Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Sounds Sow is making strange noise when my altered boar gets near!

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
I'm going to have to make this quick since it's nearly 5 AM and I have to be up in 3 hours for work.

I just introduced my altered boar Ikarus to my sow Freya and Sigyn. Sigyn is partially blind and honestly could care less who is near her. She's just a crazy kid :p
Her mom Freya however doesn't seem to know what she wants with Ikarus. Ikarus has been rumble-strutting, as is normal, and has been chasing the girls and attempting to mount. Sigyn isn't phased by any of it, but Freya seems to flip out anytime Ikarus gets near. She does this high, whiny, wheek and tries to get away from him and occasionally will nip at him.
They have a very open floored 2x4 with a 1x2.5 L-shaped top level, and Ikarus and Freya already had a buddy bath and seemed to be doing good.

Should I separate them tonight and retry introductions tomorrow after work? Or should I just leave them all in the cage (that I DID completely clean of scent) and go to bed? I am exhausted, we had them all in neutral territory for an hour before putting them in the cage, I can barely keep my eyes open, and don't know what I should do if I can't keep an eye on them until I'm up.

Any advice, experience, or anything is greatly appreciated. I'm going to get in bed and I will check this post in a few hours.
 

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
I am prepared to make the arrangements to have my boar live in a separate cage, but I really don't want to have to make him be alone if I don't have to. I can't get another pig either as we are already exceeding out apartment complex's limit (only supposed to have 2). He is getting along just fine with Sigyn (Freya gets along with her too!), they were just snoozing together, but Freya does not seem to want anything to do with Ikarus :(
 

pinky

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
10,837
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
10,837
Their cage is small for three guinea guinea pigs so that's part of the problem. After I neutered my male, none of my females wanted anything to do with him. Poor guy was really picked on at first but they finally tolerated him but never really included him in their group. There was one female he liked and she'd sleep by him sometimes. As long as they aren't fighting, I'd let them work it out. I would expand the cage to a 2x6 to give them more space. I have my pairs in 2x5's.

Sadly, my male passed away Saturday night. I had Rigatoni for 6 years and one month so I think he was about 7 since he was an adult when I got him. He was snuggled in the double pigloo with Wishbone. Wishbone turned 7 on Sunday so it was even sadder.....
 

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
Their cage is small for three guinea guinea pigs so that's part of the problem. After I neutered my male, none of my females wanted anything to do with him. Poor guy was really picked on at first but they finally tolerated him but never really included him in their group. There was one female he liked and she'd sleep by him sometimes. As long as they aren't fighting, I'd let them work it out. I would expand the cage to a 2x6 to give them more space. I have my pairs in 2x5's.

Sadly, my male passed away Saturday night. I had Rigatoni for 6 years and one month so I think he was about 7 since he was an adult when I got him. He was snuggled in the double pigloo with Wishbone. Wishbone turned 7 on Sunday so it was even sadder.....

Unfortunately the only way I can expand their cage is by going up right now :( Their cage already takes up half my living room :p I am drawing up plans to see if I can MAYBE expand it to a 2x5, but it isn't looking like it's working :/ I have a 2x3 near their cage that my unaltered boar Benedict(5 weeks) is in right now until next month so once that cage is broken back down and stored away there might be enough room! Fingers crossed!
I just fed them and looked them all over and no blood has been drawn and no fur has been pulled! :) I few annoyed and whiny wheeks from Freya when he got close to her, but nowhere near as urgent and freaked as she was last night so I'm hoping they will be okay today! He seems to just be ignoring her at this point. I'll observe them while I get ready for work in a bit, but it really does seem like Freya is just being her usual drama queen self! Freya and Ikarus are siblings and they had an accidental litter together which is where Sigyn and Benedict came from.

I just don't know if I should leave them be while I'm at work or if I should separate them and try to introduce them again when I get home and have more time to work with?
 

lissie

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
8,190
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
8,190
Why not stack the cage and put the lone boar on top? Then connect the current cage with the 2x3 that your 5 week old boar was living in.

Another solution is to put the 5 week old in the loft, close up the ramp, then connect the bottom cage to the 2x3.
 
Last edited:

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
Why not stack the cage and put the lone boar on top? Then connect the current cage with the 2x3 that your 5 week old boar was living in.

Another solution is to put the 5 week old in the loft, close up the ramp, then connect the bottom cage to the 2x3.

