I'm thinking about getting a sow for my boar

GuinessOllie

Post   » Sat Sep 16, 2017 6:41 pm


So I don't think Lynxx , piggie owners or guinea pigs want to become extinct . Those people who don't want piggies to have babies how are people gonna get piggies if piggies die from old age by outliving thier lifespan . Or passing away at their life span . There wouldn't be any piggies left . Female pigs don't always get pregnant . They can decide if they want to mate with boar . I'm not going to force my sow. I don't want to get my boar neutered because I don't know his history or bloodline because a friend of my family got him from a young adult girl who had a job that wasn't allowing her to be home much so the girl put him on Craigslist and my family friend got him from her . I now have him cause my family friends daughter decide she didn't want him after 12 hours from having him . The young adult girl gave no papers or information on him to my family friend . So it's hard for me to go to a vet with not knowing any history about him his bloodline .

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Sat Sep 16, 2017 6:54 pm


There's no danger in pigs becoming extinct. There are enough accidental pregnancies to keep the species going without another pig ever being bred.

And if you think a female pig can decide whether she wants to mate with a boar, you definitely don't have enough knowledge of animal husbandry to be breeding anything.

It's hard to go to a vet because you don't know the bloodline? You don't want to have the boar neutered because you don't know the bloodline?
What on earth are you talking about? The fact that you don't know the bloodline is even more reason not to breed this boar. He has white on him, which means that there's a chance that he carries the allele for lethal white syndrome. And what his bloodline has to do with going to the vet is just beyond me.

JX4

Post   » Sat Sep 16, 2017 6:55 pm


GuinessOllie, We had accidental babies because one of the three sows we got was actually a boar. He's neutered now and living happily with his herd of females. But I would like to share with you how that came about.

One of the sow moms was only a few months old herself when she got pregnant. Her name is Panda, and you can find her medical thread on this forum if you look (no apostrophe). The developing babies sucked the calcium out of her bones and we didn't realize what was happening because we didn't know she was even pregnant until well into the pregnancy. We gave her tons of extra calcium and Vitamin C as soon as we realized, but it wasn't enough. When she gave birth it broke both of her femurs. Femurs. You know, the toughest bones in the entire body. Broke the heads right off of them. She was in intense pain but never showed it. Because guinea pigs are prey animals and to show pain in the wild is a death sentence. They don't let on they are in pain or sick until they are at death's door.

Panda is the guinea pig that has the most personality and the smartest one. We paid over $1,000 dollars to treat her, get her broken heads removed so she had a chance to heal. She has no hip sockets. We had to drive to another city with a well-known university that has a top-notch vet training program to get her worked on.

One of her four pups died in my hands a week after birth because it was the smallest and had not been allowed to nurse by the other pups. And I was so inexperienced I didn't know the signs to look for. By the time we realized it, we got Critical Care formula. The pup died as I was trying to feed it. I can't help but wonder if I fed too quickly and aspirated formula into its little lungs. I did everything I could, but my inexperience caused that pup's death.

The two male pups we had we re-homed to one of my daughter's best friend. After a year and a half her parents gave them away to some guy at her dad's work. Who is Hispanic. I know there is a sizable Peruvian community here and they look for pigs like that to eat. I loved those pups. We couldn't keep them, though, because we didn't have the cage space for two males in addition to the rest of them. I couldn't bear to part with any of the female pups. So we had 7 guinea pigs when we had only planned on having 3.

We had to get rid of furniture in order to build a cage big enough for 7 pigs. Then, one of our piggies died suddenly a couple of weeks ago -- my husband's favorite one, BTW -- probably from an undetected congenital heart problem. She was the almost identical twin of the pup that died at a week old.

The babies were beyond cute. But honestly, I would never have let my 3 original pigs breed had I known one of them was actually a male. There has been a lot of pain born on the part of several of our pigs because of that. And I still am haunted by what could have happened to our two male babies we re-homed.

