One boar of a pair has passed away :-( Devastated child, lonely boar...advice needed

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Mintcar

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Hello, sadly our Snowy passed away on Friday morning - unfortunately the vet said he had a stroke and there was nothing to be done for him. :(

So, we've had a totally distraught 10 year old and a 10 month old Boar alone in his double hutch. I am not sure what to do for the best. The hutch is now brought indoors and is in our lounge with us, but Lightning is very quiet which I guess is to be normal - but is staying in the bed area rather than running down the ramp into the run area etc. He and his ''brother' got on well and only initially had the normal male bonding stuff going on. Lightning has always been a laid-back-dude and is very placid.

We don't have anyone locally that does boar dating, I checked this earlier this year when a previous boar pairing was failing badly.

Do I introduce a younger male to a separated hutch, separating the top from the bottom, letting some sort of smell of each other get through. Get them out on laps together a little, and introduce them slowly? Is it the right thing to do I guess I'm asking.

OR, will my single boar be 'happier' without any further stress of introducing another male? I'm really not sure what to try as I've had some conflicting advice. I know there are no guarantees, but wondered what your guys' advice would be? My poor son is distraught and I want to do the right thing for the guineas and everyone. Thanks x
 
Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss and all the upset!

What a pity that you do not have access to boar dating within a reasonable distance. where are you roughly located? We are constantly updating the Piggy Bank map and are adding new rescues that are passing our criteria.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

The second best option is trying for a subhormonal youngster to pair up with Lightning; by the time he'll hit the hormones, Lightning will hopefully be past the worst himself. The bigger the age gap the better; whether it works out long term depends on how dominant the youngster is. Boars need company as much as sows; ideally as a bonded couple.
Introduction tips: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...FAQ-Introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs
Suzy's boar dating blog contains lots of tips, several videos etc.: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?59233-Boar-Dating-Service-Wales

Alternatively, you could think about having Lightning neutered and paired up with one or two sows - he is at an excellent age for that operation. However, it is vital to have access to an experienced vet with a good track record in piggy neutering, as the risk of post op complications can be otherwise sadly very high, and you can easily end up with lots of heartbreak and a multiple of the initial operation cost. However, cross gender bondings are the most stable of piggy bonds, provided a boar has been initially accepted.
Please be alse aware that a boar needs a full 6 weeks post op wait before he is 100% safe to go with sows. I have the surprise baby from a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not mine) to prove that particular point!
http://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm

Best of luck! Make sure that Lightning has a cuddly toy or cosy to snuggle up in while you are researching the options.
 
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Wiebke said:
Hi!

I am very sorry for your loss and all the upset!

What a pity that you do not have access to boar dating within a reasonable distance. where are you roughly located? We are constantly updating the Piggy Bank map and are adding new rescues that are passing our criteria.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

The second best option is trying for a subhormonal youngster to pair up with Lightning; by the time he'll hit the hormones, Lightning will hopefully be past the worst himself. The bigger the age gap the better; whether it works out long term depends on how dominant the youngster is. Boars need company as much as sows; ideally as a bonded couple.
Introduction tips: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...FAQ-Introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs
Suzy's boar dating blog contains lots of tips, several videos etc.: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?59233-Boar-Dating-Service-Wales

Alternatively, you could think about having Lightning neutered and paired up with one or two sows - he is at an excellent age for that operation. However, it is vital to have access to an experienced vet with a good track record in piggy neutering, as the risk of post op complications can be otherwise sadly very high, and you can easily end up with lots of heartbreak and a multiple of the initial operation cost. However, cross gender bondings are the most stable of piggy bonds, provided a boar has been initially accepted.
Please be alse aware that a boar needs a full 6 weeks post op wait before he is 100% safe to go with sows. I have the surprise baby from a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not mine) to prove that particular point!
http://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm

Best of luck! Make sure that Lightning has a cuddly toy or cosy to snuggle up in while you are researching the options.
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Thanks Wiebke!

I don't think I want to put Lightning through an operation, don't think my son could take the stress! He is VERY sensitive bless him and I don't want to put an animal through that needlessly if it can be helped.

Are you saying that in your opinion it would be far better for Lightning to have a friend, rather than leave him as a lone piggy? Is it better for us to start this process ASAP?

Thanks for your help Wiebke.
 
It would be MUCH better for him to have a friend, anytime once he comes out of deep mourning in hopefully a few days' time. Even two boars that live side by side are happier than completely on their own, but having a friend that is living with him would be best!

