Finding friends for our separated brothers.

[Parsnip]

Hello,

I was here a while ago after adopting two brothers who fell out. We’ve moved to a much bigger home and hope to build bigger cages and find at least one boar friend, if not two. They will still be in adjacent cages, especially if one remains alone.

I’ve email three local rescues but there are no singles available on their websites. The RSPCA has some single boars but they only allow pairings with females - they are neutered. Is this a typical policy?

I’m too scared to neuter our boars, to house with females, due to the risks involved. And I’m hoping to adopt from a rescue and not buy from a shop or breeder but it’s harder to find single boars this way.

Another issue I’ve seen is bedding restrictions on pine shavings. We go with the kiln dried shavings as advised by many but one rescue won’t allow this, newspaper is preferred, or more expensive options. I want to try fleece so have ordered some to try, but was considering pine shavings for their “toilet area”.

 

[Tnoz]

I use fleece cage liners, they great and use Guinea pig litter trays and put hay in there as piggies enjoy eating, doing their business and sleeping in there, I use a bit of shaving in the bottom for soaking up pee and a few wooden pellets. I hope you find your forever piggie/s. Good luck

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes it is typical policy. They won’t bond boars.

Perhaps, with the shavings restrictions, if you use a disposable bedding only in one area, then you won’t use so much so a more expensive one actually may not work out so expensive? I use either megazorb or aubiose as my preference and really like both.

 

[Parsnip]

If they don’t allow boars to bond is this because it’s a bad idea for us to try? Having been burnt before we are wary but other rescues are happy to allow boars to be bonded. I’ve emailed one who offer a bonding service. There’s another further afield I could email.

There’s so many mixed messages with guinea pig care, it’s similar to parenting advice, you are always wrong in someone’s eyes but you do your best to keep them happy and healthy.

 

[Piggies&buns]

If they don’t allow boars to bond is this because it’s a bad idea for us to try? Having been burnt before we are wary but other rescues are happy to allow boars to be bonded. I’ve emailed one who offer a bonding service. There’s another further afield I could email.

There’s so many mixed messages with guinea pig care, it’s similar to parenting advice, you are always wrong in someone’s eyes but you do your best to keep them happy and healthy.

No it’s not a bad idea to try. I, and many of us on here, have successful bonded boar pairs. A bond, any bond whether it’s two boars, two sows or a mixed sex pair, rely on character compatibility and if there is a clash then any bond has the potential to fail. It’s not something exclusive to boars. Mixed sex pairs do tend to be more stable for the long term, though once they have accepted each other

Are your boys young? There is always a risk with surgery, but in the hands of the right vet, neutering is as safe as it is going to be. Having them neutered while young, does increase the chances of a successful surgery as well as opening up their bonding options, not only now, but also down the line.

 

[Parsnip]

They are 13/14 months now so should be low risk. One is more aggressive/anxious so may never bond with a male. The other is calmer and probably would be ok. My daughters (10 and 12) would never forgive me if anything did happen if I chose to neuter.

Money isn’t an issue luckily. One of the local rescues neuters some of their boars so I can ask for a recommendation if we can’t find suitable boar matches. I’ll just have to keep it hidden from the kids - they adore the boys and worry about them.

 

[VickiA]

They are 13/14 months now so should be low risk. One is more aggressive/anxious so may never bond with a male. The other is calmer and probably would be ok. My daughters (10 and 12) would never forgive me if anything did happen if I chose to neuter.

Money isn’t an issue luckily. One of the local rescues neuters some of their boars so I can ask for a recommendation if we can’t find suitable boar matches. I’ll just have to keep it hidden from the kids - they adore the boys and worry about them.

I would say that at 13-14 months they are still at a poor age for boar bonding. In our rescue we neuter boars of that age and bond then with sows.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I was here a while ago after adopting two brothers who fell out. We’ve moved to a much bigger home and hope to build bigger cages and find at least one boar friend, if not two. They will still be in adjacent cages, especially if one remains alone.

I’ve email three local rescues but there are no singles available on their websites. The RSPCA has some single boars but they only allow pairings with females - they are neutered. Is this a typical policy?

I’m too scared to neuter our boars, to house with females, due to the risks involved. And I’m hoping to adopt from a rescue and not buy from a shop or breeder but it’s harder to find single boars this way.

Another issue I’ve seen is bedding restrictions on pine shavings. We go with the kiln dried shavings as advised by many but one rescue won’t allow this, newspaper is preferred, or more expensive options. I want to try fleece so have ordered some to try, but was considering pine shavings for their “toilet area”.

Hi

The RSPCA and Blue Cross have a strict neutered boars/cross gender bonding only bonding policy for all branches.

Please consider contacting one of the the several private guinea pig rescues offering rescue dating (including full boars) in the wider London area - Hazelcroft in St Albans, Animal Rescue and Care Twickenham, Bobtails Rabbit and Guinea Pig Rescue in Ewell or East Peckham Guinea Pig Rescue. You should hopefully be able to get to one of them?
For contacts see here: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-forum-recommended-rescues.196734/

 

[Parsnip]

Thanks. I’ve contacted one rescue mentioned so fingers crossed. I’ll try others. Some have messages saying they’ve stopped registering new people due to covid.

What age is good for boar bonding? We were told before 14 months is harder due to hormones. The piggies are happy as they are so there’s no rush.

I’ll ask about neutering. I do like the idea of having girls too.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Good luck, I hope you can find them a companion each, that would be lovely

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks. I’ve contacted one rescue mentioned so fingers crossed. I’ll try others. Some have messages saying they’ve stopped registering new people due to covid.

What age is good for boar bonding? We were told before 14 months is harder due to hormones. The piggies are happy as they are so there’s no rush.

I’ll ask about neutering. I do like the idea of having girls too.

6 months at the height of teenage is the most difficult - and the most common time for fall outs. By 14 months, a boy is starting to come out of teenage and it gets easier to bond from then on as the boars get older and the testosterone output gradually fizzles out in older age after 4 years. The peak of life is around 2-3 years.

There are no fast rules; it very much depends on the individual personality - how dominant and hormone-driven they are.
Many rescues have started to neuter any boars coming into rescue as singles because the majority are fallen-out or difficult to bond teenagers so it is easier to having them look for a mixed gender bond. In any case, more important than age is mutual liking and character compatibility that is key to any happy piggy bond and where rescue dating (whether it is residential full bonding or just 'speed' acceptance dating comes into its own). Rescues offering residential dating/boarding may not be fully running and usually have got quite long waiting lists.
To find out more about the different ways of rescue dating: Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

 

[VickiA]

There is no hard and fast age for neutering when we get solo boars surrendered into our rescue, but generally speaking, we anticipate that most under 18 months will end up being neutered. They are still teenagers at that age. Helen will usually try them once with another boar and if there’s any doubt she will neuter them.

 

[metalhead]

Hi, just wanted to say i know how you feel. I have recently lost one of my boars, Gizmo and have tried to bond his brother with two boars, the first one i thought had worked but failed after a few days (twice) due to the new boar being far too young and having testosterone spikes and the second one my boy had just had enough i think and would not engage at all, so that was a no too. it is heartbreaking and emotionally exhausting so i do feel for you. I am just letting my boy (and me, I'm exhausted!) settle for a while now and then i will try again, but it is hard. and you are right, there is a lot of conflicting advice which makes it even harder, added to the fact that guinea pigs are very complicated little creatures anyway! Sending hugs.