Help, 3 Aggressive Boars!

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king_ralph_sol

king_ralph_sol

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Hello everyone I'm new to this forum but joined simply because I need help...

In November I took in a guinea pig boar (King) who's owners needed to give him a new home as their young son was no longer interested.

He lived by himself and he looked sad so I researched it and decided to get him a baby boar friend (King is entire so I couldn't get a sow). When I went to get the baby boar I couldn't decide which one to bring home so end up bringing them both home. They're 2 beautiful Lunkarya brothers.

So of course, I needed a fairly big cage for them so I had a shop bought two-tier cage. As my lunks grew I realised the cage was still not big enough. They're now 6/7 months and living in a 4x2 with 1x2 loft C&C cage. King is now nearly 2 years old and the brothers are bullying him. He's got cuts all over him, his mouth is bleeding and the inside of his ear is sore, he keeps tilting his head to one side.

I'm so worried about them and don't have the heart to rehome any of them. Please can someone help :(
 
Hi and welcome!

I am sorry, you are obviously a caring mum, but by trying to do right, you have inadvertedly created some more problems.

Please remove King; he will be much happier if he has got his own territory and should perk up. Could you build him his own C&C pen on the upper story, if necessary a 2x3 grid pen that still allows interaction through the bars of the existing hayloft for ongoing stimulation?
Your two lunkies are now in the hormonal teenage months and obviously boisterous and large enough to take over. Unfortunately, trios with two or three sub-adult boars rarely make it to adulthood together unless you have at least two very laid back/submissive characters in the mix. I hope that getting King out will give your two younger boys a chance at making it to adulthood together. Once you are dealing with full-on bloody bites, boars usually won't go back together.

Make sure that you disinfect any wounds with either saline solution (sterile saline is available from a pharmacy or you can make it at home by mixing one teaspoon of salt into 1 pint/500 ml of boiled, cooled water.) Give King a thorough check all over his body, in case there are more bites. He may need a vet check and an antibiotic to prevent abscesses, especially with a deep bite.

Any further options very much depend on where you are located. We have got members from all over the world. It would be very helpful if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always tailor any advice straightaway to what is available and possible where you are. Click on your username on the top bar; then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-bullying-fighting-fall-outs-and-what-next.127295/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
 
Thanks so so much for your quick reply. I have now added my location. I also have enough C&C panels to make an L-shaped enclosure for King (temporarily) on the side of Ralph and Solomon's enclosure until I have ordered some more.

He does seem a lot happier when he's sitting with me than in his cage

Thanks again :)



Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

I am sorry, you are obviously a caring mum, but by trying to do right, you have inadvertedly created some more problems.

Please remove King; he will be much happier if he has got his own territory and should perk up. Could you build him his own C&C pen on the upper story, if necessary a 2x3 grid pen that still allows interaction through the bars of the existing hayloft for ongoing stimulation?
Your two lunkies are now in the hormonal teenage months and obviously boisterous and large enough to take over. Unfortunately, trios with two or three sub-adult boars rarely make it to adulthood together unless you have at least two very laid back/submissive characters in the mix. I hope that getting King out will give your two younger boys a chance at making it to adulthood together. Once you are dealing with full-on bloody bites, boars usually won't go back together.

Make sure that you disinfect any wounds with either saline solution (sterile slaine is available in a pharmacy or you can make it at home by mixing one teaspoon of salt into 1 pint/500 ml of boiled, cooled water. Give King a thorough check all over his body, in case there are more bites. He may need a vet check and an antibiotic to prevent abscesses, especially with a deep bite.

Any further options very much depend on where you are located. We have got members from all over the world. It would be very helpful if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always tailor any advice straightaway to what is available and possible where you are. Click on your username on the top bar; then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-bullying-fighting-fall-outs-and-what-next.127295/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
Click to expand...
 
king_ralph_sol said:
Thanks so so much for your quick reply. I have now added my location. I also have enough C&C panels to make an L-shaped enclosure for King (temporarily) on the side of Ralph and Solomon's enclosure until I have ordered some more.

