one of my boys has become dominant!

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JoBo

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Can anyone give me some advice. I have 3 unneutered boys in together and they have always got on well, however the boy with the stonger personality has started being dominant over the other 2. I am thinking of neutering the dominant one but not sure if i will then be able to return him to the others after he has been isolated. I think the problem started when the boys got a whiff of my girls when i had to transport them recently, what do you think?:)p
 
hiya,
Dont think neutering would make a diffrence to be honset he will still try and rumblesturt and want to mate and the smell of anti biotices from the vet ect ect, might make thing worse because the pther piggies wont recodnise his scent, i think that if theres no fighting or blood shed its only natural for theer to be a more dominant piggy especially with the ladise around because in the wild the more dominant boar get first shot at the ladies or somthing like that am sure ? i have two girls i learnd this off here. hopefull someone els can be more accurate.
xashx
 
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neutering will not change their behavior. it will just sterilize them. typically, a group of 3 boars does not work out. it is more common that a pair of boars will get along. maybe if you could pair the one more dominant with a baby boar and see how it works? and if they do not get along, you can neuter the boar and give him a wifey. i hope all will be settled x
 
^ but there's plenty of boar trios who get along fine, and one becoming dominant is normal. it doesn't mean they'll start fighting.
i'd see how it goes- if there is any bloodshed then obviously you'll have to separate them but you can't expect three boars to live together without any sort of hierarchy. it's pointless to go out and get another pig (unless you have room for one) if there's a good chance they can live together perfectly happily.
 
Which age are your boys and has there been blood or just a lot of fuss?

There is a good thread about boar behaviour at the top of this section; that might help you to decide whether it's necessary to separate or not.

In any case, neutering won't help. It's only of use if you want to put him with females 4-6 weeks after his op; he'll still be a full boy with his hormones intact!
 
as the others say neturing doesn't do anything - i have two boys who we got done, but they still do the usual rumbling and humping etc!
 
Hi
Thanks for all the posts. There is no blood shed just a lot of bullyiing, one of my boys has resorted to living in the downstairs compartment and avoiding the dominant one completely. I have decided to move the more dominant one out and get him neutered so he can live with a girl, this may mean rehoming him as i already have 16 pigs which is 4 hutches, but if this does happen i will make sure he goes to the best home so dont worry!
 
Just to let you know i have now separated the dominant male and the effect on the remaining two has been instantanious. They are so much happier, sharing a carrot and seem so much more content. I have decided to re-home the dominant male, he is going to a Guinea pig re-homing centre where he will be netered and put with another female. I am assured he will go to the best home.
 
So sorry that your threesome didn't work out.

Best of luck for your dominant boy! Are you using RAGS?
 
No not RAGS but Ruby Rabbit and Guinea Pig welfare as i have adopted a neutered male from her before who is now living in my girly herd, plus she boards mine when i go away.
 
Do you mean Rugby RnGP Welfare? I've got Dizzy from there.

A pity that you don't have the space to split your girls for another neutered boy...
 
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