Ask the Specialists – Will two boys pair up?

Q: Hello, I’ve two boars aged 3 years and one yr that stay individually, every with a youthful boar for firm. Neither is sterilised however have additionally by no means been used for breeding. I now discover myself with them each being on their very own. Given their ages, is there any likelihood of efficiently pairing them collectively or am I simply setting myself up for heartache? From Amanda, through e mail

A: Dave says: Hello Amanda, there isn’t any motive why you shouldn’t attempt to bond these two boys; being unneutered, or by no means getting used to breed, can have little if any impact on efficiently bonding them, on the finish of the day it’s all right down to the person temperaments. I’ve all the time had the very best success placing them in adjoining cages in order that they will slowly get to know and belief one another, then fastidiously introduce them on impartial floor, with no hidey holes for both of them to understand as territory. Often the larger the bottom the higher! They may most likely have the preliminary scuffles, tooth chattering and generally rapidly nipping one another, however what you actually need to be careful for is after they face one another off with huge open mouths and entrance tooth displaying. That is the time it is advisable maintain your nerve, as normally one in every of them will ultimately again down, but it surely they do lunge at one another then it is advisable throw a towel over them and separate them instantly. Put them again of their respective cages and take a look at once more in a few days. It may be a protracted drawn out course of however persistence normally pays! It’s possible you’ll learn that bathing them to eliminate their smells helps, I’ve by no means discovered this to be the case, because the scent they produce when assembly one another is a pheromone which is produced immediately, and bathing can not cease that; at finest bathing could also be helpful as a shock tactic, however personally it has by no means labored for me. 

Mary says: It’s doable to pair up or also have a group of boars but it surely does rely on the persona of particular person pigs. Trial and error is the best way ahead and it does assist if you’ll be able to introduce the boars on impartial floor.