Boars Behaving Badly II
- eschimpf
- SweetPea
Coastgirl:
I would highly suggest two of everything or more. I've always had two of everything for all my pigs. With my boars, they are fine with one hay rack but water bottles and pellets, these are not allowed to be shared. So I have one pellet dish on one side of the cage and another on the other side. Same with water bottles.
On a side note, Mojo finally had enough and it was funnier than heck. Reko was chasing him trying to hump him when Mojo turned on him. The look on Reko's face was "Oh *BEEP*!!! Mommy!!!" as he high tailed it towards me. I was laughing so hard I fell off the sofa.
Now all is peaceful again. They are also back in the bottom cage and I think they prefer it there. Since moving them back to the bottom cage, which also has a grid in almost the middle to support the top cage, they have calmed right down. So no top cage for them.
I would highly suggest two of everything or more. I've always had two of everything for all my pigs. With my boars, they are fine with one hay rack but water bottles and pellets, these are not allowed to be shared. So I have one pellet dish on one side of the cage and another on the other side. Same with water bottles.
On a side note, Mojo finally had enough and it was funnier than heck. Reko was chasing him trying to hump him when Mojo turned on him. The look on Reko's face was "Oh *BEEP*!!! Mommy!!!" as he high tailed it towards me. I was laughing so hard I fell off the sofa.
Now all is peaceful again. They are also back in the bottom cage and I think they prefer it there. Since moving them back to the bottom cage, which also has a grid in almost the middle to support the top cage, they have calmed right down. So no top cage for them.
Bubba the Protector (aka: why Percy lives alone)
Percy was accidentally put into Oliver and Bubba's cage. Percy reared up and lunged at Oliver, and Bubba responded by ripping out several tufts of fur. =( Everyone has been given the thrice-over, had a bath and a clean cage. Percy got the brunt of it, Oliver and Bubba are simply irritated.
I was holding Percy when he started doing his potty dance. Completely forgetting which pig I had, I put him down in Oliver and Bubba's cage. Bubba will do anything and everything to protect his Oliver.
Percy was accidentally put into Oliver and Bubba's cage. Percy reared up and lunged at Oliver, and Bubba responded by ripping out several tufts of fur. =( Everyone has been given the thrice-over, had a bath and a clean cage. Percy got the brunt of it, Oliver and Bubba are simply irritated.
I was holding Percy when he started doing his potty dance. Completely forgetting which pig I had, I put him down in Oliver and Bubba's cage. Bubba will do anything and everything to protect his Oliver.
Reading the posts here make me realise how lucky I am with my two boys. They so rarely have a problem with each other. Although I've been happy-sad ove the last week to see Charlie suddenly looking like an adult pig for the first time sine I adopted him in March last year. It seems like overnight he lost that last little bit of a baby look he had.
I am a "return" newbie to GL and a super newbie (as in TODAY newbie) to boars. We got two 5 week old boars this afternoon and someone on the guinea pig cages forum suggested I look up the Boars Behaving Badly thread over here. I laughed so hard I swear I thought I was going to pee my pants, shoot sweet tea out of my nose and wake up all my kids at the same time. It was MORE than educational and I was super bummed when I saw it was a closed thread. Then TAH DAH....there's a part two. I'm so excited to follow along and read this new set of boar info. Also, I'm a bit terrified. I've never had boars. I've had piggies on and off since I was a teenager but never boars. Right now we have 2 cats, 4 pregnant mice (LONG story but there only here for a little while they aren't permanent house members) a club footed gerbil, and as of today 4 guinea pigs. Our two sows Lucy and Moo and now our boys Dexter and Oliver. I have a feeling the boys are going to give me a run for my money. But hey, if I can handle a husband that builds robot helicopters on my kitchen table and 3 kids....I say bring it.
Charles (Charley) has become a burrower. After watching him pull the fleece out I tried putting more clips on the fleece. Not only did he manage to pull the fleece out again, but he managed to put a hole in the fleece where the clip had been! I've never seen a piggy so determined to burrow under the fleece.
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
I thought I would pop in to describe the brothers' behaviour, because it really is quite funny to watch and doesn't require any worry at all.
Background: Bubble & Squeak are nearly 20 months old and have lived together all their lives. I took them two months ago, from a family who had seven dogs and ten cats, plus four horses (one of which was giving birth any day) and a large fish tank. They were rehoming the brothers because they didn't feel they could devote enough time to them. I will discuss care elsewhere, since it's not really pertinent here except to note that they were living in a large pet store cage, about 3 feet long and 18 inches wide.
