Need opinion on friend for boar

[SandyF]

We have a boar - Petie - who just turned 1. We originally adopted him to be a companion for Toby, who lost his senior buddy to cancer last year, but Petie (the new pig) was somewhat bullying and we felt he wasn't a very good match for the gentle personality of Toby. We found another companion for Toby (which has worked out beautifully), and I started working on another arrangement for Petie.

Nothing has worked out.

Petie was introduced (on neutral ground) to a pair of our older males, and one of the males ripped into him -- causing a wound bad enough to require antibiotics. So that was out.

Petie was then introduced to one of our more passive boars, Otis, and ended up being the aggressor and yanked out several mouthfuls of Otis' rump hair, causing Otis to hide and not eat. Otis already has issues - he's one of our rescues who we think was abused - so I felt that wasn't going to be a good match, either.

I'm running out of ideas. The only other pig left is a male who lives in a piggie condo on top of Toby and Sidney, and I would rather not mess up the harmony there.

My question is this: Petie is clearly lonely. He's gaining weight because he doesn't run around and play, and it's making him prone to impactions. I really want to get him a buddy, but am unsure what kind of pig personality would work. He's always either the bully or the the one being bullied. We already have 7 pigs; I'd hate to add an 8th (which is pushing the limits of our guinea pig budget, since we also foster) and not have it work out.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[salana]

The male that lives on top of Toby and Sidney is alone and unable to play with them? You could try introducing him to Petie. If it doesn't work out, then he can go back into his cage by himself and everything will be the same as before.

Can you put Petie in a cage that shares a grid wall with another cage? It wouldn't be as good as him having a friend in his cage, but better than anything else.

Other than those suggestions, you could get a baby boar, or you could neuter Petie and get him a lady friend.

 

[C&K]

How would it "mess out the harmony" to put him with the other lone pig? Why is the pig alone? I agree, if it does not work, then you can leave him be.

I would think a lady friend would be perfect for him, of course, this means an 8th pig, but it may really be worth it!

Could you talk to the rescue you foster for and see if when you get fosters in, if any of them would be a good match for Petie? If something works out, then again, it is an 8th pig, but you are guaranteed a match!

 

[SandyF]

I guess I could try Petie with Zach (the bachelor pig). Zach has never seemed too interested in our other pigs, but he gets regular play/floortime with Toby and Sidney, and is always very blase' about it. He can see the other pigs, too, because the cages are staggered. He just has a personality that I don't think would enjoy being shadowed and having his butt constantly sniffed (which is the way Petie is).

Our shelter currently doesn't have any guinea pigs to foster, but that can quickly change. That's a good idea.

I also rather like the baby idea. I was actually looking at this little guy:
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6486164

 

[Percy's Mom]

Looks like we have two forum members considering the same baby.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/showpost.php?p=214502&postcount=28

 

[SandyF]

Popular pig!

Something bothers me a little. When I called to get a little more information on him, the shelter worker told me that one of the other volunteers has a female who had badies, and they are putting them up for adoption. When I asked if the girl was intentionally breeding, the worker said she didn't know anything about it. I would hope this is someone who adopted a female that was already pregnant, but it would have been nice to hear it.

?

 

[SandyF]

Just found out that this is the offspring of an already-pregnant sow.

 

[Percy's Mom]

Sounds like someone didn't get the little guy out of the cage in time and got Mama pregnent again.