Hunt76
New Born Pup
Before I kick this off, let me say I apologize for the long post - I’ve pored all the literature I can for months, but feel like I need some help here from somebody who knows more than I do. I’m sorry if it’s a bit long-winded, but I want to do right by my two boys.
I have a 4-year-old rescue boar who the “rescue” insisted had to be single because he was “aggressive.” Further investigation and prying revealed that he’d been attacked by his original cagemate, requiring stitches, and became very skittish with other pigs. He was then placed in a communal cage (an obvious recipe for disaster) at said “rescue,” where he allegedly bit another boar. Unfortunately, this bite wound became infected and ultimately led to the other boar’s death some weeks later. He’s always been really good with people, as long as I’ve known him, and seems to have really relaxed since leaving the stressful rescue environment - he’s gained weight, and he looks so much healthier. His original owner, who clearly loved him but was unable to care for him, reached out to me and said he’d always been a shy, skittish boy with people. In the time I’ve known my boy, though, he’s been quite the opposite - he’s happy to sit with me, and will talk and even flop over to take naps while hanging out on my chest. He’s pretty quiet and low-key, though - I’ve never heard him wheek or seen him really popcorn.
This old boar stayed with a friend of mine for a short while, due to an unsavory work situation I was in at an old job, and had supervised interactions with some of her other boars. Based on those interactions, it was obvious he isn’t aggressive - some humping with one boar, but he hit it off with a disabled boar and there wasn’t a single hump or chatter exchanged between them. Regrettably, they couldn’t stay together due to the temporary nature of his stay.
I recently rescued a 14-17 month-old boar, who’s significantly smaller in stature than my old man, from a different rescue. He had been part of a trio that devolved into bullying/fighting, where it’s believed the dominant pig in the group was withholding food from the other two. His ear is split from being bitten, but he’s obviously a very social boy with pigs - albeit a bit skittish, at times, with people.
Introducing the two on neutral ground, there was a TON of teeth chattering from my old boar along with the usual nose-raising posturing and circling. The new, smaller boar humped the daylights out of my older, bigger boar - much to my surprise. The old boar would run away, or sit in place and take it while he continues eating hay and veggies, while submissively squealing. Eventually, things settled down and the two laid down next to each other. The decision was finally made to put them into their new cage, a 6x2 C&C with a blanket draped over each end to serve as two easy-exit hides.
In the cage, the dance continued but much more subdued. I eventually left for a short period, reluctantly, knowing they have to sort out their hierarchy and territory regardless of me. Upon my return, I was shocked to find them sleeping a few inches apart - totally flopped over - under the same hide. Over the next few days, the ritual continued with back-and-forth chasing and posturing, with teeth chattering from the old boar and rumbling from the new boar. In these confrontations, the old boar would often approach with his nose in the air, teeth chattering, with his body at an angle - odd but, I believe, an angle to allow himself to quickly run away. There was some nipping but the old boar but, often, they’d both jump and run away at the same time when they thought the other might nip. Between these episodes, they’d often be found eating from the same hay feeder (despite having two) or sitting/sleeping in close proximity to each other. Sometimes, during these hangouts, the old boar would start chattering with seemingly no provocation.
A few days in, I noticed an open wound under the new boar’s jaw. I hate to interrupt their process, but I divided their cage in half with C&C panels while this injury was dealt with. He was taken to a pig-savvy vet, who wasn’t sure if it was a bite wound or just an abscess. He was prescribed several medications, and it’s healing really well!
During this separation, I tactically positioned hides to encourage the two to hang out near the divider. They spend most of the day close together, with the new boar sometimes rumbling through the divider or stretching out his fat little body and trying to climb onto the other boar’s side. He often talks at the old boar, and the old boar sometimes talks back. Other times, he chatters or nips through the divider. Occasionally, upon the new boar sticking his nose through the divider, the old boar will sort of squeak and hop in place - I’m not sure what this is, but I’m guessing it’s either surprise or a pensioner’s attempt at popcorning?
I’ve been allowing the two to have closely-supervised floor time and lap time together, where there’s been little to no humping by the new boar - some quiet rumbling, but even the rumbling now seems subdued in nature. They’ll sit together on me, talk, and be totally chill until the old boar gets fed up with something and nips or starts incessantly chattering. During floor time, lunging isn’t uncommon and chattering is the norm from the old boar - sometimes, the new boar will start quietly chattering after the old boar’s chattering sets him off. Sometimes, even during floor time, they’ll settle in together and hang out happily - before the old boar starts chattering or gets nippy. Before their separation, they’d often rummage behind their cage during floor time and sit together in the back corner happily - never any issues with each other back there, despite the confined space. It seems obvious to me that the new boar wants to be friends, but the old boar only wants to be friends when he’s feeling up to it - at least, right now. It’s clear to me that he’s not overtly aggressive, and any aggressive behavior he may exhibit is fear-aggression. I feel terrible that he’s been repeatedly failed by human ignorance, and would love for him to live out his golden years with more friends than just me.
I’m really not sure how to proceed with this once the new boar’s injury is healed, honestly - do I just take the divider out and leave it be, completely sterilize everything and reintroduce on neutral ground again, find the new boar a different friend, or find different friends for each of them? I hate to condemn the old boy to a solitary life because he’s been so much more active with another pig around and, as wonderful as our time together is, I work 40+ hours/week and can’t provide constant companionship. Furthermore, I am not a guinea pig.
