Question: How close are your boars?

[WDMMBT]

Whizz and Dusty are my first boar pair. Up until now we've had sows and it was only when Mop gave birth (unexpectedly) that we made the decision to keep boars as we fell in love with Dusty and Whizz straight away. The thing is, I was wondering if they act like normal boars. Sounds stupid really, doesn't it? The thing is:

Once we seperated them for two weeks, knowing something was going on in the 'boar' cage because, at that time, we had three boars who lived together for 1 year before Billy got hormonal. Believing Dusty was at fault we took him out. Later though we had to split up Billy and Whizz. My fluffy boy went into depression and wouldn't eat so we decided to put him in with Dusty. It was like they were NEVER apart. It was love at first site and they were soon cuddling up together.

Billy is now neutured and he is very dominant with the other two boys if he gets near their cage. My mother was feeding them the other day and he got out of his cage, scurried across the room and leapt into Dusty and Whizz's cage. Where he started to chatter his teeth at them. When Billy used to live in with them he attacked Whizz, leaving scars on his nose and face and the deep bite in his back. However we never saw any evidence of Whizz fighting back.

It seems, overall, that my two boars are closer than my two sows (and Billy) as they snuggle up together and get very distressed if seperated for any great period of time. Whereas, when they're outside, Mop and Muffin and Billy will seperate to find their own favourite place to eat Whizz and Dusty stick together like glue.

Thing is, from some of the posts I've read on here it doesn't look like normal boar behaviour. I swear that Whizz and Dusty have never had a fall out and Whizz puts up with regular humping every day without a squeak of annoyance.

Is this normal? I was just wondering how your boars acted towards each other so I can compare them to mine? Obviously I don't want Whizz and Dusty to change in anyway I just wanted to enlighten myself to boar behaviour having only ever had sows in the past.

 

[FondueKid]

I can't comment on how normal it is, but our two boars are just the same. They are very very rarely apart, follow each other everywhere, and Daniel ignores Lionel's attempts at humping. They snuggle up together, share food and often groom each other. Little pig-men x)

 

[Suzygpr]

You boys behaviour is fairly common for a well bonded pair of boys - the threads on boys falling out, fighting etc are because not all pairings are successful and the owners post when there is a problem.

A pair of seriously loved up boys, they have to have the XXL cosies to sleep in as they can't bear to be apart even by inches. They are not related, nor introduced as babies as Baldric was 18 months old when he arrived, neither are neutered - they are just the bestest mates in all the world.

Even when it's not big enough they still squeeeeeeze in together.

Let's see some more loved up boars.

Suzy x

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

i have several pairs of boars. each pair has a different relationship to the next.

Jimmy Jazz and Rosewood, for example, are always together, display no 'dominance' behaviour and snuggle up together to sleep.

Pockets and Mungo are the best of friends but very active and like to run around a lot and scent mark each other and do their purring bum whiggling dance, but there is never any teeth chattering or aggression.

then there is Bloomfield and Harley, sometimes they happily sit together and share food bowls but every so often there is some teeth chattering and chasing as Bloomfield is very dominant and likes to remind Harely that he is in charge but this dosen't last long and they become friends again - living in 6 foot accomodation helps as they have the room to get away from each other and things to run behind/under/or jump on top of, to be able to display natural behaviour.

none of these boys are neutered.

i don't think there is such a thing as 'normal'. they all have their own personalities which blend differently in each relationship.

 

[ayemee]

My boars are extremely close. Give them two igloo's and they would much rather squeeze together in one.

 

[helen105281]

Buzz and Tim are fairly close, they look for each other if one is removed from the cage etc. Tim is Buzz's third friend, he was close to Beanbag who we lost a few months ago but not as much as with Tim. He lived with Woody before that and they were not very close really but had been through a lot together before coming to us.

 

[SpinningNickel]

My first pair of boars (Machu and Picchu) tolerated each other, plain and simple. They rarely fought after the first couple of weeks together -- Picchu was very much in charge and Machu was laid-back enough to not really fight him, but they rarely acted like best buddies, either. Most of the time they ignored each other.

After Picchu died I took Machu boar dating and brought home a baby I call Yoshi. They're much more closely bonded. They aren't as snuggly as some of the boars mentioned here; they'll lie apart as happily as together. But they play follow-the-leader round and round the cage, happily have a tug-of-war over pieces of carrot, etc. Yoshi isn't completely tame yet and hides behind Machu for protection when I try to pick him up, which is ridiculously cute.

