3 boars?!

[baddyface]

We have a pair of Rex boars who are about 7 months old.
Last week we rescued a baby boar on his own.
I know three males is almost impossible. But not sure what options we have.

Can we let all three have supervised 'play time' together in a neutral place?

Can I push the cages together?

Do I look for another very young male to bond with the single male? I just worry that with four guineas (we were supposed to leave it at two) there is so much more to go wrong with health, or bonding etc).

Any other ideas are welcome?

[FernieB]

Unlikely that your pair will accept the new boy. I'd try to find a baby boy for him, or get him neutered then rescue him a wife.

[baddyface]

Thanks for your reply. So do you think not even for supervised playing (not that the Rex's play. They are so lazy)

[FernieB]

It can very quickly turn to fighting and could upset the harmony your current boy pair share. If you try it, have a towel handy to throw over them if they fight. Never try to separate them with your hands, they can give a nasty bite. Boars are territorial and hierarchical.

[baddyface]

Thanks I think it sounds way too risky!

Think a playmate of his own is the only answer.

Do you think he should settle in first or will if be better for him to get a friend asap?

I was advised the younger the better for him?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Your new little boy might be happy just being in chattering distance of his new cagemates, it is not always easy to introduce pigs

He is on the other side of the divide to GP7/GP8 and I do feel sorry for him, he used to have 2 lovely wives..............
I've considered getting a female for him but she'd have to be accepting of him (and preferably an ex breeder so not so bothered if he tries it on)

But in time, I'll have the same situation of being one pig less.

GP8 was trying to get his sweetcorn through the divide at the same time growling and tooth chattering at him. (She really doesn't want to win friends!)

Your safest option would be the youngest boar piglet you can find (they can wean at 4 weeks) a Rescue would be your best bet.
Sadly boars seem to be the ones on rehome on places like Gumtree . Usually 6-12 months boars.
If you could find a rescue that maybe has a litter (lots of guineas will come in on pg watch) you could get a baby.

They will go through the Terrible Teens when the piglet tries to assert himself.
(But they are so cute

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I think the way I'd view it is- you rescued the boar to give him a better quality of life.
He was alone. He was scared. He was subject to having people potentially pester him.

You've given him security and calm (and he's undergone all his skin treatment so he;ll feel 100x better).
He's got company of his own kind to communicate with .
That might well be 'enough' for him.
His life at the moment sounds a damn sight better than his life before .

[baddyface]

Thanks I think it sounds way too risky!

Think a playmate of his own is the only answer.

Do you think he should settle in first or will if be better for him to get a friend asap?

I was advised the younger the better for him?

[baddyface]

Sorry for second post.

Thank you 70. I know he's in a better place than he was but I still don't think he's that happy.

He hides in his little covered corner most of the time and just looks so little and bored.

He has so much energy compared to the Rex I have (we have caught him climbing a few times and the one time he was popcorning it was huge compared to the Rex)

I really don't think he'd get on with the Rex's!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Put some feelers out to some Rescues and let them know you're looking for a piglet friend.
It's hard to predict how they'd react. I'm glad we got GP7/GP8 but they didn't get on with my trio and don't get on with GP6 (GP4/GP5 died earlier this year)

If I hadn't got them GP6 would be on his own unless we got a new pig.
If we got just one pig not the pair , we might have had a situation of them being divided.
Who knows.

You might need to keep your new boar and his potential new pig apart from the Rex boars so they can just concentrate on each other .
When GP3 was a young boar we had to put them in Holiday Boarding (I think he was 3 months, our holiday was booked months before)

I asked if they could be kept well away from sows while they were there, they were at a crucial stage of bonding (Terrible Teens just creeping in ) so IIRC they were in one of the smaller quieter Pig Sheds in a big 6' run which worked nicely.

A Rescue will bond them. GP1 took to GP3 really quickly after GP2 died. So you might find your new boy is very happy to have a cagemate. Just need to make sure they have loads of room.

Agree about Rex being lazy , GP3 was Rex and huge !
GP6 is Teddy but slimmer (still a lard arse though)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

There used to be a website called Barmy4Boars which had loads of tips and advice on boars.
Though they were very anti neutering whereas a lot of the Rescues will neuter all their boars (easier to rehome a neutered boy to live with sows).
They use vets who do a huge small animal caseload so experienced.

[baddyface]

Thanks for all the advise. So if I did get a baby boar would they need a completely seperate room to keep their cage in? Currently in a double room there is the Rex brothers in a 6x2 c and c, and then there is a gap of about 50cm and then the other c and c cage which is 5x3 (6 won't fit).

Is that far enough away from each other and is it big enough?

If necessary I could possibly swap the Rex cage for the 6x2 as they don't exactly race round the space. I also have loads of spare grids but no more correx (which I could buy) and not much room so potentially could make the 5x2 bigger.

Why couldn't they just be sows?!

[baddyface]

Also am I better waiting until he's past the big testosterone time around 5/6 months or just go for it now?

[baddyface]

A little minor update.

The rescue lady I got my original Guineas from has 4 week old boars. In her text she says 'smooth...Rex and abys'.
But then I read that they need a three week quarantine before trying to bond them. But then the new boy won't be so tiny and easily submissive will he?

