Is This Normal When Cleaning Out Boar's Privates?

[Maddykins]

Cleaned out the boys' privates earlier this evening...this thread isn't for the faint-hearted!

When we cleaned out Martin's bum sac/hole, there was a bit of poop in it, but also some white stuff mixed in with it, and it was all a little hard and not so easy to dislodge out. Is this normal? I assume the white stuff is smegma from his penis but like I say this was in his bum :/ I assume this means I need to start cleaning him out more often!

Also, when cleaning out a boar's bum, if there is some poo there, does that mean it is impaction or could it just be poo that wasn't yet ready to pass out?

Thanks, still learning about all of this and don't want my little boys to be in any discomfort.

 

[Wiebke]

There is all kinds of stuff stuck in boar's pouch. Please clean it regularly once a week depending just how dirty your boys are!

The white stuff can be smegma, a build up of dead skin cells, oils and other stuff; it can be rather smelly and a bit crumbly looking if it has dried up. If it looks like white hardened liquid/drops/good, then it could be boar glue/dried semen and it can be VERy smelly.

Impaction happens usually in older boars (and in young boars only after operations etc.) when the muscles at the bum end weaken. Just a few poos is not an impaction; it is generally a formless mass and you often notice first the smell and a swelling of the area due to the build-up. By far not all older boars will become impacted.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/impaction-recovery-how-to-help-your-guinea-pig.120787/ (not quite for the faint-hearted either!)

 

[Maddykins]

Oh I feel really bad now, for some reason I thought the anal pouch only needed cleaning out as often as the penis being cleaned when retracted. I will definitely start cleaning the pouch out once a week then and I imagine that should improve things for them. Martin in particular always seems to be significantly more dirty than Nelson!

I really don't think it could be impaction because both the boys had a bit of poop there and they're both pooing fine and are probably less than 2 years old at this point. My partner has got all worried about it because he says Martin's poo from the pouch felt a bit hard, but that was the one mixed in with what I guess was boar glue and I assume that is what felt hard rather than the poop itself.

Anyways I will start cleaning them both much more often and keep an eye on it all! Thanks @Wiebke you're so helpful with all this boar stuff!

Do you boars get used to the cleaning if it happens more often? Because both of mine instantly get terrified and it's really sad!

Edit: Just watched that video and showed it to my partner to put his mind at rest - what we saw with our boys was just a bit of poop, there was no swelling or any huge amount of poo like in that video. But now he's just worried that our boys are going to get it when they get older! We are like worrying parents and we only have the two, I can't imagine what it must be like with a whole herd of babies to worry about haha.

 

[Wiebke]

Oh I feel really bad now, for some reason I thought the anal pouch only needed cleaning out as often as the penis being cleaned when retracted. I will definitely start cleaning the pouch out once a week then and I imagine that should improve things for them. Martin in particular always seems to be significantly more dirty than Nelson!

I really don't think it could be impaction because both the boys had a bit of poop there and they're both pooing fine and are probably less than 2 years old at this point. My partner has got all worried about it because he says Martin's poo from the pouch felt a bit hard, but that was the one mixed in with what I guess was boar glue and I assume that is what felt hard rather than the poop itself.

Anyways I will start cleaning them both much more often and keep an eye on it all! Thanks @Wiebke you're so helpful with all this boar stuff!

Do you boars get used to the cleaning if it happens more often? Because both of mine instantly get terrified and it's really sad!

Most boys don't like having their bits messed with, but they will get used to it better over time. Just check messy boys about weekly whereas you can leave less dirty ones for a bit longer. You will find your own rhythm according to your boys' needs eventually. There are no hard and fast rules as they can be quite different.