Again, I apologize for the very long-winded post but I’m intent on doing right by my boys, and wanted to provide the full background, as many of you are far more knowledgeable than I am.
Thank you all so much!
I have a 4-year-old rescue boar who the “rescue” insisted had to be single because he was “aggressive.” Further investigation and prying revealed that he’d been attacked by his original cagemate, requiring stitches, and became very skittish with other pigs. He was then placed in a communal cage (an obvious recipe for disaster) at said “rescue,” where he allegedly bit another boar. Unfortunately, this bite wound became infected and ultimately led to the other boar’s death some weeks later. He’s always been really good with people, as long as I’ve known him, and seems to have really relaxed since leaving the stressful rescue environment - he’s gained weight, and he looks so much healthier. His original owner, who clearly loved him but was unable to care for him, reached out to me and said he’d always been a shy, skittish boy with people. In the time I’ve known my boy, though, he’s been quite the opposite - he’s happy to sit with me, and will talk and even flop over to take naps while hanging out on my chest. He’s pretty quiet and low-key, though - I’ve never heard him wheek or seen him really popcorn.
This old boar stayed with a friend of mine for a short while, due to an unsavory work situation I was in at an old job, and had supervised interactions with some of her other boars. Based on those interactions, it was obvious he isn’t aggressive - some humping with one boar, but he hit it off with a disabled boar and there wasn’t a single hump or chatter exchanged between them. Regrettably, they couldn’t stay together due to the temporary nature of his stay.
I recently rescued a 14-17 month-old boar, who’s significantly smaller in stature than my old man, from a different rescue. He had been part of a trio that devolved into bullying/fighting, where it’s believed the dominant pig in the group was withholding food from the other two. His ear is split from being bitten, but he’s obviously a very social boy with pigs - albeit a bit skittish, at times, with people.
Introducing the two on neutral ground, there was a TON of teeth chattering from my old boar along with the usual nose-raising posturing and circling. The new, smaller boar humped the daylights out of my older, bigger boar - much to my surprise. The old boar would run away, or sit in place and take it while he continues eating hay and veggies, while submissively squealing. Eventually, things settled down and the two laid down next to each other. The decision was finally made to put them into their new cage, a 6x2 C&C with a blanket draped over each end to serve as two easy-exit hides.
In the cage, the dance continued but much more subdued. I eventually left for a short period, reluctantly, knowing they have to sort out their hierarchy and territory regardless of me. Upon my return, I was shocked to find them sleeping a few inches apart - totally flopped over - under the same hide. Over the next few days, the ritual continued with back-and-forth chasing and posturing, with teeth chattering from the old boar and rumbling from the new boar. In these confrontations, the old boar would often approach with his nose in the air, teeth chattering, with his body at an angle - odd but, I believe, an angle to allow himself to quickly run away. There was some nipping but the old boar but, often, they’d both jump and run away at the same time when they thought the other might nip. Between these episodes, they’d often be found eating from the same hay feeder (despite having two) or sitting/sleeping in close proximity to each other. Sometimes, during these hangouts, the old boar would start chattering with seemingly no provocation.
A few days in, I noticed an open wound under the new boar’s jaw. I hate to interrupt their process, but I divided their cage in half with C&C panels while this injury was dealt with. He was taken to a pig-savvy vet, who wasn’t sure if it was a bite wound or just an abscess. He was prescribed several medications, and it’s healing really well!
During this separation, I tactically positioned hides to encourage the two to hang out near the divider. They spend most of the day close together, with the new boar sometimes rumbling through the divider or stretching out his fat little body and trying to climb onto the other boar’s side. He often talks at the old boar, and the old boar sometimes talks back. Other times, he chatters or nips through the divider. Occasionally, upon the new boar sticking his nose through the divider, the old boar will sort of squeak and hop in place - I’m not sure what this is, but I’m guessing it’s either surprise or a pensioner’s attempt at popcorning?
I’ve been allowing the two to have closely-supervised floor time and lap time together, where there’s been little to no humping by the new boar - some quiet rumbling, but even the rumbling now seems subdued in nature. They’ll sit together on me, talk, and be totally chill until the old boar gets fed up with something and nips or starts incessantly chattering. During floor time, lunging isn’t uncommon and chattering is the norm from the old boar - sometimes, the new boar will start quietly chattering after the old boar’s chattering sets him off. Sometimes, even during floor time, they’ll settle in together and hang out happily - before the old boar starts chattering or gets nippy. Before their separation, they’d often rummage behind their cage during floor time and sit together in the back corner happily - never any issues with each other back there, despite the confined space. It seems obvious to me that the new boar wants to be friends, but the old boar only wants to be friends when he’s feeling up to it - at least, right now. It’s clear to me that he’s not overtly aggressive, and any aggressive behavior he may exhibit is fear-aggression. I feel terrible that he’s been repeatedly failed by human ignorance, and would love for him to live out his golden years with more friends than just me.
I’m really not sure how to proceed with this once the new boar’s injury is healed, honestly - do I just take the divider out and leave it be, completely sterilize everything and reintroduce on neutral ground again, find the new boar a different friend, or find different friends for each of them? I hate to condemn the old boy to a solitary life because he’s been so much more active with another pig around and, as wonderful as our time together is, I work 40+ hours/week and can’t provide constant companionship. Furthermore, I am not a guinea pig.
Again, I apologize for the very long-winded post but I’m intent on doing right by my boys, and wanted to provide the full background, as many of you are far more knowledgeable than I am.
Thank you all so much!
