Helping skittish baby boar

[StitchYogiPigs]

Evening everyone,

I have bonded a beautiful baby boar with my old boar Yogi after we lost our beloved Barney at the weekend. Yogi lost his litter mate 2 weeks after we rescued them and Barney was a confident little character when they were introduced. Yogi is 7 and due to his age I didn’t want to leave him alone too long. He was already quiet and a bit off his food, and he’s back to his sparky little self since the new arrival. This little chap, currently named Little Ed, was from P@H and had been on his own for 2 weeks he’s 16 weeks old and the poor little thing is absolutely petrified. He won’t even look in our direction. Yogi comes flying to greet us, wheeking his head off, and I’m really hoping Ed will learn from him. I know these things take time and patience and I have all the time in the world to make him as happy and comfortable as possible, but I was wondering if there is anything I can do to ensure that he bonds with his humans? We’re away for a few days at the end of next week and they’re going to the pet sitter so I’m going to have to try and catch him. I don’t want to stress him so again, if anyone can advise on making things as easy as possible for him.
Thanks in advance! Here’s Yogi (grey) and our incredibly missed Barney (white Himalayan)
Photos of Ed will follow once he’ll look at me!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry about your loss. What a gorgeous new boy!

You may find these links below very helpful. Having a new friend to take his cues is always a massive bonus for speeding up the process but it will also help if you can tell Ed that he is a welcome part of your herd (which gives him a new identity and takes you of the category of predator) and that he is precious to you in his own social language. The more you avoid behaving like predator the better, too.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs

 

[StitchYogiPigs]

Thank you Wiebke! I did reply last night but I can’t see it so maybe it’s not saved. Thank you for taking the time to send these links. I knew there’d be something on here somewhere, just wasn’t sure where to look. I just want him to be happy and know we’re friends. And hopefully he’ll take his queue from Yogi. Thanks again!

 

[YvonneBlue]

I also have a young skittish young piggy . I have been following the guides on the forum and Lily is slowly becoming more confident. She will now come out when we are around as long as we are quiet and wheeks for her veggies (but still from inside a tunnel). I have managed to get her take some coriander from my hand as long as she is in her tunnel or bed. She has a few minutes on our laps each day in a fleecy bag and has floor time with Belle most days. I realise she may never be a 'cuddly' piggy but we need her to be comfortable enough with us for nail trimming and health checks not to be very scary for her. I think what i am trying to say is that you will need a lot patience but it will be worth it when you see Ed becoming more confident.

 

[Betsy]

When I adopted my Rainbow Piggy Lexi she was the most terrified piggy I have ever met. Every night for 6 months I hand fed her and her cage mate Thea (who was only slightly less terrified) and talked to them all the time. When I got Lexi out for a cuddle, I would always herd her into a snuggle sack and sit her on my lap in the cuddle sack for a couple of minutes. Then I progressed to popping her in my big cardy so she was completely covered and she felt safe. It took around a year to turn her from a completely terrified piggy to a happy and confident piggy. She still didn't like the picking up bit but did enjoy a cuddle. It takes time, patience and understanding but you will get there. Take your cues from Little Ed and take it at his pace.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you Wiebke! I did reply last night but I can’t see it so maybe it’s not saved. Thank you for taking the time to send these links. I knew there’d be something on here somewhere, just wasn’t sure where to look. I just want him to be happy and know we’re friends. And hopefully he’ll take his queue from Yogi. Thanks again!

Thank you!

There is an info shortcut to all our information laid out in thematical order from the top bar when you expand it via the horizontal lines icon. We also have guides collections links from the top of the New Owners section.

While the guide threads format works well for us in terms of updating and expanding our information as and whenever we can, we sadly cannot arrange our information threads at the top of each section as we like to because of the way the forum posts work; that is the one big drawback. For this reason, we have created collections to which any new information threads are added.

But here are shortcut links for you to bookmark so you can always find the info quickly - especially if an urgent problem comes up during our downtime hours:

This is the access link to our full information list: Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection

We also have specific New Owners and Wannabe Owners information collections, both Pregnancy and Surprise Babies care collections (only visible to registered members who have accepted our strictly no breeding ethos during sign-up). These collections can be found at the top of the respective sections or via the info shortcut on the top bar.
Emergency and illness care can be accessed via the top the of the section (Emergency and Wiebke's Care Guides) or all together via the information collection.

I hope that this helps you? You are of course always welcome to ask any questions you have on the forum!

Just give it time for new skittish piggies to settle in; whether that is a few weeks, months or occasionally even years. Accept it if they have specific hang-ups/traumas (like a fear of hands for instant or really not liking being held at all) and work around that as much as possible. Interact with them via hands-off enrichments (start with meal times once he is over the initial jinks).

 

[StitchYogiPigs]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. After 5 days, this morning he’s slowly crept out to see me as I was feeding Yogi some breakfast. I distracted Yogi with a treat and held a romaine leaf out to the little one, and he came to take it. I held tight and he munched away at it as I was holding it. I cried! I’m so pleased. He’s such a brave boy. Then I got a call to say Barney is ready to collect from the pet crem so that was a flurry of emotions in about 30 seconds. We plan to get the little one out in his snuggle sack this afternoon. Just for 5-10 minutes. Then again later this evening, and if all goes well, repeat this for the next few days. Wish us luck! Thanks again

 

[piggieminder]

It's so lovely when they start to trust you.