There is one rescue in Rugby, which rehomes further afield, that has a sow spaying policy. It may be worth contacting them. They found a breeder's lot dumped on them this autumn, so there should be sows available in spring.
http://www.rngp.org/
 
Thanks, we were thinking of getting a friend this weekend and putting him in the bottom of the hutch (we live in Cornwall by the way, so a little bit out on a limb!) to start the process off - or do you think that too soon? I've just heard horrid stories of piggies dying soon after their mates have passed away, that I'd like to at least get something under way now. Sorry to be a pain Wiebke with all my questions!
 
It depends on the age of the newbie and where you get a piggy from (i.e. how old is he and does he need to go through quarantine?)

If you can get a baby boy from a place where his health can be guaranteed, I would personally wait a week and introduce him pretty quickly; babies really suffer from being alone.
 
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Wiebke said:
It depends on the age and where you get a piggy from (i.e. how old is he and does he need to go through quarantine?)
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We are thinking of 8 weeks oldish and I know it goes against the grain, but a pet store.
 
If I were you, I'd have your newbie given an MOT by your vet before intros. 8 weeks is quite young, so he'll be pretty desperate for company.

PS: You are always welcome to have the gender doublechecked by posting a (preferably) clear picture of the crucial bits in our pregnancy section.
 
Yep, that's what I thought re: vet - I thought 8 weeks was quite young but a guinea pig loving acquaintance recommended that! Eek, maybe 10 weeks? I'm not sure - 10 weeks would be before the testosterone has hit in right, but is it around 11 weeks it does hit in? I will shut up in a minute, I promise x
 
Hi there, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your piggie. I had a boar pairing which was unfortunately broken up when my PEW Casper had a stroke and unfortunately didn't make it through the treatment.
His friend was left alone, at 2 1/2 years old, and it sadly took us 4 months to find him a friend, during which time he was subdued, quiet and frightened of most things! But now he's paired with a cheeky little 7 month old and the difference is night and day! Thankfully, Junior was fully through his hormonal phase and took charge relatively quickly.

Before you think about getting a new friend, you need to make sure you're taking care of Lightning and allowing him to grieve. He will be dearly missing his friend, and will be lonely - piggies grieve for their loss like we do! I was advised to clean out the hutch, rearranging it, give him a couple of different things and maybe different feeding times. Make him pay attention to the new and different things and be distracted from the loss. It may help him adapt to being alone.
The pairing of 2 males can be a tentative time and you'll be worrying about them once the terrible teens kick in! Boys hit their 'teenage hormones' at about 4 months old, and it can last about a year! You have to be prepared for, though they may get on initially, a risk of them falling out once the baby hits his hormones and starts to play up a little. If they fall out to the point of drawing blood, being able to pair them again is practically impossible and you would then have to try and find new friends for them both!

If you get a new male, introduce on as neutral turf as possible, and make sure that the hutch they are going into is thoroughly scrubbed down and cleaned, along with the things in it - if Lightning smells his own scent on everything, he's more likely to be terratorial and be less welcoming as he has already claimed everything there. Maybe get some new things for the hutch?
If you do choose to neuter him, he can quite often have as many lady friends as will get on with him and you have space for - Wiebke is living proof of that, with a group of females in its teens with a single male! Spayed sows are harder to come by, but make wonderful wifepigs for lonely gents.

Hope this helps xx
 
SapphireDreams said:
Hi there, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your piggie. I had a boar pairing which was unfortunately broken up when my PEW Casper had a stroke and unfortunately didn't make it through the treatment.
His friend was left alone, at 2 1/2 years old, and it sadly took us 4 months to find him a friend, during which time he was subdued, quiet and frightened of most things! But now he's paired with a cheeky little 7 month old and the difference is night and day! Thankfully, Junior was fully through his hormonal phase and took charge relatively quickly.

Before you think about getting a new friend, you need to make sure you're taking care of Lightning and allowing him to grieve. He will be dearly missing his friend, and will be lonely - piggies grieve for their loss like we do! I was advised to clean out the hutch, rearranging it, give him a couple of different things and maybe different feeding times. Make him pay attention to the new and different things and be distracted from the loss. It may help him adapt to being alone.
The pairing of 2 males can be a tentative time and you'll be worrying about them once the terrible teens kick in! Boys hit their 'teenage hormones' at about 4 months old, and it can last about a year! You have to be prepared for, though they may get on initially, a risk of them falling out once the baby hits his hormones and starts to play up a little. If they fall out to the point of drawing blood, being able to pair them again is practically impossible and you would then have to try and find new friends for them both!

