What on earth could this be?

GuineaKidsMomma · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 12:47 am

My husband and I got home from running errands a bit ago, and he noticed this weird thing in the pigs' cage. I have no clue what it is, and want to make sure it's not something I should be concerned about, though I have a feeling it is. It's a cloudy color, and was wet when we found it. When pinched between two fingers it feels like dry glue from a hot glue gun, or a ball of dried rubber cement; it's firm and holds it's shape, but it's also a little bit squishy. It was near the area where the boys sleep/play, if that helps at all. I took a couple pictures, though they aren't the best quality. If any of you have any idea what this could be I'd really appreciate some enlightenment. Thanks a ton!

rshevin · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 12:55 am

That, my dear, is what is euphemistically called "boar glue." A more technical term would be dried semen.

Cinnabuns Legacy · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:12 am

Rshevin beat me to the punch, at first I thought stone but then I looked closer and realized it was "boar glue". It's pretty normal, as long as there isn't any stuck in the boar's bits it's fine, just a bit off putting.

GuineaKidsMomma · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:14 am

Lol! That's what my husband automatically thought it was. I couldn't see how it would harden like that, so I brushed it off, worrying that it was a stone or something. He's not going to let me live that one down any time soon. I suppose it is about time for the boys to be hitting puberty. :)

Thanks for alieviating my excessive worrying!

moonfall · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:32 am

I thought either one had passed a stone or it was a really large lump of dried urine.

The only boars I ever had were when my sows had babies, and I had to give them away long before they were making "boar glue."

Amy0204 · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:59 am

Oh...it gets really hard, particularly if it lands on the face of another pig. Sometimes one boar will get up close and personal with another pig and pig 2 will let pig 1 have it in the kisser. Try getting that gunk out cause it dries hard as a rock. I've had to trim hair in order to remove it.

Charybdis · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 6:45 am

Guinea pigs are such delightful creatures.

clairey · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:17 pm

*giggles* As soon as I saw the thread title, I just knew what the answer was going to be!

Cavy chaos · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:42 pm

Ahh boar glue, the joys of having a boy pig. Years ago if someone would have told me I would have a pet that pooped on me, left semen balls and I had to clean out their poo impacted bottoms, I would have said they were nuts! :)

GuineaPigGoddess · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 1:49 pm

I have 5 boys (one neutered) and have never found boar glue in these two years... though I have caught a few wonderful whiffs of boar stank. :)

Bytxlaura · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 2:04 pm

So did I clairey :) he he

Feylin · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 2:47 pm

Yes, just be glad you aren't cutting that out of someone's fur!

TwoWhitePiggies · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 3:04 pm

I can't believe it hasn't been analyzed and replicated as building adhesive. I have bedding that has gone through six years' worth of washing and still has boar glue on it.

frillint · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 3:52 pm

I have never seen boar glue. My neutered boy is over a year old.

TwoWhitePiggies · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 4:21 pm

frillint - I'm pretty sure neutered boys don't make boar glue - am I right? All of my boars are intact.

GuineaPigGoddess · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 4:46 pm

I have intact boys too, never seen boar glue.

Cinnabuns Legacy · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 7:30 pm

I've only seen boar glue a couple of times; most recently on Phantom's chin, and he's paired with a neutered boy who's pretty mellow so I think it happened while he was cleaning himself.

goosey1019 · Post » Sat May 28, 2011 8:01 pm

I started laughing so hard when you described it because I recognized it right away! My boys are both teenagers, so I've seen a lot of it. When they first were introduced, some got ground into Neal's hair and man was that fun to get out! Mostly I see it dried on the fleece or a little bit on Neal's lips though I sometimes do find some on Mozzie's undercarriage that I have to cut out.

Sofia M · Post » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:16 pm

I am an experienced FEMALE guinea pig owner, but this is my first MALE guinea pig and I don't know much about boars. Can you find boar glue when it isn't dry? Also, does anybody have any tips about boars after you neuter them or just about boars in general? I plan to get mine neutered so he can hang out with my girls without me having to worry.

Thanks for any tips you may have!!!!!

bpatters · Post » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:47 pm

Yes, you can find it when it's not dry.

For boar info, see http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46468 and http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56429