Hormonal Boars - Just To Put My Mind At Rest!

[Dcfc1988]

Hi all,

It's been a while but boar bonding is new to me and it can be really difficult to watch so I just wanted to find a bit of support really!

About 5 months ago I adopted two 'bonded' boars (litter brothers apparently) and Rebel and Warner have been a delight. They were around 4 months at the time of adoption.
Recently there has been a lot more posturing, rumbling, quite aggressive teeth chattering and slight raising onto hind legs... and the dominance seems to have switched slightly from Rebel to Warner. Rebel has even taken to climbing out of the cage (it's a standard c & c grid) which is horrible because now we have had to put a roof on the cage which means a lot more difficult for strokes and fuss etc.

There hasn't been any out and out fights and I have checked them out many times for signs of injury and they seem fine. Just not very happy. Really want this to work so I am just keeping an eye on them at the moment. I have read everything so have taken on ideas of more space, more roaming time and two of everything.

I have also taken on two slightly younger boys who are around 6 months... Daytona and Cayenne. They are lovely but I am starting to dread having to go through this again!

As I said just looking for some moral support!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,

It's been a while but boar bonding is new to me and it can be really difficult to watch so I just wanted to find a bit of support really!

About 5 months ago I adopted two 'bonded' boars (litter brothers apparently) and Rebel and Warner have been a delight. They were around 4 months at the time of adoption.
Recently there has been a lot more posturing, rumbling, quite aggressive teeth chattering and slight raising onto hind legs... and the dominance seems to have switched slightly from Rebel to Warner. Rebel has even taken to climbing out of the cage (it's a standard c & c grid) which is horrible because now we have had to put a roof on the cage which means a lot more difficult for strokes and fuss etc.

There hasn't been any out and out fights and I have checked them out many times for signs of injury and they seem fine. Just not very happy. Really want this to work so I am just keeping an eye on them at the moment. I have read everything so have taken on ideas of more space, more roaming time and two of everything.

I have also taken on two slightly younger boys who are around 6 months... Daytona and Cayenne. They are lovely but I am starting to dread having to go through this again!

As I said just looking for some moral support!

Hi! Rebel and Warner are currently going to through the trickiest phase of their teenage months, which can last a few weeks. The good news is that most boars make it through the 8-10 months troubles without a break-up, but it is often a testing time as the boars tend to go right up to the limit in terms of winding each other up, but rarely over it. After that, it is often pretty sailing from then on in, bar the very odd mad day.

The worst times for fall-outs are generally the onset of the testicle descent at around 4 months and the end of it at ca. 6 months of age, as they are usually accompanied by huge spikes of testosterone. That is when the boars that are not personality compatible will clash; this is irrespective of being related or not. it is unfortunately a persistent myth that being litter brothers means that boars won;t fight or fall out!

Unfortunately, you will have to sit it out. As long as your boys have got plenty of space, can't food/hidey bully and can get away if they are being chased, you have removed to the most frequent causes of fights.

 

[anniedabannie]

I have just been through the same thing and thought it would never end, but I promise it does! My boys are only just a year old so are past the really intense stages. They live in my room so I could hear every scrap and disagreement... it really does fray the nerves a bit. But we survived (I thought we never would!)

 

[Julie M]

It sounds like Boys being boys. I have 4 boars (2 pairs.) I have just recently bonded a 6 month old with my very hormonal/dominant older (4+ year old) guinea pig there were some pretty scary stand offs but they seem to have settled the pecking order eventually. Just hold your nerves and don't separate them unless they are really fighting. Good luck hope all goes well.

 

[Dcfc1988]

Thank you all... just don't like seeing my piggies unhappy!

 

[Julie M]

I think most of the time it's us humans that are more stressed out than the piggies. Lol. I think it looks worse to us than it does to them. They just get on with it.