If you get a new male, introduce on as neutral turf as possible, and make sure that the hutch they are going into is thoroughly scrubbed down and cleaned, along with the things in it - if Lightning smells his own scent on everything, he's more likely to be terratorial and be less welcoming as he has already claimed everything there. Maybe get some new things for the hutch?
If you do choose to neuter him, he can quite often have as many lady friends as will get on with him and you have space for - Wiebke is living proof of that, with a group of females in its teens with a single male! Spayed sows are harder to come by, but make wonderful wifepigs for lonely gents.

Hope this helps xx
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Thanks Sapphire - I'm sorry for your loss of Casper too x

Yes, we have given Lightning so many cuddles, let him have his 'own' space too. Cleaned and changed his cage and layout, bought him some new toys and nibbles etc. We have changed what we feed him and when too...nice to know that that was the right thing to do!! Thanks Sapphire!

We have a double hutch and I was hoping we could keep one on top and one underneath until the 'intro'. Thanks for the advice of the major intro being on neutral ground and scrubbing the cage first. Thanks. Hopefully this will work as we love our Lightning to pieces! x
 
You're welcome :) If you want to give them a chance to get to know each other first, once your little new one arrives, you can give them some floor time every day with a divider down the middle of the run until you're satisfied (maybe a few days?) It'll give them time to get used to each other's scent and sounds without being able to actually get to the other pig.

Boar dating can be a long and challenging process, but when it works it is really worth it! So many people have the belief that 2 males just can't get along, well it's not true!
Look up Suzygpr if you want any advice, she runs a boar dating service at her rescue and is extremely well known for making successful pairings (a 3 month waiting list doesn't lie!). She'll have all the tips and tricks you need to give them the best possible chance of making a long-lasting friendship.

Do you have any pigtures of Lightning? We like pictures here :) :) It sounds like he is extremely well cared for and any piggie that comes to you will be very lucky to have him as a friend and you as an owner :)

Lauren x
 
michelle.tiddy
SapphireDreams said:
You're welcome :) If you want to give them a chance to get to know each other first, once your little new one arrives, you can give them some floor time every day with a divider down the middle of the run until you're satisfied (maybe a few days?) It'll give them time to get used to each other's scent and sounds without being able to actually get to the other pig.

Boar dating can be a long and challenging process, but when it works it is really worth it! So many people have the belief that 2 males just can't get along, well it's not true!
Look up Suzygpr if you want any advice, she runs a boar dating service at her rescue and is extremely well known for making successful pairings (a 3 month waiting list doesn't lie!). She'll have all the tips and tricks you need to give them the best possible chance of making a long-lasting friendship.

Do you have any pigtures of Lightning? We like pictures here :) :) It sounds like he is extremely well cared for and any piggie that comes to you will be very lucky to have him as a friend and you as an owner :)

Lauren x
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Thanks Lauren.......that's a lovely thing to say...this is a picture of the boys just recently
 
Sorry, that didn't work. This is the boys when we first had them

hutch.png.html
 
Oh and yay!!! Lightning has now ventured out of his bed area and is mooching around the hutch, eating hay and veggies and being sociable! We are off to get a friend for him and start the process...
 
Mintcar said:
This was them more recently snacking together

http://s911.beta.photobucket.com/user/Mintcar1970/media/thetwoboys.jpg.html
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Aw what a lovely picture of them both! :)

Mintcar said:
Oh and yay!!! Lightning has now ventured out of his bed area and is mooching around the hutch, eating hay and veggies and being sociable! We are off to get a friend for him and start the process...
Click to expand...
Glad to hear Lightning is doing better. I am in the same situtaion with my piggy and hopefully starting the process of getting a new friend for her soon. Good luck with everything. Sending lots of hugs Lightnings way.
 
Best of luck. I have posted links with bonding tips and videos in my first post on this thread. Please read through them before you start any introductions. Give Fudge time to grieve.
 
Wiebke said:
Best of luck. I have posted links with bonding tips and videos in my first post on this thread. Please read through them before you start any introductions. Give Fudge time to grieve.
Click to expand...

Thanks Wiebke! Yes, I read those links thank you soooooooooo much. No intros have been made but we have chosen a new friend for him. The new frind has been settled into his lower half of the hutch so that he can acquaint himself over the next couple of days.....

I am so grateful for all your help - thank you :rose
 
A little update! The boys are talking to each other. Lightning is sooooooooooooo very aware someone is 'downstairs'! They saw each other last night through a separation. Lighning can really smell and hear him and we've blocked the hole from the ramp up from the lower cage run area obviously, but Lighning can sniff him through there.