Is the three weeks necessary?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

He'll still be tiny in three weeks . If the piggies were born in Rescue they'll have all their history .
If they've just come into Rescue maybe they want to give them the 3 weeks to make sure they aren't harbouring anything.
You need to let them know too about the treatment your boar underwent.

A just weaned pig would smell of his Mum so they usually put them in with other boars (older or their siblings) so they lose that smell , otherwise your older boy might try it on with him. (They aren't bright )
We got GP3 at 6 weeks , he'd been rescued from a Breeder, brought to Rescue , vet checked , bathed, mite treated and was with another male piglet . He was certainly little enough to bond brilliantly. (And we were lucky that he was there when we needed him. I didn't quarentine him because my older boar was bereaved and needed company)

As you have a smooth boar (and you know how big Rex can get) maybe an Abby? They are lovely)

The Rescue might be prepared to bond them for lodging fees then you'd pay for your new Boar as usual with Rescue.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Why couldn't they just be sows
Trust me , sows can have their trials and tribulations too !

[baddyface]

Thank you.
I'm pretty sure they were born at the rescue.

I might go and see them and check they will be in with older boars so they don't smell of their lovely mum Strange animals!

Do Abby's fur get long? Just worried about being able to keep them clean.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Abbys have rossettes, lovely springey bits but not coarse like a Rex.
Our Abby boar had a little blunt nose and was smaller than the Smooth GP1 .
Male guineas don't mind mating with their own Mums or Sisters

I think they're definately worth a look and you can let them know how your Rex boys are doing .

[baddyface]

We have a friend! (Hopefully will stay that way).

Just went to the rescue lady. She also breeds Rex and happened to have just separated a couple of baby boars. We took our guy and he met a couple of possibles.

This one was the youngest and they definitely got on better than the others. There was a LOT of mounting and rumbling going on but nothing out of the ordinary.

Our boy was so active and perky.

They are now having a rest together after coming home. Fingers crossed all goes smoothly. The lady was very positive though.

Oh and he's a real cutie!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh

He is adorable

He's all fuzzy 'n' awkward looking.


Isn't Pig Dating full of angst though.!
Welcome to Super Furry Animals little chap.

[baddyface]

Isn't he gorgeous!

They spent all afternoon 'ignoring' each other in one of the houses not moving at all.

Just went in to clean up the big Rex's cage and the two new boys came running round theirs. A bit of rumbling and chasing but no mounting. And a LOT of popcorning

[DudeHatesHisCarryOut]

Awwww, this is such lovely, wonderful news! I am so pleased you your wee, rescued lad. A new home, and a new friend! Just think how much better his life is now to how it was!

My two babies still do quite a lot of rumblestrutting and running around the place, but it's never been more than that. Hazel just lies there and watches them, bemused. No doubt watching them running around is tiring for the poor dear!

We'll all be keeping our fingers, toes paws crossed for you. Keep us updated!

[DudeHatesHisCarryOut]

How are they all getting on?

[baddyface]

Hi.
Thanks for asking.

Ok I think. The little guy is very fast and hard to hold onto once caught but neither are scared about coming out when we are there as long as food is involved.

And they both def shout the loudest when they hear me walk past at food time.

The older one is still rumbling most of the time at his little friend but then the little one follows him all over and they sleep together still. The older one is keen to show who is boss all the time.

I'm hoping that settles down. The two Rex's we have don't seem to have a definite boss but then they rumble at each other with a bit less enthusiasm and they definitely don't sleep together.

I do worry that one day there will be a major falling out somewhere and we will need to split a pair and need even more cage room!

How are your gang?

[DudeHatesHisCarryOut]

It all sounds good. I mean, it's still very early days, and if you think about what's happened for both of them in the last few weeks (baby: less than a week he was with his family, now' he's living with a completely new boy with two others next door; rescue: was with his family not that long ago, then on his own and poorly for a few weeks, then with neighbours, and now with a cage-mate) it's got to have been pretty traumatic for both of them, even if the outcome is positively. They're still, both, finding their paws. And the fact they're sleeping together is wonderful, especially for your wee rescue, who must have been missing company so very much. That's put a huge smile on my face!

FWIW The boar trio I had (brothers) spent much of the first few weeks rumblestrutting and humping each other, but after that I don't think I ever saw such behaviour again from them. No dominance, just three happy boys. So I'm sure you'll get there soon.

As for my lot, they're doing well. Blaise is still very nervy around me, even with food, though there has been once or twice when she's appeared and stayed within inches of me, munching, but as soon as I breathe she's away. Bizarrely, though, if I'm in the kitchen with them she's the one willing to run across my lap, whereas Felicity keeps well away! I was getting worried about Hazel, but I think it's just that the contrast between her and the babies makes her seem so much slower and older. She's fine, really. Let's the wee ones get on with expending energy whilst she munches! She was impressed Blaise brought her a couple of leaves one day: B had picked one up then backed into a corner to eat it, which inadvertently meant the leaf was just in front of H's mouth. What's a starving, lazy pig to do other than eat it? B put up a bit of a fight the second time, to no avail, so after that decided to take her chances in the open, much to H's dismay!

So yeah, all good here (except for poor, wee Blaise!!)

[Bubblysqueak]

I always keep my boars in threes have done for the last 15 years and have never had any problems. They do have a large cage and 24h access to the garden.