Help!

[Ellen Cookie]

Hello folks, I really need some advice about my boars. I have had four for a while now, two brothers and two others. The brothers Bill and Ted are just over a year old, Brian is six and McGee is two. McGee does a lot of rumble strutting and the occasional chasing/"humping" of Brian, but there has never been any injuries so I have just let the four of them do their thing. Then, a couple of weeks ago we took on Ziggy (two years old) from an owner who couldn't give him the time or attention he deserved. Being conscious of how boars are to newbies, I kept him separated and introduced him to McGee on his own, who he seemed to get on quite well with. Figured as McGee was being a pain to the others, it might suit everyone to have him and Ziggy together. The trouble came with introducing Ziggy to the others. We did it in small stages, but Bill took a real dislike to him, and at one point during one of the meetings Brian and McGee got injured - eye and cheek respectively - in the crossfire. We have separated Ziggy and Bill, and had to move Ted to his own enclosure because Bill was being mean to him too once he couldn't get to Ziggy! Brian and McGee are in their own enclosure recuperating together and being treated for their wounds with vet-supplied antibiotics and eye drops. Basically, what do I do now? Do I reintroduce the original four once Brian and McGee are healed, and have Ziggy on his own (he was on his own before we got him but I kind of hoped to integrate him into our group)? HELP!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello folks, I really need some advice about my boars. I have had four for a while now, two brothers and two others. The brothers Bill and Ted are just over a year old, Brian is six and McGee is two. McGee does a lot of rumble strutting and the occasional chasing/"humping" of Brian, but there has never been any injuries so I have just let the four of them do their thing. Then, a couple of weeks ago we took on Ziggy (two years old) from an owner who couldn't give him the time or attention he deserved. Being conscious of how boars are to newbies, I kept him separated and introduced him to McGee on his own, who he seemed to get on quite well with. Figured as McGee was being a pain to the others, it might suit everyone to have him and Ziggy together. The trouble came with introducing Ziggy to the others. We did it in small stages, but Bill took a real dislike to him, and at one point during one of the meetings Brian and McGee got injured - eye and cheek respectively - in the crossfire. We have separated Ziggy and Bill, and had to move Ted to his own enclosure because Bill was being mean to him too once he couldn't get to Ziggy! Brian and McGee are in their own enclosure recuperating together and being treated for their wounds with vet-supplied antibiotics and eye drops. Basically, what do I do now? Do I reintroduce the original four once Brian and McGee are healed, and have Ziggy on his own (he was on his own before we got him but I kind of hoped to integrate him into our group)? HELP!

Hi and welcome!

Small boar groups are about as unstable as they come; especially quartets and quintets; even trios are more often problematic than they work out, if they get started in the first place! Boars work best either in character compatible pairs or in larger herds of over 10 with plenty of space, as they have different dynamics.

Any introduction requires a new re-arrangement of the group hierarchy, which can easily lead to the dominance getting out of hand as it is being sorted out and underboars looking for a break. As far as boars go, the rule is strictly, "if it ain't broke, don't add any more". You have done well to get as far as that; your boys are obviously mostly on the laid-back side.

The problem is, once there have been fights with intentional deep bites, boars won't usually go back together peacefully. There is sadly no way back to your group. You have to now figure out who gets on with who. If you are lucky, you can get away with a pair and a trio, but you have to brace yourself that you are more likely going to end up with two pairs and having to find a character compatible friend for your third boar. Please don't keep a single boar on his own just because he has been failed by previous owners/the pet shop/breeder, but be aware that not every boy goes with every boy.

Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Ellen Cookie]

Thanks so much for the advice. Yes, I totally agree that I am going to have to rethink the piggy dynamic and try and come to a living arrangement that keeps them all happy and healthy. I really want the best for them and feel so guilty about what's happened. I have in mind a combination that may work, so will give that a go, and if not will consider looking for a compatible partner for Ziggy.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks so much for the advice. Yes, I totally agree that I am going to have to rethink the piggy dynamic and try and come to a living arrangement that keeps them all happy and healthy. I really want the best for them and feel so guilty about what's happened. I have in mind a combination that may work, so will give that a go, and if not will consider looking for a compatible partner for Ziggy.

You can find lots of bonding information and tips at the top of this section. The link I have given you in my previous post also contains links to recommended good rescues, so you won't run the risk of ending up with yet more boars that don't get on if you can get to one or two.

 

[Ellen Cookie]

Thanks, will check out the info you've recommended.