Smell from boars

[jewels1273]

I have two boars who are trying to figure out which one is the dominant one. Well, their "spray" smells after a while. I use fleece as my bedding with a layer of newspaper, towels and the fleece. I have to total clean their cage every three days (I vacuum the poop every day) due to the smell. It is starting to leave a smell in the room that the cage is in. Any suggestions?

[willowfaery]

Does it smell like urine? Because I had that smell too when my two sows were together. They are separated but next to each other now. If I can figure out how to deal with the smell and the urine getting on the carpet, I will try to get them together again.

[jewels1273]

The smell isn't urine - it is the male "stuff" cause it smells where the white spots are from them still trying to determine dominance.

Can I put anything in the room to get rid of the odor? I change the newspaper, towels and fleece every 2 - 3 days and wipe the coroplast down with water/vinegar and vacuum the poop once a day but the smell lingers in the room.

[TX_2_Pigs]

Originally Posted by jewels1273

I change the newspaper,

Ditch the newspaper. Most likely it is holding the smell since it really isn't absorbent.

[clotho]

If you aren't already, you should start cleaning out your boars' sacs maybe once a week. That's how often I do it. A little mineral oil and some Qtips and I clean the gunk out of their sacs. This helps with the smell I have found.

[willowfaery]

Someone recommended putting shredded dryer sheets in the vacuum. I know this won't help when your NOT vacuuming, but I started leaving a bowl of the shredded sheets in my apartment (away from the piggies, of course). I have an open floor plan, so I am able to store the sheets away from the pigs and their sensitive lungs and it helps with the smell all over.

[jewels1273]

How far away from the cage do you put the dryer sheets?

"If you aren't already, you should start cleaning out your boars' sacs maybe once a week. That's how often I do it. A little mineral oil and some Qtips and I clean the gunk out of their sacs. This helps with the smell I have found"

EWWW!!!! Do I really have to do that?

[tattooyu]

We find that our boars get "gunked up" in their butt sacs, too. One of our piggies smells much more than the other, although neither is pleasant!

You'll get used to it, and it REALLY smells when you open it up and clean it out, but it helps. WEAR LATEX GLOVES!

[clotho]

Yes, you really should do that. Just to add to your ewww - I also extrude their penises and make sure nothing is stuck in there and give it a little dab of mineral oil when I'm cleaning the boys out.

It's a good routine to get into. It will help as they get older so they don't get impacted. You really do get used to it. If you do it often enough, it's not so bad.

Guinea Lynx :: Impaction

[fourboys4now]

Cleaning their bottoms is really not as bad as you think it would be. I would at least do it once a month and if the smell comes back more often, I would do it every time the smell gets bad again. Just have someone hold the boy on his back while you clean it out. Just dip a Qtip in mineral oil and make gentle circles in the sac area. After you've done it once or twice it's not that bad and they'll feel better too. Good luck!

[willowfaery]

I keep the shredded dryer sheets way up high on the top of a cabinet. It's only about a yard from their cages. I just wouldn't recommend putting it under them or at their level. I'm just afraid the smell will rise and irritate them. I'm also very sensitive to air freshener, so I have to be careful of how strong it is. It's not over bearing. It's a pleasant smell.

Yeah. Good luck on that sack cleaning. Luckily I have 3 sows.

[Wheek Weak]

Originally Posted by jewels1273

EWWW!!!! Do I really have to do that?

It's just standard guinea pig care. Like weighing once a week, trimming nails once a month, etc.

We have to do many "gross" things in life that are necessary for the health of other living beings (including ourselves). Changing soiled diapers, disinfecting toilets, bandaging infected wounds, cleaning litter boxes, etc., etc., etc.

Sac cleaning, to prevent the source of the smell, is actually less work than running around trying different methods to cover up the odor.

[i-love-nev]

Originally Posted by Wheek Weak

Sac cleaning, to prevent the source of the smell, is actually less work than running around trying different methods to cover up the odor.

And cleaning once a week and getting rid of it before it builds up is better then leaving it until the pig gets impacted! haha.

[willowfaery]

Very true. I always joke with people who have to change their baby's nasty diapers. But, when my niece and nephew have one, I do it anyway because I love them so much. Plus, it's the right thing to do. And, as far as masking odors go...Wheek Weak is right. It's kinda like people who don't clean their cat's litter box and put plug-ins all over the house. I think people with pets (and kids) should do everything they are supposed to do to take proper care of them. Then, if you still need to freshen the air a little, then find a safe way to do it.

[jewels1273]

I didn't know that this procedure had to be done with a GP. With all the reading and posting on forum, I was totally unaware that this was something that needed to be done with male GP. I had one male and no smell came from him or his cage. Not since I rescued the new male has the smell appeared.

[clotho]

It's only natural that one boar would not feel the need to mark his territory - but two males living together - well they mark more - the whole dominance thing. So it makes total sense that this has been happening since you got the second male.