He does seem a lot happier when he's sitting with me than in his cage

Thanks again :)
Click to expand...

I would give King some time to recover, but you can consider contacting one of our recommended rescues (you may have to ring around any rescues that you can get to; don't just go by the website). If they have suitable single and submissive/laid back boars in, you could try boar dating at the rescue under expert supervision, so you come home only with a character compatible mate if there has been success and you have the rescue to fall back on if there are problems at any time. With careful bonding, boars of all ages can be bonded, so you don't have to take the risk with yet another baby.
Here is our recommended good standard piggy savvy rescues locator: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

Alternatively, you could consider making a trip to Northampton to the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic for neutering; they are by far the safest and most experienced vets for that with as perfect a success rate as you can get (pretty much up to 100% for a smooth op and no issues recovery). King would have to wait another 6 weeks post op until he would be 100% safe to join girls (I have the unplanned daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post boar), but cross gender bondings are the most stable of bonds, especially if you can let the piggies choose each other at a rescue. The crucial bit is finding a good vet.
 
If you are in Herts your nearest rescue is Hazelcroft in St Albans, though they don't often have single pigs for rehoming, It is worth calling to ask though.
 
Thanks very much. Would it be mean to let King live by himself?


Wiebke said:
I would give King some time to recover, but you can consider contacting one of our recommended rescues (you may have to ring around any rescues that you can get to; don't just go by the website). If they have suitable single and submissive/laid back boars in, you could try boar dating at the rescue under expert supervision, so you come home only with a character compatible mate if there has been success and you have the rescue to fall back on if there are problems at any time. With careful bonding, boars of all ages can be bonded, so you don't have to take the risk with yet another baby.
Here is our recommended good standard piggy savvy rescues locator: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

Alternatively, you could consider making a trip to Northampton to the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic for neutering; they are by far the safest and most experienced vets for that with as perfect a success rate as you can get (pretty much up to 100% for a smooth op and no issues recovery). King would have to wait another 6 weeks post op until he would be 100% safe to join girls (I have the unplanned daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post boar), but cross gender bondings are the most stable of bonds, especially if you can let the piggies choose each other at a rescue. The crucial bit is finding a good vet.
Click to expand...
 
If you have the space, time and means to find King some company of his own choice, you are going to reap the benefits, too. He can live on his own as long as he can still interact with your other boys through the bars, but you may find it somewhat unsatisfactory in the long term. You may have to be somewhat patient to find a new Mr or Mrs Right anyway! Hazelcroft is a very small, but good rescue. ;)
 
Okay so I spent today doing this (sorry if the picture is unclear), King is currently only in a 3x1 which I know is a bit small but it's better than him being stuck in the 2x1 loft... I'm going on holiday next week so can't do anything until I get back in about 2 weeks but do you think this an okay temporary solution?
image.webp
Wiebke said:
If you have the space, time and means to find King some company of his own choice, you are going to reap the benefits, too. He can live on his own as long as he can still interact with your other boys through the bars, but you may find it somewhat unsatisfactory in the long term. You may have to be somewhat patient to find a new Mr or Mrs Right anyway! Hazelcroft is a very small, but good rescue. ;)
Click to expand...
 
As a temporary solution it will do; ideally if King could have some roaming time each day to stretch his legs that would be great.

You have proven to yourself that he is much happier away from the other two boys.

In your current set-up, he won't be pining and or be bored until you can go about finding him new company at a rescue.
 
Of course, he spends a couple of hours out with me every day :) Thanks for your help!
Wiebke said:
As a temporary solution it will do; ideally if King could have some roaming time each day to stretch his legs that would be great.

You have proven to yourself that he is much happier away from the other two boys.

In your current set-up, he won't be pining and or be bored until you can go about finding him new company at a rescue.
Click to expand...
 
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