Sad that teenage pigs are separated for a long time

[lauraboara]

Apologies in advance for fed up thread
I have 2 separated teenage boy pigs (nearly 5 months) and 2 adult boars in a stable pair (so 3 houses for 4 boysmallethead)
The teenage boars started fighting v early at 6 weeks and had to be separated at 10 weeks. Thanks to advice from forum they are now side by side and can talk but not hurt each other. And they are fine, growing well etc.
But when I see my adult males in a happy stable pair it does upset me that the teenagers are apart. There are no signs of them getting on any better and my vet believes they never will (he saw injuries and behaviour).
Do I just have to hold my nerve until they are past the teenage stage? :{ It seems such a long time to wait for another 5 ish months with them apart?Also pain in the behind in terms of housing ahem - but that is not as important of course. Any ideas? Thank you

 

[piggie-power]

Hi hon, i've been in this situation before and like you i have a close bonded pair and 2 seperate males. All my boys are out of the teenage years now but i still have no hope of getting them in to a pair. You've done the best you can by seperating them but still giving them the company they need.

Chances are your boys may never be able to live together. Mine fell out during the teenage years and they HATE each other. They tolerate each other through bars - but if we put them together they fight to kill.

Give them a few months living through bars together - then try bathing them together and placing them together on neutral territory - this could work but i would be very wary with them. Only seperate them when the teeth chatting becomes very quick and they start standing face to face and yawning - that is always a sign they don't get on. Any mounting and rumbling is perfectly normal. Keep a towel handy too - if you need to break up a fight throw the towel over them before picking them up.

Hope this helps and that your boys can get back together!

 

[Andi]

aww i feel guilty about mine too its normal feeling like that as you know they would benefit more from being in a pair....

perhaps wait for hormones to subside and then try again...I'm going to give my two one more try once their through their hormonal phase and if that doesnt work ill have to get them boar dating to find them a friend each. I'm doubtful that they will go back together but we'll see!

 

[lauraboara]

Thanks for replying Andi and Piggie power - good to know there are other slaves with similar issues . I will try reintroducing the teenagers again in the future but any attempts so far have not looked v promising - straight to hackles up, loud chattering, teeth on display etc. Then they go back to chat through the mesh and are finerolleyes
Boar dating also sounds a possibility for the future but a bit daunted by the thought of going up to 6 boys (ie 3 pairs) - I think that sounds a challenge and quite risky given my experience so far!

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for replying Andi and Piggie power - good to know there are other slaves with similar issues . I will try reintroducing the teenagers again in the future but any attempts so far have not looked v promising - straight to hackles up, loud chattering, teeth on display etc. Then they go back to chat through the mesh and are finerolleyes
Boar dating also sounds a possibility for the future but a bit daunted by the thought of going up to 6 boys (ie 3 pairs) - I think that sounds a challenge and quite risky given my experience so far!

Boar dating at a reputable rescue means that character compatibility has priority and that the bond is therefore a LOT more stable. It also means that you can always go back to the rescue if things are not working out for some reason - a good rescue will always take a piggy back and will help to find a new solution for both piggies involved.

 

[lauraboara]

Thanks Wiebke - I will definitely keep it in mind as an option. Do the boars go and 'stay over' to have boar dating? I have heard that experienced boar daters know if it will be successful in the first half hour ish.
I was also assuming that I am better to wait to try boar dating when the boys are out of their teenage stage - am I wrong?

I know you have quite a lot of piggies but I only planned to have 2! Somehow adopted 2 more lovely boars? But 6 seems quite a lot for vets bills / housing / sanity!

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks Wiebke - I will definitely keep it in mind as an option. Do the boars go and 'stay over' to have boar dating? I have heard that experienced boar daters know if it will be successful in the first half hour ish.
I was also assuming that I am better to wait to try boar dating when the boys are out of their teenage stage - am I wrong?

I know you have quite a lot of piggies but I only planned to have 2! Somehow adopted 2 more lovely boars? But 6 seems quite a lot for vets bills / housing / sanity!

You CAN ask a good rescue whether you could "exchange" one of your boys, so he can find a new mate at the rescue, while the rescue will pair up your other boy and find him a new home. Not an easy decision to make, but perhaps worth thinking through ALL your options.

We had a case like that when a loving boar owner ended up with just too many single boars than she had space for. At least, that way, she could be sure that all boys were given a new chance. It is certainly not your first choice.

If I had only boars, I could only have half the number of boars in separate pens in the same space I use for the Tribe.

 

[deeandnick]

gplearner I am in the same position as you and its horrible!

My boys are separated, and the minute they get near each other mounting, hackles up, teeth chattering and really loud rumbling its so scary! Then they chatter though the cage to each other like nothing happened.

I feel really sad that they are separate too, seems like such a shame to have two pigs who could be friends and play together in different cages. I'm just hoping when they are older a bath and neutral ground helps them become friends.

I hope your boys become friends one day x

 

[deeandnick]

Do you have one boar who is the agressor?

Scruff is bigger than diego, but diego is always the pig doing the mounting and the chattering! Scruff just stands there looking at him through the mesh, then diego popcorns off away from the divide, he shouldn't be happy with himself - humph! x

 

[lauraboara]

The agression between my two boars is looks quite complex to my non-piggy eyes! Sudoku is larger, more obviously hormonal and rumbles at everything. I thought he was the more agressive but Cheeky is actually quite cheeky... He seems to compensate for being slightly smaller by biting and being quick to block Sudoku in corners (rather like my little sister used to do but that is another story.

Thanks for the thoughts - still thinking about all the options and hoping they will get along one day....