When is just tolerance a problem

M

MrsHappyH

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Hi All

I have 2 boars. Both ok no fighting etc. they've been together for 4 months. One I've had from tiny is bereaved. The other is a rescue piggy who is about 6 months younger and half the size.

So they do some activities together, but the rescue one is incredibly rough around the edges when it comes to manners etc.just in the other ones face and pushy.

My 1st boar Mario is very tolerant. The problem is I really don't think they like eachother enough to play with each other. They look a bit lost and sad tbh . They do grumble at each other you know the whining when they're busy with something and they want the other one to move past or whatever. But no bullying whatsoever ever. Occasionally they lie down together.

My question is is 4 months long enough to decide if they're a good pair? They occasionally lie down together but just look so sad. I'm just not used to this. I think I will need to put the effort into teaching the rescue Pippin the appropriate way to behave around Mario as I really think he just doesn't understand and it's confusion based pushiness. It doesn't help that Mario is literally twice the size.

I don't want to do the wrong thing for Pippin, as he was dumped in a park and his nails left to twist around so hasn't had the best life. He's doing his best ! But I do want them both to be happy..

Thanks for your thoughts x
 
Should also mention that although they spend some time together they spend most of it apart.
 
They sound like a normal pair!
Being physically together or not is not a sign of a good or failing bond - it’s just a normal bond!

Yes, 4 months is more than enough time. They would have sorted things out after two weeks together.

My pair (one now left single following the death of the other (but he lives alongside my other boars)), never did anything together, never slept in the same hide, never groomed each other (until the day Dexter died - on that day Popcorn did fully spend the first part of the day grooming him) but they were very happily bonded for six years
 
I agree. I’ve had a few boar pairs and none of them have ever slept together. They prefer to sleep in separate hides. But they do eat together. I’m sure your boys are fine as there is no fighting.
 
Ok that's reassuring. Thanks. It's just a completely different experience to the bond Mario had for 2 years with his brother. They were obviously happy. But I know that Mario at least is definitely not as happy. He prefers to spend time with me rather than Pippin ATM ! I'll keep an eye on it. I'm sure you will all agree it's completely obvious when a guinea pig is sad, grieving, angry etc as they show it all in the eyes . (I kept rats for years and found they tend to show it all in the body).

They don't even follow eachother around the room at floor time. 🤷. A lot of space staring alone 😞.
 
weepweeps said:
I agree. I’ve had a few boar pairs and none of them have ever slept together. They prefer to sleep in separate hides. But they do eat together. I’m sure your boys are fine as there is no fighting.
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Mine don't eat together. Pippin takes the food and runs away. Mario is like a machine and will eat most of it before Pippin gets a chance. So I tend to spread food out over the day so that pippin gets a good share
 
Mine can share a hay tray and when I scatter feed their veggies they can eat close-ish together. Patrick does drag food into a hide to eat.
 
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