Yoshi tolerates Machu's daily morning humping session with little more than a squeak, and Machu runs around the cage doing some distressed chattering if I've taken Yoshi out and they can't see each other. Sometimes if Machu is in the pigloo and Yoshi tries to climb in or vice versa, I'll hear a little chatter, but not serious enough to actually scare the other one off or anything. It just gets ignored and stops.

They get on really well. Mind you, Yoshi is only about 3 months old, so he's yet to hit to worst of his hormonal period. Still, I'm hopeful they're bonded closely enough to get through it!

 

[Shellza]

Aww, Suzy those pics are too cute x)
I only have on boar and he's very independent. When they are out for floor time Freya will stick to Lexi like glue and will follow her every step, but Archie will happily totter about on his own. He did live next to another neutered boar at one point but wasn't impressed Maybe because they both had girlies to protect and impress.

 

[Sarah McGarry]

My boys are really close but they are brothers so I think that does make a difference! The only time they might get a bit annoyed with each other is when Freddie takes food of Fergus, But they soon make up!

 

[cucumber cuties]

our boars were really close too, probably because Pepper(RIP) was such a calm, old guinea pig and loved having Liquorice for company, Liquorice absolutley loved Pepper and would always be next to him.

 

[SophRuss5]

Mine are close as well, one will pace the hutch if I pick the other up, I often find them squeezed into small spaces or snuggled up. I have seen them do a little nose in the air competition over food bowls and sometimes Hodge rumble struts if he's found a comfy spot. However, they are still young and they have two of everything and plenty of alone space, not that they use it! I do watch out for falling out signs but so far fingers crossed all good.

 

[WDMMBT]

Thanks guys and I suppose your right. There is no normal behaviour I guess there are: enemies, aquaintances, friends and bromances <3

This brings me onto the subject of Billy. Do you think he actually spoils for a fight? He is very desperate to get into his father's cage and instantly starts chattering his teeth. Such a bully! I love him and all but I'm so worried that he'll get into their cage and we won't be there to take him out! Whizz and Dusty just won't stand up for themselves and he could savage them! Do you have guinea-pigs who deliberately go looking for trouble?

 

[RoyalDuke]

I have two boars, and they bicker and squabble over everything. They chase each other and fall out but always make up. They really can't do without each other. If you take one out of the cage without the other, the one left on it's own will squeak and pace up and down until the other comes back.
On a few occasions I've caught them cleaning each others ears and fur, but that's as far as the touching thing goes.
Bromance <3

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Piggies will not go 'looking for trouble' in the way lads might on a saturday night! but if Billy is living with sows and is the dominant type he will want to chase your other boys away. He will not be looking for a fight as such as all animals want to avoid injury if they can but if he got into the cage with the other boys he would probably do damage if they could not get away.

 

[Humfred]

My boys are pretty close. More often then not you will find them lying next to each other or close together. It makes me so happy to see, because my oldest boar Humbert came from pets at home adoption (a few years ago) and was brought back by different people twice as he was a "fighter" On his discriprion it said "I must live alone because I don't like other pigs" Look at him now His friend Herbert is so tolerant though. He puts up with the occasional humping and Humberts grumpy moods. He follows him everywhere. Lovely to see all these board together. Bet there is still a lot of people out there who don't think unrelated board can live together.

 

[amy_f]

My first pair of boars were already paired when i got them (they were a year old) and were brothers, they got on fantastically and never had any trouble. I have since had 2 more older boars that i have successfully paired with babies and there has not been any problems, they love to snuggle up together. I just have trouble with my sows. lol

Amy

 

[neuroticmum]

My two boars are unrelated and are very close. Patches occassionally likes to remind Bubbles that he is the boss with his rumblestrutts and a bit of ear nibbling and then they snuggle up together and snooze, where one goes the other always follows (even to the vets for a trip out together!) ita lovely to see!x)x)

 

[LittleEskimo]

McMac and Sprout have grown quite close since I brought Sprout home. Much more then what I saw with McMac and Momo.

They will lay down and sleep together (not always as Sprout prefers the hidey house whereas McMac likes to just snooze anywhere and everywhere lol)
When Sprout was smaller I would find them both cuddled up in the hidey house as they could both fit then.
They will happily eat and drink together without any bickering.
McMac will be dominant to Sprout like you would expect but McMac is quite good about it all and will, the way I see it, treat Sprout like a son or something Being sort of firm but fair.

