Young Boar Terrified

[Tallulah]

Hi all

I'm hoping. Someone can offer me some advice, I'm at a total loss. I rescued a baby boar in February, he was about four months old. The an was to have him snipped and get him a lady friend or two, the people had lots of males and they weren't getting along that well.

He's crazy. Absolutely wild. He was a bit skittish to start but despite daily handling and attention and treats he has got worse and worse and worse. Since about May I can't catch him. If I open the door and go near him he goes crazy. Runs around so fast he shoots up the walls and hits the top of his hutch.

I can't get him snipped now because I daren't take him to the vets, I honestly think he'd get hurt. He will now sit out at the wire of his hutch and only goes if I get closer but otherwise still totally terrified. I have never known anything like this is thirty years of keeping piggies, probably sixty or seventy piggies over the years. I've known some nervy characters but nothing like this and I've usually seen a natural calming with adulthood even in lone boars.

I've got him a new hutch with a lift up lid so he can't run out but he's still terrified so whilst logistically it's an improvement poor Albert is not a happy piglet and it's terrible. What can I do? Has anyone experienced this?

Thanks so much

 

[Wiebke]

It is rare that a guinea pig is so skittish as that. I am very sorry.

Are you sure that your hutch is safe and that your garden is not visited by cats, foxes rats etc. that could frighten him and serve to make him even more skittish, as he seems to be not feeling safe at all?

The best way forward that I can see is to contact Norman Gorman guinea pig rescue, even though they are very much on the Devon border. But they are the only piggy savvy good standard rescue listed for your county. Hopefully, you can sort out a suitable companion with them, either as a live-in boarmate via boar dating or by getting a couple of sows as live-alongside and interact through the bars. Having piggy company and seeing that other piggies are not phased by human interaction often goes a long way towards settling down a freaky piggy in my own experience. it is never a quick process, though, but companionship with a laid back pet piggy that is find with handling usually goes a long way towards settling down a freaky companion.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
These tips here may also help you:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-understand-guinea-pig-instincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-pick-up-your-guinea-pig.126359/

 

[Tallulah]

Hi thanks for your reply. He has four sows living alongside, and one opposite and so he does have interaction. When he thinks I'm not there he's absolutely fine. He chats to them through the bars and lies out in the sun.

He was in a shed when we got him, so although I'm sure there are cats, rats, foxes, badgers and all sorts around (in the middle of the countryside) I'm confident that isn't the issue because this all started when he was inside the shed.

As it stands boat dating isn't an option, I can't even hold him without being torn to shreds. The long term plan is still snipping and a family of ladies but until I can calm him that's a long way off

 

[Tallulah]

Alongside with contact though the wire I mean

 

[Wiebke]

Hi thanks for your reply. He has four sows living alongside, and one opposite and so he does have interaction. When he thinks I'm not there he's absolutely fine. He chats to them through the bars and lies out in the sun.

He was in a shed when we got him, so although I'm sure there are cats, rats, foxes, badgers and all sorts around (in the middle of the countryside) I'm confident that isn't the issue because this all started when he was inside the shed.

As it stands boat dating isn't an option, I can't even hold him without being torn to shreds. The long term plan is still snipping and a family of ladies but until I can calm him that's a long way off

Have a read through the links I have given you. Have you considered holding him on your lap under a towel with a sow that is just past her season? I find that de-freaking with a relaxed and sleepy companion because of the body warmth helps me. Make sure that you try this somewhere where he is safe if he jumps ship.

I also find it helpful to mimic friendly piggy language and contact them on their level, so they feel less manhandled.

 

[Caron's Cavies]

This is just a suggestion as you obviously have many years of experience but could you perhaps put him in a small cage and have him indoors where he can gradually get used to humans and all the normal noise and smells that go with us humans. It does appear from what you are saying that it is humans he is afraid of so perhaps something happened that he just cannot get out of his head for whatever reason.

If he is slightly confined and his only source of food and love is a human he may be forced to accept this and overcome whatever has happened. Also if you can catch him easier try wrapping him in a warm, snugly blanket so he feels warm and perhaps safer and then feed him his favourite veges. I would suggest he only get his favourite food when he is picked up and sitting on your lap so that he associates that with what he likes and wants.

This may take a lot of time and patience I know but if you can tame him it will be worth the effort.

I wish you all the best and would love to know how you get on.