The 2x3 is across our walkway to the kitchen and the main cage is right next to the door and our walkway from the door to the rest of the apartment so it wouldn't work that way :( the 2x3 is also only a temp cage that we use for travel :(
temp 2x3 is on the left, main cage is on the right. (blanket was on the side of the 2x3 because it got a little chilly last night)
IMG_0299.jpg IMG_0300.jpg
The most I could do is the 2x5 once the 2x3 temp cage is gone. Once the 2x3 is gone, the cabinet behind the main cage is being moved where the temp cage is so I can push the main cage back against the wall. There is a closet door (with our vacuum and linens in it) next to the main cage on the far right so I can't expand it that way without blocking the door, but I can extend the cage out into the walkway once the temp cage is gone the beginning of next month.
(The 3 pigs in the 2x4 are one 7 month old boar, one 7 month old sow, and a 5 week old sow)

Pardon the messiness in the background, that is my art studio area and it is overrun with c&c cage supplies and baby-proofing materials :p
 
Last edited:

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
update: Freya and Ikarus are (begrudgingly) laying next to each other and relaxing with each other!
there is hope! :D It looks like Freya is backing down and letting Ikarus take dominance.
 

PandaPiggle

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Posts
326
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Messages
326
Some groups just take time I think... I added Clarissa on Friday and it was probably the worst introductions I've had yet, she had major altercations with both Bridget (expected, she's a brat) and Penny (she is the biggest, but usually a squirter not a fighter). Everyone pulled through without injury and they did calm down but Clarissa was still not interested in having anybody near her, she just was chattering her teeth rather than attacking. They've been in the cage together since Friday afternoon and she's starting to tolerate the other pigs, even joining them in wheeking for veggies this morning!!! Although she still only eats the carrot... Grr, I was hoping the other pigs would teach her about peppers. But at least I'm optimistic that she will fully integrate into the herd soon, and so will Ikarus :)
 

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
Some groups just take time I think... I added Clarissa on Friday and it was probably the worst introductions I've had yet, she had major altercations with both Bridget (expected, she's a brat) and Penny (she is the biggest, but usually a squirter not a fighter). Everyone pulled through without injury and they did calm down but Clarissa was still not interested in having anybody near her, she just was chattering her teeth rather than attacking. They've been in the cage together since Friday afternoon and she's starting to tolerate the other pigs, even joining them in wheeking for veggies this morning!!! Although she still only eats the carrot... Grr, I was hoping the other pigs would teach her about peppers. But at least I'm optimistic that she will fully integrate into the herd soon, and so will Ikarus :)

Thank you for sharing! That seriously gives me so much hope! Freya has definitely been squirting Ikarus and nipping and then running only if she feels cornered. They all ate their veggies together this morning :)
Sigyn is so laid back and oblivious it cracks me up xD Ikarus will rumble after her and try to butt nudge her and she just popcorns into his face and starts chasing him and popcorning like a little mosner xD He really has no clue what to think of her haha !
He is running laps like nuts, especially up and down their new ramp :)
 

lissie

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
8,190
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
8,190
The most I could do is the 2x5 once the 2x3 temp cage is gone. Once the 2x3 is gone, the cabinet behind the main cage is being moved where the temp cage is so I can push the main cage back against the wall.

If you put the lone pig in the loft, and close it up, you could expand to the 2x5 now and wouldn't have to wait. I would probably make the loft 1x4+1x1 L-shape. It's not an ideal size, but should work okay as a temp cage for a month.
 

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
If you put the lone pig in the loft, and close it up, you could expand to the 2x5 now and wouldn't have to wait. I would probably make the loft 1x4+1x1 L-shape. It's not an ideal size, but should work okay as a temp cage for a month.

I need to order more grids tonight, but the lone boar is only with us until the beginning of next month, so one more week! I'm talking to my husband tonight to see if he is okay with the 2x5 and if he gives the go ahead then I will start working on it ASAP.
 

Lagertha

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Posts
455
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
455
I would just leave them be. If the worst you're seeing is nipping, you're in good shape. My pigs will do warning nips at each other all the time, and they still get along fine.

Oh awesome! I just got home from work so they were alone for 5 hours with no supervision and they are all just waddling around and munching on hay and their afternoon baby carrots :)
I took out the hidey hut I had in the cage to give them more space and replaced it with a second fleece forest and they are bickering a lot less now :) I'm gonna keep the huts out for a month and then give them back and see how they are doing :)
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Replies
6
Views
838
ItsaZoo
ItsaZoo
H
Replies
7
Views
813
htavares
H
P
Replies
1
Views
349
Pikestrix
P
helpmeporfavor
Replies
2
Views
336
helpmeporfavor
helpmeporfavor
Top