I Don't Think Things Are Working...

[Cute_Guineapigs]

Hi

I have a 1 year old entire boar, Charlie and I got an 8 week old boar, Harry from a breeder five days ago. Harry was struggling to settle so I thought trying to bond them would help him.

I put bars across half of the cage and neutralized the cage. I put Harry on one side, and Charlie on the other. Charlie started rumblestrutting straight away, bum dragging and squeaking. Harry was popcorning at first, squeaking happily. But I think he felt intimidated by Charlie constantly rumbling along the bars that Harry started lunging at the bars and getting angry and bum swaying. Eventually Charlie was trying to dig underneath the bars and Harry went and hid under the hay, so I separated them as it wasn't going to improve.

Was I right to seperate? Would this pairing ever work? If they won't bond, I've now got to figure out what I'm going to do with Harry. He's such a sweetie. Why is Charlie so dominant and intimidating?

 

[sport_billy]

@Wiebke Just tagging in our bonding expert for you.

 

[Wiebke]

Your little Harry is obviously a rather dominant boarsonality, too - that is not Charlie's fault.
You can try them together and see whether they will gel or not. As with any bonding, have plan B ready in case you need to separate. Unfortunately, your dilemma is not uncommon when you buy a piggy on spec. there is unfortunately always the risk that a bonding won;t work, and it is never a nice or happy experience!

What you can do if it doesn't work out: Contact one of our recommended rescues and ask them for help. You can see whether you can bond charlie with a submissive rescue boar at the rescue and then you have to decide whether you want to keep Harry and find him his own personality matched rescue mate or whether you want to do a swap. By going rescue you will at least make sure that any boars work out and that you have got a place you can fall back on if there is trouble along the way.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/