If I take either out of the cage they will look for each other. Sprout will try to walk over to the cage and wheek for McMac lol

 

[tabelmabel]

i don.t know is the honest answer to this. Benson and stanley are brothers but still very young (5 months) there's definitely no snuggling going on! They will eat side by side but regularly have chase and rumble sessions! If they are let loose in the living room, benson follows stan everywhere. He is dependant on hisdominant bro that way. But they like to have their own things in the cage - i.ve 2 of everything for them

 

[Lilly]

Hazelnut will be 2 years old this month and Peanut Butter had his 1st birthday last August. They are unrelated and PB was 1 month old when we introduced him to Hazelnut, who was then 7 months old. They never really fought but the best that could be said of their relationshiop is that they tolerated each other. However, this all changed shortly after PB passed his 1st birthday. They became BFF! And here is the budding bromance:

 

[Julesie]

Two of my boars, my recently bonded adult boars are. They like to share pigloos, I had to buy a bunny one just so they could fit together and they happily eat and play. They occasionally sleep apart or have a kick fight over hay -funniest site ever- but otherwise are very happy together.

Gilbert and Ludwig on the other hand, Gilbert loves Ludwig but Ludwig is not bothered either way. Gilbert used to shout and cry if I took Ludwig away but has given up now, poor thing. Ludwigs more of a mummas boy than into his cagemate. xD;

 

[PiggyLove52]

I have got two baby boars and so far they seem really close, when I first brought them home, I put Teddy in first and he stayed in a corner worried he was alone and when Raven was placed in the cage they moved to each other...
Raven then ran into his new hidey hole and I heard a noise kind of like purring or like a chut as if he was talking and Teddy lifted his little head at the noise and ran into the hidey hole with Raven, they were both cuddled up together and purring for reassurance when I left them to rest.

 

[thuhai1]

Reference :
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[first_time_piggie_mum]

Love / hate relationship

I think I might have the most un-usual boar pairing.....

Gino & Jamie lived quite happily together until last spring, when they had a huge falling out (torn ear on Jamie and a cut nose on Gino). There is roughly a 6 month age gap between them (Gino being the elder pig). Put this down to the spring season coinciding with Jamie hitting his hormonal age and challenging Gino for top spot.

They were already in a large cage, which I then upgraded again to a 5x2 C&C...still couldnt get them back together without wanting to fight so they now live happily side by side in the C&C, with regular play time out in a downstairs pen TOGETHER!mallethead

I have to have their beds side by side in the C&C, if I move them then they will ignore the beds and lie side by side against the grid divider.

If I separate them, Gino goes nuts....he wheeks his little baubles off until he can see Jamie again.

They can play quite happily in the playpen for a few hours, before they start to get peed off with each other and the serious dominace displays start (yawning/puffing/teeth chattering), then I put them back in the C&C and they are happy as larry.

I have toyed with the idea of re-homing Jamie and finding Gino a new friend, but he really does love Jamie and I think he would be upset if he wasnt here.

Here are some photos of when they are "loved up"....

Its really all down to the personalities of the pigs, they are all very different. What may work for some, wont work for others.

 

[LisaAli]

We had two boars “ Wallace & Gromit “ who were completely inseparable. They were together for 3 ½ years, never any dominance issues, never apart so much so, you would think they were stuck together. Unfortunately we lost “Gromit†to the rainbow bridge in July this year . “Wallace†was lost without this brother. So we went boar-dating with “Wallace†and found “Tim†through this forum. Tim was 7 weeks old when we introduced him to Wallace, it was a hit at first sight. The boys have been together for 4 months now, it seems to us that Gromit has been reincarnated in Tim. :<>

Wallace & Gromit...

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Wallace & Tim...

[/IMG]

Lisa & Ali.. x

 

[funnehmare]

I have three boars, one pair and one on his own temporarily. They were originally all together before they came to me but I split them up to prevent fighting. Fudge and Winston are generally ok together, they rumble strut and squeak in indignation at eachother, like now! They squabble occasionally, usually when one takes the house the other one wants and they have a chase and soon settle. But as soon as I remove one for a cuddle the remaining piggie will squeak and pace till the other is returned. As soon as they are together again they don't acknowledge each other and continue being piggies separately. Strange fluffies :{