Can an entire boar ever really be considered "sterile"

[CavyKind]

Hi All
I can't believe this...well, actually I can.

There is someone in the UK who has just aquired a couple of hairless guinea pig sows, not for breeding of course.
Just as pets

Well now the two guinea pigs are not getting on, so the owner is putting a "sterile" boar in with the to try and help them settle and get along better.
Call me cynical...but, what is the bet that we will be hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet in the not too distant future? When the boar turns out to be not quite as sterile as they "thought."

Maybe I am wrong, but in my mind and rescue experience, the only boar guaranteed to be "sterile" is a castrated one.

[flower power :@]

Yes they can, Especially very old like he was.

[clover-crystal]

Is it just me or does this seem to be aimed at someone?

[clover-crystal]

Is it just me or does this seem to be aimed at someone, and also why don't you believe they are just for pets?

[CavyKind]

Originally Posted by flower power :@

Yes they can, Especially very old like he was.

I disagree. Unless the guinea pig has been castrated there is no guarantee that he will not one day father a litter.

Even elderly boars, like men, can father babies, their fertility may diminish with age, but that doesn't make them sterile.
Before a man would be classed as "sterile" he would have had to go through many tests.

I would never place any un neutered boar in with my girls, regardless of his age or past breeding or non-breeding status. I've heard of too many "sterile" boars over my years in rescue being anything but!
Sorry, but in my opinion, it just isn't worth the risk.

I can guarantee no decent guinea resue would rehome an entire boar, "sterile" or not to live with sows.

If sows are having difficulty settling together, a better option would be to give them a larger pen, more hidey holes, extra dishes and two water bottles etc.

[Myspoiltpiggies]

They certainly can, although it is quite rare. I'm not sure but you are probably aiming this at me.
My boar has been living with sows (currently sharing a cage with 10) for about three or four years now. I know a very nice lady who has had guinea pigs for years and has cured mine through their illnesses, she inspected him and told me that he wouldn't be able to reproduce.

[CavyKind]

Originally Posted by Myspoiltpiggies

They certainly can, although it is quite rare. I'm not sure but you are probably aiming this at me.
My boar has been living with sows (currently sharing a cage with 10) for about three or four years now. I know a very nice lady who has had guinea pigs for years and has cured mine through their illnesses, she looked at inspected him and told me that he wouldn't be able to produce.

Out of genuine interest, what convinced you he was "sterile?"
Because someone told you?
Even a vet couldn't tell you this.
If there were no testes evident, and the guineas history known ie he had been castrated...fair enough.

Sorry, but you can no more tell if a male guinea pig is sterile by looking at him than you could a man. The lady you know may be very nice, but I'm not sure she should be telling people that an entire male guinea pig is sterile, just by looking at him.

I'm not aiming this at anyone on the board, just something a rescue friend pointed out to me today that started up this topic.

[Myspoiltpiggies]

Ok, well as you may know, I did used to breed (before I knew any better, I had six litters) I did put one or two females with him, and unlike the other boars, he didn't become a dad. So as he'd been in with them for months I decided to get him checked out.. well the lady had a look and said that he didn't have any testes. I had noticed that he wasn't like other boars 'down there' but I just thought he was different in size. So he has no testes and he has been living with sows for three or four years.. so I'm confident that there will be no babies. He does mount his ten cagemates when they are on heat aswell.

[Pigfreak]

Yes you can tell if a boar is sterile, if his testes have not decended as I would assume in this case, he is sterile no ifs or buts. You will also know I am sure that the piggies penis has 2 hook like protrutions on it. If either of these are damaged or missing the guinea pig will not beable to mate successfully. I have had 2 such boars who lived happily to the age of 6 with a huge variety of sows and never produced a baby.
( Sorry I now have images of you all racing to check your fellows to see what I mean!!!)

[flower power :@]

Cavy kind-Instead of trying to make arguments here on this forum why don't you contact the owner and she will tell you, i really do not see the need in bringing it up here, ask her directly!

[CavyKind]

Originally Posted by Pigfreak

Yes you can tell if a boar is sterile, if his testes have not decended as I would assume in this case, he is sterile no ifs or buts. You will also know I am sure that the piggies penis has 2 hook like protrutions on it. If either of these are damaged or missing the guinea pig will not beable to mate successfully. I have had 2 such boars who lived happily to the age of 6 with a huge variety of sows and never produced a baby.
( Sorry I now have images of you all racing to check your fellows to see what I mean!!!)

I have to disagree with you over the cryptorchidism (un-descended testes).
Just because an animal or human for that matter has un-edecende testicles, it doesn't automatically guarantee that they will be infertile.

It's very likely that their fertility will be reduced, but it doesn't make them infertile...further tests would be needed to prove that.
Whe testicles remain in the abdomen, they have a higher risk of becoming cancerous, so this is something which may need to be discussed with your vet, rather than ignored.

As far as the "protrusions on the genitalia"....and their relevance to fertility, I'd be interested to read about this? Especially how accurate a indication of sterility it is. If it is as accurate as the un-descended testes theory...not very.

[flower power :@]

Oh stop it please why argue? there is no point just ask the owner?

[clover-crystal]

I agree; why bring it on here in the first place and be personal about it? It is not necessary, especially since I presume the owner isn't here to explain the situation?

[Pigfreak]

Thankyou Flower Power !!! She could have asked the owner on the thread where she picked up the information in the first place rather than assuming she knows and up setting people. As I assume she keeps all her guinea pigs as pets why does she not belief this person wants to keep her Skinnies as pets???

[CavyKind]

Originally Posted by flower power :@

Cavy kind-Instead of trying to make arguments here on this forum why don't you contact the owner and she will tell you, i really do not see the need in bringing it up here, ask her directly!

The point of my post is ~ Can an entire boar ever really be guaranteed sterile. The example that I heard about today, and I have made no personal references...is just that, an example of people apparently believing entire boars can be considered infertile.

I once had to clear up "the mess" when a local breeder sold a "sterile" boar to a lady who kept pet sows. I ended up with an influx of babies and the "sterile boar!" Who was castrated as soon as he had settled in with us.
He certainly wasn't sterile when he arrived, but I can guarantee he was when he left I had the vet bil to prove it.

[flower power :@]

No the point of your post is to upset people, Yes ask the question but why be personal about it, you could just ask the question and would of got awnsers, but this way it's not nice and if i was the owner i would not be happy( i'm not the owner but i'm still unhappy) there is no need, you have never met the owner, the pigs, or what ever, the owner can keep them just as pets whats wrong with that, now if you want to cause trouble i think you should go and do it on another forum.

[flower power :@]

Well if you knew the awnser from your own experices (SP?) then why ask?

[clover-crystal]

I agree flower power with post 16