Maybe get another male?

[GinGinGin]

I have two males, both about 6 months old (I adopted them from a shelter) and I’ve had them for 2 months. I absolutely adore them and while one is clearly dominant, they rub along very well together.

The shelter has more males for adoption, although they are younger (about 3 months old). I’ve heard that 3 pigs is a bad number, that 2 will pair off and bully the third, but I’d love to have another to spoil with my boys.

I acknowledge I’m a very inexperienced pig owner, so wanted to ask your thoughts?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Boars can only be kept in pairs to be successful long term. Please do not add any other piggies in the same cage with your current two boys as it will cause fights and break bonds. Your boys are quite happy as they are so don’t rock the boat! The forum behaviour section has many a thread about failed boar trios, resulting fights, separations and single piggies.
While you do find the occasional successful boar trio it is most usually because the piggies are very laid back and have chosen each other. They are usually also older and testosterone has fizzled out. Attempting a boar trio or quartet with piggies the age yours are is highly likely to be a disaster.

If you want more boars, then it needs to be a separate pair in a separate cage.

It’s only sows who can be kept in groups of any number. In the case of sows it is not true that three means two always pair off and bully the third - sow trios absolutely can and do work.

Bachelor boar herds can work but only with a large number of boars (around 10 should disperse tensions enough) and an exceptionally large space, they wouldn’t be able to be caged.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

The temptation to add is always great with a lovely pair of young guinea pigs...

If you have fallen in love with boars, then please consider adoption another pair of bonded boars. Adding a third boar, especially a pair of teenagers at the lif time high of their testosterone output, is generally a straight forward recipe for disaster. In most cases you will end up with an outsider situation of some sorts, either one boy terrorising the other two, two turning on the weakest boy or one gentle boy caught in the middle of two feuding dominant boars as the most likely outcomes. You have about the same roughly 10% of chance of ending up with a working trio as you are of ending up with three single boars that will not go with any of the others.

Quartets are even more unstable and even less likely to succeed. In our long term forum experience (with enough cases to get a significant insight), you are most likely to end up with two singles and a working pair or with four singles.
Boars either work in pairs or in larger groups (ideally 6-10 and more) but trios and quartets are not a combo you can count on succeeding outside of disabled/carer situations (which have different dynamics) or old age bachelor groups where the testosterone has run out and companionship becomes more important than their standing in the hierarchy.

If you have a working boar pair, then please do not rock the boat and spoil it. If you still would like more boars, then consider a second pair in a cage above the original one. Otherwise make sure that you have got a spare cage and a plan B on standby because you are highly likely to need them.

 

[GinGinGin]

Thank you both so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. The last thing I want to do is make things difficult for my two gorgeous boys. I’m so new to piggy ownership and I’m learning every day, and if adding another boar would cause problems then I will leave my pair to crack on and do their thing together without another. Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you both so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. The last thing I want to do is make things difficult for my two gorgeous boys. I’m so new to piggy ownership and I’m learning every day, and if adding another boar would cause problems then I will leave my pair to crack on and do their thing together without another. Thank you

We are here for both enquiries and support but we'd frankly rather people did what you are doing - asking beforehand - than deal with fallen-out boars, especially trios and quartets that have hit teenage.

We have got a very practical information resource into which our experiences from 15 years and tens of thousands of questions on this forum as well as our own experiences going in some cases back half a century have gone in. It tackles all the sticky points that can trip new owners that other resources all too often gloss over.
You might like to bookmark the link, browse, read and re-read at need: Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

PS: Have you considered sponsoring a boar in rescue instead? Sadly so many are stuck in there for a long time.

 

[GinGinGin]

thank you - I joined this site as I want to give my boys their best lives. I’ve wanted pigs for years but have never been in a position where I could give them the time and attention they deserve and now I guess I want to rescue them all

I have learned so much even after a few days of being a member - thank you.

If I can’t give any more a home then I will absolutely look into sponsoring - what a lovely suggestion, thank you.

 

[Chip_Milo_Gus]

I actually made the mistake of getting 3 boars. I didn’t think it would be an issue, but now one of my piggies has a separate living arrangement. I was able to settle them into compatible places, but not without a particularly violent fight . They are all fine now, but I would definitely not make this mistake again. I’m glad you aren’t going to have this happen to you!

 

[Seven7]

I currently have 3 boys and one boy lives separately close to the other two boys. I have a very senior boy Finn, who is my avatar. I didn't want Bear, who is just 2 yo, to be on his own when Finn leaves us, so I got Ben, now 6 months old.
Finn and Bear wouldn't let baby Ben to join so Ben lives next to Bear and Finn.

From my experience, 3 boys can't live together.