

It's called boar glue and it is a pain to get rid of when you cannot simply cut it off. Your little boy is quite obviously the bottom pig of the group and therefore at the receiving end of any randiness/excessive mounting. As you are have created a small bachelor boys group, you have to brace yourself for group dynamics - and that usually means that to bucket starts with the top pig and ends at the bottom.

You may want to get some piggy sized toddler safe soft humping toys and see whether that can draw off some of the amorous fire. Wash them with their usual stuff or rub them with some soiled bedding, so they smell right.

 

[Glitterpig]

Oh dear, its never happened before even when they were together daily. i think i found it at the right time it was still horrible and gooey so it sort of slid off, i wanted to be sick! iv noticed the poor lad seems to be distant from the rest of the group but will still ocasionally get involved in what theyre all doing and they never seem aggressive towards one another. thats what really confused me.

As i have a 3 year old with far too many soft toys to count, I'm sure we can sort out a few small ones and get them in some soiled bedding on the next change, fingers crossed this will ease the problem.

Can this sort of behaviour spark anything serious in the long run? i hate how the youngest boy is at the bottom of the pecking order, i was tempted to get another lad of the same age to see if tetley becomes more social and it evens it out as there is an odd number of pigs, wont rush into anything just yet though!

 

[Wiebke]

You will have to look out for signs of bullying, like weight loss or a failur to grow as much as he should as well as signs of depression and unhappiness. You can find out whether Tetley is still happy if you do a trial separation. if he perks up noticeably when being on his own for a day or two, you will have your answer.

4-5 boars is very much at the unstable lower end of a bachelor boar group. The successful ones I know/have heard of are usually much bigger. But as with any group of whatever gender, you have to be on the constant lookout for bullying behaviour and outsiders. Tetley may be happier if he has his own special boar friend he gets on with. Cavy Corner Sanctuary in Doncaster is the closest place to yours that I can recommend with a good conscience for boar dating; you will be in very experienced and safe hands there!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

 

[Glitterpig]

I have seperated him from the group and he seems pretty much the same, he is by nature, a very lazy piggy! He seems happy within the group but of course he is going through this yucky business.

I always foster from a rescue in wollaton, nottingham, they are absolutely brilliant so will see if they have any little boys needing a home.

How many would you say is a more stable number of boars in a group? they live in a 8ftx3ft enclosure so Obviously I dont want to over do it but would love them to lead happy little lives amongst one another

 

[Wiebke]

About 10-20 boars with plenty of space seems to be an ideal size for bachelor groups.

 

[Glitterpig]

Wow, I never knew that! no way I could keep 20 in the group but will consider rehoming a couple more in the hopes it helps.

Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Wiebke]

You will have to brace yourself for more yuckiness especially from hormonal teenage boys.

Trios and especially quartets seem to be the most unstable combination of boars. Trios can work with exactly the right character combination and mostly with adult/older boars, but subadult trios have a fall-out rate of around 90% and generally less than a 50% chance of working out. Long term successful quartets are very, very rare; they seem to require four very laid back or mellowed old boys.