Here in rescue we have a variety of set ups but the most common is pairs. For boars especially, two is company, three is often a crowd (or a fight!). Yes, some people succeed in keeping boars in trios or herds but this is the exception to the rule, and we see enough piggies coming into rescue due to fights. to know that in pet homes, well-being owners often have two happy boars and think they'll add a third, more often that not ending up with 3 singles (and calling on us to take some). The key to happy boars is space, space and more space, and to surviving the adolescent phase. If sows are kept nearby, you must be especially careful not to handle boars if you have been handling sows, or mix bowls / hideys and so on, as if boars are on the cusp of fighting this is all it takes to spark them off! I'll do a separate article on boar bonding as it's a big issue.
For sows, it depends on their characters but they are usually happy in pairs or trios (being careful that one isn't left out). Introducing a new sow is not always straightforward if you have an existing bonded pair, they don't always appreciate newcomers and in my experience proper sow fights are more bloody than boar ones!
The main theme here is, if you have a happy pair, don't mess with it! Tempting as it is to add more, it's not always in the pigs' best interests.
So what about herds? How do they work? We have 3 herds here at the rescue for our own pigs and long term residents. We do not add rescue piggies into these herds due to disease risk, but rescue mums and babies well past their quarantine period have been happily added to the herd over winter.
Our main herd has the whole of the shed floor in an L-shape, and the bottom level of two hutch blocks as sleeping / hay areas., along with lots of hideys and tunnels. The piggies can come and go as they please. We have one neutered boar in there (generally the rule is one neutered boar per herd, as neutering does not change a boar's behaviour and they will still fight another boar in their territory). Our maximum here is 15-20, for reasons I will come to. The is seldom any bickering as they have lots of space and lots of food and hay that they don't need to fight over as it's plentiful.
Herd 2 is a mini herd consisting of a neutered boar and our original sows, who do not mix well with others but are happy together. There are 6 in this herd in a large table top pen. They co-exist well but tend to get hand-baggy when in season, luckily Norbert the boar is a good 'un and soon puts a stop to their nonsense!
Herd 3 is my daughter's group who live in a converted Wendy house (with attached run in the summer) consisting of a neutered boar and 9 ladies. They are a very contented group, and we do not add to these pigs as this is the maximum that are comfortable in that space.
We love our herds, I could sit and watch them womble about all day (and often do!). It's like watching a daily soap opera with their antics, and I feel it's a very natural way for them to live. They have a huge area and can choose who to associate with an who to avoid so there is no fighting. However, I don't want people rushing to make herds of their own without a lot of forethought. Even at 20 max, our shed herd is hard, hard work. Cleaning out at floor level is back-breaking, and you need somewhere to enclose them while you are doing it to prevent anybody getting squashed. It's also really really important that you have enough time to count the pigs every single day and check they are behaving normally. It's very easy to miss seeing signs of illness unless you routinely make sure you have seen every single pig. General maintenance like weigh ins and nails also take up a good deal of time, so you have to be very organised. Also, like it or not, herds are themselves a disease risk. It only takes one poorly piggy and it can spread through the lot, which is heartbreaking for all concerned. It's important if you have a herd that you still have other space to accommodate them if you need to! People often don't realise this until too late.
Each piggy has their own personality so where possible should be allowed to choose their own friends. A lot of reputable rescues offer a bonding service, ensuring the best possible match for your pig(s). We do not rehome piggies to live alone, there is always a match out there somewhere, and in the meantime we keep them alongside and in scent and sight of other pigs.
Unfortunately as a rescue, we get the 'fallout' from impulse additions, most often when a happy pair of boars falls out due to trying to add a third or fourth. We would never recommend this. If you have a happy pair and really want more guinea pigs, get another lot of housing and get another pair!
We hope this has given some insight into how guinea pigs can be successfully housed with company of their own kind. We are very happy to help your guinea pig find a friend if needed!
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