Lonely Baby Boar

[Morchy]

Hi, i couldn't think what to put as the title to fully describe my scenario but that will do! SO i have a herd of 10 sows and a pair of boars one is 2.5 and the other is around 4 months (testosterone spike time). My older boar used to be bonded with a pair of sows that started the herd but i bonded him (successfully) with my baby boar so the baby wouldn't get lonely. The herd grew but alas the relationship with the boars has not, they started to hate each other, ending in a couple of fights, once i saw a big scratch on older boar i decided enough was enough, they had separate everything, plenty of room etc they just didn't like each other. I did a trial separation and the older boar seemed happy again so i dated and bonded him back into the herd, as you can imagine he's ecstatic! Baby boar however is now very depressed and is off his veg etc, they were in a separate shed so i've put baby in a large cage about 4 ft above the herd, he perked up significantly but i'm all too aware this may also drive him mad. My intention is to neuter him in the spring and he can start his own herd but what should i do with him until then, i feel really sorry for him......should he just suck it up for a few months?! Any ideas/advice appreciated!
Katy

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, i couldn't think what to put as the title to fully describe my scenario but that will do! SO i have a herd of 10 sows and a pair of boars one is 2.5 and the other is around 4 months (testosterone spike time). My older boar used to be bonded with a pair of sows that started the herd but i bonded him (successfully) with my baby boar so the baby wouldn't get lonely. The herd grew but alas the relationship with the boars has not, they started to hate each other, ending in a couple of fights, once i saw a big scratch on older boar i decided enough was enough, they had separate everything, plenty of room etc they just didn't like each other. I did a trial separation and the older boar seemed happy again so i dated and bonded him back into the herd, as you can imagine he's ecstatic! Baby boar however is now very depressed and is off his veg etc, they were in a separate shed so i've put baby in a large cage about 4 ft above the herd, he perked up significantly but i'm all too aware this may also drive him mad. My intention is to neuter him in the spring and he can start his own herd but what should i do with him until then, i feel really sorry for him......should he just suck it up for a few months?! Any ideas/advice appreciated!
Katy

Would it be possible to bring forward the time for the neutering operation? As the hormones have started, this means that the testicles are descending, so your litte boy should be ready for the snip. Until then, I would keep him where he is in contact through bars with her herd for constant simulation and community feel if that is at all possible. It is also going to make any bonding easier if he is well known to the girls.

You will need to wait 6 weeks after the operation (I have got the daughter of a supposedly over 5 weeks post op boar - not one of mine - born here; and it is not a one-off even if it is fairly rare). I guess that you are planning to to bond the youngster with one or two of your herd girls?

 

[Morchy]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I discussed bringing it forward with the vet last week and he said he would have a look at him in a month or so to see but said they could sometimes take the testicles back up inside .....he seems ok for now where he is, if not a little desperate to get at the girls but definitely happier, all the veg is gone now anyway! The herd seem quite well established to be honest and i wouldn't be able to decide who to split off, so unless some of them fall out between now and his neutering i'm looking at starting a fresh herd....i have the space/time/money so i'll start looking at rescues and FTGH's once he's had the snip! :-)

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I discussed bringing it forward with the vet last week and he said he would have a look at him in a month or so to see but said they could sometimes take the testicles back up inside .....he seems ok for now where he is, if not a little desperate to get at the girls but definitely happier, all the veg is gone now anyway! The herd seem quite well established to be honest and i wouldn't be able to decide who to split off, so unless some of them fall out between now and his neutering i'm looking at starting a fresh herd....i have the space/time/money so i'll start looking at rescues and FTGH's once he's had the snip! :-)

All the best! We have got a UK rescue locator on the top bar, but can provide a link to good guinea pig rescues in other countries. Dating at the rescue to start a functioning core group is the best forward.

As we have got members from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country state/province or UK county to your details, so we can tailor any advice to what is really available and doable where you are and also if necessary take your climate/season into account if that can impact on advice and recommendation. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.

 

[Morchy]

Thanks, i got 3 of my current ones from the RSPCA but the others were all FTGH's and to be honest were in a much poorer state so i'm glad i came in time, at least 1 of them was emaciated and really not well but you couldn't tell from looking at her as she is a Teddy, i got her home sharpish and she's in fine form now...will never be head sow but is happy snuggling with some of the others...i get worried that the FTGH's will end up in a snake...or a dog...so mainly look at getting those...