Thunder loves his cosy bed (we woke up this morning to find him curled up in it! so cute!), REALLY enjoying his hay and veg and they are really aware of each other. Thunder is popcorning around which Lightning can hear and he is desperate to get to him! Ha ha, don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing....

Lightning's appetite has really picked up and he has been munching away. Ever since he could 'smell' Thunder last night he really perked up too.

Finger's crossed for the intro later in the week!
 
That's great news! I hope the actual introduction goes just as well! I would (and it sounds crazy) have a dustpan and brush handy to seperate them if it really kicks off - don't go putting your hands in there! xx
 
Thanks Lauren!

Tonight hubby and I had one on each lap, within close proximity. No advances were made but they were well aware of each other. We then let Lightning go in the bottom bit for a couple of minutes, then Thunder in the top so that they could smell each other.

The we let Lightning run around the lounge with Thunder secure in the lower run of the hutch. All Lightning did was run around the outside of the hutch following Thunder's moves, one tiny rumble from Lighning, then just proceeded to talk and follow the little one. Then Thunder sat at the rear of the run, with Lightning right by him just almost touching through the wire. They just stayed close to each other, without any hackles rising or rumbles or strutting, just being close together. Was very cute.

However, I'm not fooled lol! I have had prior experience of two guineas who didn't get on at all! So, I will take your hand hint of the dustpan & brush! Ha ha!

We are thinking of the intro tomorrow maybes, in teh hall and then put them into a scrubbed clean hutch.....not sure...will see.

Michelle xx

edited as: don't know my thunders from my lightnings!
 
Hi,

I have just been reading thrugh the thread but missed the bit where you got a new boy! What are the ages of your piggles?

I lost one of my boars a few months ago, my boys were twins and VERY close. Joined at the hip, it was very sad. I did not have sucess with rescues initially but had a friend with a lonely bereaved boar & her kids had totally lost interest in him. So we tried them together gradually and Billy camr to live with us back in August. So far so good, my boys are 2 and 1. My younger new boar is very dominant, but luckily my older rex boy is so laid back he really doesn't seem to care.

Its good you are letting them smell eachother etc, just make sure you have a towel handy for when you do attempt to let them meet. Hopefully you will be fine! Mine were no bother at all and like you I noticed immediately that my lonely boy picked up as soon as he knew he was near another pig. It was quite something to see.

Good luck & don't forget to post pix!
 
Oh he is very handsome! He's lovely! Let us know how you get on! Fingers are crossed!
 
Ok, so we've just started intro. This started off with both piggies on my shoulders..........they talked constantly, and were stroked constantly by me..... they were enjoying it.. Then whilst cleaning out the hutch and run, we introduced them in the hall with a plate of food - they cuddled up together for a bit, before Thunder went off on his travels. Then we've just put them in the hutch, where Lightning knew it from before, he rumbled a bit, then cuddled a bit with Thunder, now is eating food......a little chasing....and bottom sniffing and rumbling...we shall see . more rubmling and popcuroning, but at the minute, it seems just laid back territory claiming....we shall see if it escalates x They are eating out of their separate bowls and giving each other time...for now...
 
Another little update: The boys were fine last night - a few rumblings and territory marking from Lightning, but Thunder shows no signs of hormones at the minute so doesn't respond, rather just plays and runs away almost asking Lightning to follow him. I was worried last night, so got up at 2am to find them snuggled up in Thunders pet bed together! Few more rumbles today, normal territory stuff from Lightning....but just now, bless them, they've stuffed on hay and have fallen asleep side by side resting on a bundle of hay!! :-)
 
Hi guys! Just a quick recon! The boys get along famously! I think (thus far!) two well matched personalities! Thunder has grown beautifully and Lightening has accepted him in his usual horizontal, laid-back way! Lightning has had a couple of incidents of humping and chasing since they've met over the last few months, but he isn't really that bothered and Thunder just goes 'yes, whatever - you're the big guy, I'm the newbie, deal with it!'... They are just gawjus and Thunder is a real squeeeeee'er - as soon as he hears a floor board creak as we come in the room, that's it - I want food family! So pleased and so lucky they got on.........they are in permanent residence in our lounge in a 4X2 with an extended run underneath - luckily our lounge is big. Til the summer when they'll go outside on teh decking still in sight &sound of us via the patio doors back into the lounge. Very happy piggies - very happy children - very happy parents! Thanks for all your advice and support x
 
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