Sow and a Boar?

[x0cavyxgirl0x]

I have one boar, Butterscotch. I want to get him a companion, because he seems lonely even though I pet and cuddle him often. But I read about how some boars attack eachother. Would it work if I neutered him and bought a female friend? If so, what's a reasonable price for to neuter a boar? My parents will probably make me pay for it. IF they let me have another guinea pig. Thanks for your help.

 

[NoVeil]

Boars can and do live together peacefully. A lot depends on the individual pigs and if you have two boars, bigger is better as far as the cage goes. A lot of people that post here have two boars who live in harmony together.

Neutering costs vary from place to place. I have seen people post as little as $65 all the way up to double that. I would check with your vet. Definately don't introduce a sow in with him UNLESS he is neutered.

Cost wise, your best bet would be another male.

 

[cavylover_76]

My males live together very peacefully. Just make sure if you bring in a male companion for your pig, that it's a much younger one. If the new pig is already and adult, you could have territory issues. (I found that out the hard way when I recently tried to add a third male to the group!)

 

[x0cavyxgirl0x]

Well, my piggie is only a little over a year, so do you think he'll tolerate another boar that's younger then him? He can be a.... brat at times.

 

[cavylover_76]

If he's a "brat" then definately a younger pig is the way to go. Just don't leave them alone together at all for a few days. You need to see how they are reacting to one another.

He may become better behaved once he has a friend!! Maybe the unwanted behavior is b/c he is lonely and bored. Even with tons of human love, they still need a friend of the same species!

Best of luck!!

 

[x0cavyxgirl0x]

Thanks!

Well, sometimes he can brat and other time he's all soft-hearted and cuddly, but either way, I can tell he's lonely. Anyways, thanks for your help, both of you. Now all I have to do is convince my parents. That might not be easy....

 

[piggielover92]

Boars do not always fight. If they have something to fight over, like another sow, they may fight. So, with just 2 boars it should be o.k.

I neutered my boar and it went fine. It only cost me $80, but sometimes it can be up to $150.

 

[KmKrazy9]

I know what you mean about having to convince your parents to get another piggy. I can tell Amy is lonely. First thing I did was convince the rest of the family to build a C&C cage. Now I need to try to get another GP. So good luck!

 

[cavylover_76]

I had a hard time getting my husband to want a second GP. In the end I won out, but barely.

Just explain that a happy piggy is a healthy piggy. Also, it doesn't really cost me any more to care for two than it did to care for one. And, you don't have to worry about space if you already have the C&C home.

Hope you can convince them!

 

[mncavylover]

Boars get along just as well as sows or a sow and a boar. You don't need to put the boar through the strain and risk of going through surgery, so i wouldn't do it. Just find him a playmate that is also a male... It's personality that counts, not the gender. =)

 

[ChadWPB]

If you get a second pig, try a (broken link removed). They will help find a pig that is a good match for your existing pig.

DO NOT BUY A PIG FROM A PET STORE!

 

[cavylover]

Look buying an animal is no different form buying from a rescue.Sure its more funded and alot more animals.But think about it People who run rescues Get animals for Free and resell them when petshops have to pay for the animals and resell them.I run my own rescue Since you cannot rely on the Local rescue to be nice or even help you out at all and many pet shops have Resuce Days where rescue agencies come and bring their animals in and people cannot buy from animals FROM the petstore for 3 days a month.Also petstores obviously spend alot more money Then a rescue.I know that theres Vet bills for rescues believe me i know and there arent liscened people to really sex and play with all the animals.Im opening my own shop soon and i hope people will of course Buy from me since i'll be selling Cubes and coroplast with pamplets for everyone.No help at all from the government,Loans or even the OHS.But whatever Petshops arent as bad as everyone thinks they are.Im sure about 80% of everyone this forum has bought and probably still buys from petshops that sell animals.Also theres no point in replying to this because im not answering back.If people really care what i think email [email protected] and bitch at me on there because really im sick of people putting places down Just because of one bad petchain.SuperPet PetValu are the greatest stores ever and there acutally helping me out.

