11 replies to this topic

[ajuniceuhamsters]

Hello!

I'm thinking of adopting a single male gp. He's single because he's a senior, and was living with his brother (but they weren't fixed so very agressive) until he died.

 

I have the ikea expedit 4 by 4 (basically the 4 by 4 kallax) with the expedit desk extention.

looks like this kinda https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F529876712384401172%2F&psig=AOvVaw0wyEOFcuF4S7XAwcUaV07s&ust=1615308032658000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMj_rsiRoe8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ

 

Im thinking to make a wall with c&c grid on the desk, and that will be the 'main space'. I think about 8 sq ft in that main space. Then, I want to use the second from bottom row on the shelf to make a level, with a ramp ofc. And then the bottom row will be another area.

Total sq ft will be about 14. Each square will have c&c grid to make it secure.

 

What do you thinnk? 

[olivehamster]

i recommend the guinea pig forum! theyre so lovely and knowledgable

[Whitewhiskers]

That sounds amazing for the pig! What is the ramp gonna be made of?

(P.S. A few other people will tell you that this pig needs to be with other pigs, but I disagree. There are social male pigs, and then there are male pigs that will only get along with females. I have owned 2 and they just don’t like others. So most likely when you try to bond them they aren’t gonna get along and then you’ll have to buy that piggy and friend and so on)

Edited by ♥ WhiteWhiskers ♥, 09 March 2021 - 12:59 AM.

[olivehamster]

yes, boars can be quite picky with cage-mates, however companionship is very very important for them. a lot of rescues offer boar dating, where theyll take your boar and introduce him to lots of others, whilst watching his body language to see who he will get on with, maybe you could look into that?

i'm definitely not a piggie expert, so i would really recommend the forum

[ajuniceuhamsters]

That sounds amazing for the pig! What is the ramp gonna be made of?

(P.S. A few other people will tell you that this pig needs to be with other pigs, but I disagree. There are social male pigs, and then there are male pigs that will only get along with females. I have owned 2 and they just don’t like others. So most likely when you try to bond them they aren’t gonna get along and then you’ll have to buy that piggy and friend and so on)

im thinking melamine wood

 

yea...he's too old to get fixed now, so I don't want to bond him with another just for agressiveness and other reasons

[thevioletpets1]

I think that the cage sounds really neat!  how old is the boar?  

[ajuniceuhamsters]

yes, boars can be quite picky with cage-mates, however companionship is very very important for them. a lot of rescues offer boar dating, where theyll take your boar and introduce him to lots of others, whilst watching his body language to see who he will get on with, maybe you could look into that?

i'm definitely not a piggie expert, so i would really recommend the forum

yes, im aware.

 

the boar, he's at least 7 years old. the risks of fixing one that old are very high. if i bond him unfixed, and it goes well, i don't want him to be bonded with a piggy and he'll die but the other piggie will suffer. I've used that forum from 2017-2018 ish. The nearest animal shelter is 4 hours away, and then there's no gp rescues where i live.

[ajuniceuhamsters]

I think that the cage sounds really neat!  how old is the boar?  

he's about 7, which is why im not going to risk fixing him or bonding him

[olivehamster]

the boar, he's at least 7 years old. the risks of fixing one that old are very high. if i bond him unfixed, and it goes well, i don't want him to be bonded with a piggy and he'll die but the other piggie will suffer. I've used that forum from 2017-2018 ish. The nearest animal shelter is 4 hours away, and then there's no gp rescues where i live.

although the average lifespan is 5-7 years, it's not too uncommon for a well cared for boar to live for up to 10, therefore you could be denying an animal one of it's basic needs for 3 years! 

i believe that boars over 5 years produce less testosterone so are a lot easier to bond. often young boars are put with boars of this age as an "uncle boar" to help them learn guinea pig skills and things, perhaps you could foster a young guinea pig from somewhere?  (i don't know the exact facts, thats why i would really really recommend that you ask the experts on that forum!)

[Robin~]

I would definitely ask for advice on TGPF. They have some wonderfully experienced people on there that would be more than happy to help.

I have to go against most of what’s been said here, though—you should definitely at least try to get him a cagemate. Senior boars are much less hormonal than younger ones and are as easy to bond as any sow is from what I’ve heard. I don’t think it would be worth completely disregarding this option in the slight chance he may not get along with a cagemate (and that goes for any GP, to be honest, regardless of their background).

I’m also going to clarify rabbits and guinea pigs are different animals and unfixed boars can make for fine pairs. What makes a good pair is just up to character compatibility and hormonal-ness won’t change that too much.

Edited by Robin~, 09 March 2021 - 01:44 AM.

[ajuniceuhamsters]

I would definitely ask for advice on TGPF. They have some wonderfully experienced people on there that would be more than happy to help.

I have to go against most of what’s been said here, though—you should definitely at least try to get him a cagemate. Senior boars are much less hormonal than younger ones and are as easy to bond as any sow is from what I’ve heard. I don’t think it would be worth completely disregarding this option in the slight chance he may not get along with a cagemate (and that goes for any GP, to be honest, regardless of their background).

I’m also going to clarify rabbits and guinea pigs are different animals and unfixed boars can make for fine pairs. What makes a good pair is just up to character compatibility and hormonal-ness won’t change that too much. yup, i know. like i said, he was bonded with his brother up until early 2021, when he died. the main reason why i think that i dont want him bonded is because the only  gp at the shelter is a boar, who is also very agressive with other gps so I don't want to bond him there.

I actually asked on the gp forum, sometime back. 

nothing helpful, about it, other than the fact that the space i was origanally planning (just under the desk, with one cube level) would be best if its larger.

[thevioletpets1]

Wow!  That is pretty old!  I can see why you are not going to get fixed.