GP experts - how to 'age' a pig

[Trottersindependenttraders]

We got two beautiful boars from our local rescue last October. I was told they were both 8 months old. They're not.

The teddy (Fuzzbert), well I'm not sure he's been very well looked after. He has significant damage to his ears, from ear mites (I think) and damage to one of his eyes. He doesn't jump when he popcorns, just waves his head about (for a while I thought he had a neurological problem!). Moo, our short haired has grown a lot since we got him, lifts way off the ground when he popcorns and his eyes look young. 8 months might have been about right for him.

Is there a way to get a feel for their ages? They are happy here and loved, so even if Fuzzbert is elderly, we want to make sure he lives a full, happy and veg filled life chez Trotters.

Have a look at their claws (back claws especially). The claws grow thicker and tougher as a pig gets older. Your younger guinea will probably have quite slender claws (they are almost delicate in a baby) but an older pig will have thick ones.

Teddys and Rex have huge thick nails ( we have one Teddy and had a Rex before him)

My little Himmy looked younger right to the end, her body was smaller and her face shorter so her eyes looked huge. And her ears had 'nicks' possible fight / bite?

Mine are too lazy to popcorn , the Best Popcorner was GP1, like a bucking broncho

Piglet- 6 months is easier to guess.
Over a year , they are trickier.
2+ , they just morph into lard.

Only when GP1 got to near 4yo did he look his age.

Put pictures up and we'll hazard a guess

Interesting. Fuzzbert's are only slightly bigger than Moo's. Let me see if I can get a decent pic. Hang on.

I'm not sure you can age them from these but you can marvel at their cuteness

Can I just say that I love the name Fuzzbert?

Mine have all become markedly less agile after about one and a half. So my nearly 1 yo pig, for example, hops onto the top of a tunnel or pigloo quite happily. My older two (age 5.5 and nearly 4) haven't done that for years.

When they get into old age (so from about 4 ish?) they can start looking thinner. My 5.5yo boar, whilst still in good shape generally, is nowhere near as much of a furry lump of lard as he used to be. Whereas his 4 year old wifey is still very much a butterball.

OMG Trotters they are lush. Gorgeous boys

Fuzzbert's a bit lardy (sorry Fuzz, we love you anyway) and a bit lazy. Moo a bit leaner, noisier and busier. I had my old lady Guinea until she was 7 so I'm hoping, even if they are older than we were told, we have plenty of years to enjoy them. Thanks both for sharing your knowledge.

Oh my goodness 😍😍
Rubbish at aging pigs so cannot help.

My girls say well hellooooooo Fuzzbert and Moo 💖💖

Lovely boars. Agree age piggies by their claws. Its what our local rescue told me too.

GP4 (our longer standing tri colour sow) has grown an extra claw on her right front paw.
I thought it was some random debris like a bit of hay stuck, but when we looked closer , it was a claw. Like a dew claw on dogs.

Think she's turning Cuy , she is Large'n'Lardy.

Perhaps the extra claw is required to keep Bert in order