 

[ChadWPB]

All pet stores support breeders and contribute to the overpopulation of guinea pigs. Pet stores are a main reason why rescues even exist in the first place. With no screening, people make impulse buys, then get rid of the pig a few days/weeks/months later when it smells and they're sick of it.

Pigs are shipped to stores in cramped boxes where they are then mistreated by ignorant store employees. The are NO GOOD petstore chains! The treatment is generally the same from one chain to the next!

Petstores spend jack on vet bills. People return sick pigs, the poor creatures end up in a back room where they wait to die. Or get put into a freezer, or bonked on the head.

And don't tell me where to bitch at you, I prefer to bitch openly, no need to hide.

Oh, and please work on using paragraphs and punctuation. It was quite difficult understanding your post.

 

[ChadWPB]

Oh, and did I mention, this very site (and Cavy Spirit) is run be an extraordinarily dedicated rescuer? I highly doubt that she'd like to see defenses of pet stores on her forum.

 

[Katie]

Look buying an animal is no different form buying from a rescue.Sure its more funded and alot more animals.But think about it People who run rescues Get animals for Free and resell them when petshops have to pay for the animals and resell them.I run my own rescue Since you cannot rely on the Local rescue to be nice or even help you out at all and many pet shops have Resuce Days where rescue agencies come and bring their animals in and people cannot buy from animals FROM the petstore for 3 days a month.Also petstores obviously spend alot more money Then a rescue.I know that theres Vet bills for rescues believe me i know and there arent liscened people to really sex and play with all the animals.Im opening my own shop soon and i hope people will of course Buy from me since i'll be selling Cubes and coroplast with pamplets for everyone.No help at all from the government,Loans or even the OHS.But whatever Petshops arent as bad as everyone thinks they are.Im sure about 80% of everyone this forum has bought and probably still buys from petshops that sell animals.Also theres no point in replying to this because im not answering back.If people really care what i think email [email protected] and bitch at me on there because really im sick of people putting places down Just because of one bad petchain.SuperPet PetValu are the greatest stores ever and there acutally helping me out.

Your kidding right?
Buying from a pet store is in no way like adopting from a rescue.
Pet Stores buy their cavies for about $3.00 each. They come from mass producing mills or BYB's. That $3.00 is the only money they put into their cavies. They do not put in hundreds of dollars in good cages, bedding, food, toys, and vet care.

Rescues do not resell their cavies. We get them for free, yes, and charge an adoption fee, yes but that is to ensure a good home and to help pay for the vet bills and all the other things the cavies needed while in our care. My adoption fee is $55.00 for a pair and thats not even close to what I have put into them. Most cavies stay here for 5 months- 1 year before finding their forever home. They eat hay, veggies, food, need cages, bedding, multiple vet visits, and some needed surgeries. In one year I could spend well over 2,000 on a pair of cavies.

Pet Store = Profit
Rescue = Highly in debt.

So you run your own rescue? You should understand, unless you never provide proper care. If you run your own rescue, then why do you support pet stores? If you run your own rescue, you would be considered a "local rescue"

Pet Stores spend money, but they make back double of what they spend. Rescues do not make money, unless you are rescuing the wrong way.

I will admit I have bought cavies from pet stores, but that was BEFORE I had the internet and learned about all the rescues and homeless cavies, and what really goes on at pet stores. Now I can barely walk into a a pet store.

One bad pet store chain? You do not live in the US. I can list many pet store chains AND mom and pop stores that are horrible.
Just to name a few
PetSmart
Pet Land
PetCo
Pet Supplies Plus
Hutch Pet Shop
PETS n THINGS (recently shut down by HS)
Bargain Basement
Walmart (sells small animals)
Meijers (sells small animals)
Fish n More

 

[mom to cujo]

I have to say that there are no rescues anywhere near me and I did buy my baby from a pet store. I would rather have gotten him from a rescue but these piggies need homes wherever they come from. The thought that I may have saved Cujo from just one more day in a pet store makes it okay in my mind to have bought him there. People breed them and wind up either selling or giving them to a pet store or giving them to a shelter and as long as they get homes then at least they are "rescued". Knowing I saved Cujo from "whatever" makes it oaky in my heart that he comes from a pet store.