Squeak is the larger of the two, by about 100 grams, but that doesn't seem to matter much; they are very evenly matched.
What typically happens is someone starts rumblestrutting. Then they both start chattering their teeth and will come very close to smell each other's noses. One of them usually runs away and then comes back - this happens a few times. Then they do the nose competition, but since they are really the same size, nobody actually wins that contest. One of them will then take a little leap at the other, who responds by leaping back, they never actually connect and instead fly past each other and continue with whatever they were doing beforehand. I've also seen them yawn at each other, and nothing ever comes of it.
They have been doing this sort of thing since I brought them home, so it's not merely because Batman is now in their lives (I observe quarantine). They are also still doing it now, in their lovely new 3x3 C&C cage.
I will have to see if I can get some video of them doing their little displays, as it really is quite funny. A few days ago, Squeak was even pawing at the hay before he did the lunging bit!
** Speaking of... I know some of you give your boys stuffed toys to play with (as a manner of speaking). What recommendations have you for the materials, size, and so on? A friend suggested that maybe the brothers would stop pretending to go after each other if they had a "friend" or two.
Background: Bubble & Squeak are nearly 20 months old and have lived together all their lives. I took them two months ago, from a family who had seven dogs and ten cats, plus four horses (one of which was giving birth any day) and a large fish tank. They were rehoming the brothers because they didn't feel they could devote enough time to them. I will discuss care elsewhere, since it's not really pertinent here except to note that they were living in a large pet store cage, about 3 feet long and 18 inches wide.
Squeak is the larger of the two, by about 100 grams, but that doesn't seem to matter much; they are very evenly matched.
What typically happens is someone starts rumblestrutting. Then they both start chattering their teeth and will come very close to smell each other's noses. One of them usually runs away and then comes back - this happens a few times. Then they do the nose competition, but since they are really the same size, nobody actually wins that contest. One of them will then take a little leap at the other, who responds by leaping back, they never actually connect and instead fly past each other and continue with whatever they were doing beforehand. I've also seen them yawn at each other, and nothing ever comes of it.
They have been doing this sort of thing since I brought them home, so it's not merely because Batman is now in their lives (I observe quarantine). They are also still doing it now, in their lovely new 3x3 C&C cage.
I will have to see if I can get some video of them doing their little displays, as it really is quite funny. A few days ago, Squeak was even pawing at the hay before he did the lunging bit!
** Speaking of... I know some of you give your boys stuffed toys to play with (as a manner of speaking). What recommendations have you for the materials, size, and so on? A friend suggested that maybe the brothers would stop pretending to go after each other if they had a "friend" or two.
- eschimpf
- SweetPea
I have three very naughty boars, which is also kinda my fault. After Eve died I tired to bond all three together. I did floor time for hours and a buddy bath. Everything seemed ok, no fights, lots of humping and what not, so I put them all together. With in two days Reko and Mojo drew blood from each other. So I moved Reko into his own cage. Mojo and Romeo seemed to be doing fine.
I did a random weighing today because everyone seemed lighter. Since sunday EVERYONE has lost weight, ranging from 50 to 100gs! upon farther inspection I found two healing wounds on Reko, from the fight with Mojo and one good wound on Mojo, both of which are healing nicely but I do feel horrible because I didn't seem them at the time (its been about 5 days since the move).
Romeo has no wounds but just in case Mojo is bulling him away from food I have put a divider in the cage. Mojo on one side and Romeo on the other.
Sigh, I went from two cages when Eve was alive to 3 cages now. So much for happily ever after.
Sadly until I am recovered from my surgery tomorrow they are all in 2x2 and 2.5x2s. Life stinks when boys don't get along.
I did a random weighing today because everyone seemed lighter. Since sunday EVERYONE has lost weight, ranging from 50 to 100gs! upon farther inspection I found two healing wounds on Reko, from the fight with Mojo and one good wound on Mojo, both of which are healing nicely but I do feel horrible because I didn't seem them at the time (its been about 5 days since the move).
Romeo has no wounds but just in case Mojo is bulling him away from food I have put a divider in the cage. Mojo on one side and Romeo on the other.
Sigh, I went from two cages when Eve was alive to 3 cages now. So much for happily ever after.
Sadly until I am recovered from my surgery tomorrow they are all in 2x2 and 2.5x2s. Life stinks when boys don't get along.