Is neutering a good or bad thing?

Fourlittlepiglets

Fourlittlepiglets

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I'm unsure whether I've posted this in the right category (please excuse me if I haven't). I have a boar who's just under a year old. He was paired with my other male when they were both young however he showed so much aggression towards the other male in the end they had to be separated. I was wondering peoples views on neutering? I took on two females not too long ago and one ended up coming to me pregnant from her previous home. She had 3 boars and two have found a lovely home and are leaving soon when they turn 6 weeks old. The other baby has been paired with the non aggressive male and they seem to really get along. I soon plan to have them outside when the weathers warmer in a 6 foot hutch with two tiers, but not with a ramp so that the boys and girls are separated if that makes sense. I thought rather than getting another hutch would it be worth getting my aggressive boar neutered so he can live with the females? I hate the thought of him lonely and isolated, but I'm also worried if I get the surgery done there's a large chance he may die. I was just wondering your opinions? i would put a divide in between the hutch but 3 foot for the two females and then for him on his side of the hutch is just not enough for them.
 
Fourlittlepiglets said:
I'm unsure whether I've posted this in the right category (please excuse me if I haven't). I have a boar who's just under a year old. He was paired with my other male when they were both young however he showed so much aggression towards the other male in the end they had to be separated. I was wondering peoples views on neutering? I took on two females not too long ago and one ended up coming to me pregnant from her previous home. She had 3 boars and two have found a lovely home and are leaving soon when they turn 6 weeks old. The other baby has been paired with the non aggressive male and they seem to really get along. I soon plan to have them outside when the weathers warmer in a 6 foot hutch with two tiers, but not with a ramp so that the boys and girls are separated if that makes sense. I thought rather than getting another hutch would it be worth getting my aggressive boar neutered so he can live with the females? I hate the thought of him lonely and isolated, but I'm also worried if I get the surgery done there's a large chance he may die. I was just wondering your opinions? i would put a divide in between the hutch but 3 foot for the two females and then for him on his side of the hutch is just not enough for them.
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Hi!

You may find the comprehensive and in-depth information in the links below very helpful in order to make an informed decision for yourself.
Please be aware that the success of neutering relies on two aspects - finding the right vet and on acceptance by the sows, which is not necessarily a given. The best vets have a neutering success rate of as close to 100% as any surgeon can get; with less experienced vets the risk of post-op complications is higher. The vast majority of operations is however successful and the neutering rate has gone up considerably over the last decade, especially with the RSPCA and Blue Cross switching to a mandatory neutering policy for guinea pig boars.

I have currently got 9 'husboars' who live with one or two sows each but I have also had larger groups in previous years; my Hywel (2009-16) lived the dream with up to 13 wives in his heyday back in 2013.

With sub-teenage boar pairs it is always a bit of a gamble whether they are personality matched well enough or not to survive the big teenage hormone spikes; that is not their fault. The other big factor is space - if boars cannot get away from each other as they would normally, confrontations are unfortunately inevitable in a confined cage setting.

Here is our forum information; I would kindly ask you to please take the time to read them as we cannot discuss all the points raised in our forum posts to the extent that they are in our information guides; we are all doing this for free in our free time on here. You should find the extra information very helpful, however as I have taken several days to write each guide to make sure that it is correct, complete and as a clear and precise as possible.
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed) (The mixed pairs chapter also applies to mixed trios)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Vet Locator
 
Fourlittlepiglets said:
Thankyou!
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Please be aware that you have to factor in a 6 weeks post-op wait until any semen in the tubes has died off.

PS: If you can get as far as the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton, then your boy will be in very good hands for a neutering op; the vets there are one of the near 100% neutering success rate vets. The example boar in the last chapter of the neutering guide (my Nye, neutered in January 2017 and still going strong in his love affair with my biggest sow despite being my smallest boar) has been neutered there.
Vet Locator
 
Ahh okay, that could give me a chance to put a partition into the run to maybe get them used to eachother without being able to touch eachother in that six weeks (once he’s healed)
Ahh I see it’s an hour and a half away from me but if it means he’s in good hands it’s worth it! I was concerned as I was told when I had guineapigs when I was a child that it’s very risky and wanted to see people’s personal experiences. Thankyou for your advice and recommendations!
 
Fourlittlepiglets said:
Ahh okay, that could give me a chance to put a partition into the run to maybe get them used to eachother without being able to touch eachother in that six weeks (once he’s healed)
Ahh I see it’s an hour and a half away from me but if it means he’s in good hands it’s worth it! I was concerned as I was told when I had guineapigs when I was a child that it’s very risky and wanted to see people’s personal experiences. Thankyou for your advice and recommendations!
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I am an hour or more away from the clinic (depending on traffic, especially on the M1), so I can assure you that it is doable. I have often made the trek on the train back home with a freshly operated piggy in earlier years; they have all survived and recovered well. Veterinary medicine has made huge strides in the wake of the development of human medicine, especially over the last decade.

Keeping your boy next to your girls will help both sides to make friends and will give him the company he needs. A divided run is ideal as long as he cannot get through the divider.
 
I for one am eternally grateful to the RSPCA for neutering my Merry and allowing him to come and live a wonderful life with my two girls. I'm sure he would recommend neutering if he could! Personally I think it opens up a lot more opportunities for these boys, particularly the ones who find it difficult to bond with other boars.
 
I’ve decided yes to do it, I want him to give him the best life possible! They all have massive cages and the boys were introduced gradually just eventually grew to hate eachother when their hormones went through the roof, he wouldn’t leave the other boy alone ☹️ If any other guineapigs were to come into my care they will be rescues already neutered! Neutering seems like the solution tbh! I’m sure he can’t complain with two girlfriends 🤣my partner will be able to make a divider that’s strong and sturdy he can’t get through.My previous boys were from the RSPCA and we’re neutered before I adopted them and they lived long and happy lives,I just wasn’t totally sure of the risks and if they had improved compared to around 10 years ago when it was quite a new thing to neuter them, but I’m happy with the experiences you’ve all shared. I’ll give the clinic mentioned a ring on Monday! Thankyou!
 
I had my Ted neutered at 5 years old when he lost his brother Bill. I took him to Simon at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic because he is such a marvellous vet and Ted had been going for conscious dentals with Simon so he knew him. I think you are making the right decision, yes there is a small risk but as long as you find a vet who has a good success rate at neutering then he should sail through. He will be in heaven once he has found his little wife
 
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