Should I Separate My Boars?

[ScotLass93]

I'm looking for some advice.

I've had my 2 boars since January and I would presume they are about a year old now and they are fully grown! After a few months Brendan asserted himself as the dominant male and every now and then would chase Roger around the cage and mount him. This would last a few hours and was never too vicious!
However as time has gone on, things seem to have gotten worse. We've also recently got 2 sows in a separate cage and since them being around and the boys can smell them, the fighting has got worse. Brendan chases and mounts Roger many times every day and Roger sounds quite distressed. I've sometimes heard the occaisional yelp from Roger where Brendan has obviously hurt him. I have even noticed a few scaps under Rogers fur where Brendan has bit him. I took Brendan out the cage for a few hours and left Roger on his own and he seemed happy and relaxed. And when I put Brendan back in he immediately did his pur of dominance and started chasing Roger again. It even appeared as though Roger was shaking at this point...i could feel very subtle vibrations from him.

So basically, I need to know if I should give away Brendan or not? I obviously don't want to part with him unnecessarily but it seems like Roger is much happier and relaxed without him? But then, would Roger be okay on his own?

I'm torn, someone help me decide what to do!

 

[lauraboara]

Hello. Sorry your boys are having a tricky time. At their age they are 'teenagers' still and pretty hormonal.
It sounds as though you have identified at least one of the main triggers for the the agro - the smell of the girls. Can you move the girls to another room to see if the boys settle? Got to be worth a try before you think about giving away a piggie.

Also a few basic bits of boar management - two of everything - water bottles, food bowls etc. And hideys with two exits - I prefer cardboard boxes with holes at either end.

 

[Caron's Cavies]

Hello and welcome,

I think you will find that it is the introduction of the sows that is making the boys get 'excited' for want of a better word!

I have a trio of boys who get along just fine until they happen upon the smell of my sows.

I have to make sure the sows go into a separate area for their playtime as if not the boars can sniff that they have been there and start wheeking and fighting and humping.

I agree with @lauraboara that it is important that the boars are in a different room to the sows so that they cannot smell them.

Also is the cage the boys are in large enough as generally they need a bigger living space than the girls and need two of everything. They really are just hormonal teenage boys right now