My youngest daughter wants to be a vet. The others are right that there are plenty of ways to carry out the passions you describe without breeding your own pigs. Volunteer to foster a pregnant pig. Volunteer at a rescue. There are lots of things you can do. But if you foster a pregnant pig, don't let your Guiness near her even seconds after she gives birth. She can get pregnant again right after birth and it only takes seconds. And back-to-back pregnancies are a death sentence for the mom.

I am not trying to bash you. I am trying to save you heartache and save some guinea pigs from pain and suffering too.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:00 pm


A vet certainly doesn't need to know anything about a bloodline, otherwise nearly none of us could go to a vet!

I love the idea that guinea pigs have a rational choice in whether they mate or not!

Classicalcavy

Post   » Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:38 pm


I was not aware that guinea pigs could decide whether or not they wanted to mate, either. A sow will spray a boar with urine if he is trying to mate and she is not in heat. That is not a rational choice. That is instinct.

I really don't understand the bloodline thing. My Vet has never asked to see papers before she treated any of my animals, guineas included. Most guineas are mutts and that does not make them any less desirable. So, I guess you would allow a piggy to suffer and die because you didn't know her bloodlines?

I know that sounded really ugly but I am deeply disturbed by this thread. Please, educate yourself on proper care of guinea pigs and don't let a piggy suffer,

GPIG

Post   » Sun Sep 17, 2017 12:55 pm


I'm sure you care very much about all animals and are very good to them. The bottom line though is this site is against intentional breeding for many reasons, several of which have been spelled out for you by people with a great deal more experience caring for guinea pigs than you have.

If there were never another intentional breeding of guinea pigs, they would not become extinct. I understand your desire to have pups, there is nothing sinister about that. However, if you don't believe the other reasons to not do it, believe this; it is dangerous for your sow. I know that doesn't seem rational but it is true. Something like 1 in 4 pregnancies can result in the death of the sow. Maybe if you read about the dangers of pregnancy and giving birth somewhere else it will change your mind.

Classicalcavy

Post   » Sun Sep 17, 2017 1:32 pm


I agree with GPIG. You do care very much about animals. Because you care, please don't breed! Baby guineas are probably the most adorable baby animals in the world and we all love the babies. But, we love our adult piggies, as well, and by intentionally breeding them we would be causing them great suffering, pain and death. A sow does not give birth without risk to herself and the bubs. I could not do that to my little girl. She has a little toy that she mothers when she feels the need. I couldn't live with myself if I did something I knew could possibly cost her life. That is what it means to love an animal!

WICharlie

Post   » Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:11 pm


I had to laugh when you mentioned that you would take pigs to a rescue if you couldn't take care of them. When I was part of a rescue, half the time we were filled up to the max and were turning people away. People on who are rescuers here often have a waiting list. There might not even BE a rescue near you. Not every place has them. The last year our rescue was open, we would no longer even take pigs from private parties. That's because we were so tired of "saving" pigs from people who purposely bred or who were too ignorant to figure out why their pigs kept having babies. They'd want to dump them on us because they wanted to avoid paying the surrender fee at the shelter OR the pig was sick and they knew the shelter wouldn't take them. The news flash is that now days most rescues will no longer take sick pigs either. Rescues are non-profit organizations that are run by privately (usually out of the homes of volunteers) and get by on donations and money from their own pockets.

Now, if you are talking about a local animal shelter or humane society, that's completely different than a rescue. Most rural shelters will take guinea pigs in the front door and right to the room where they are euthanized. They don't have the money nor the know how to care for guinea pigs. I know because we had a few places like that on our list for our rescue and if they called, we would drop everything and get them because we knew they only had an hour or so to live. Also, if your pig is sick and you surrender it to a shelter, it will be euthanized. Why would a shelter spend money on your pet when you won't? They're not loaded with dough!

By the way, that's a really creative reason as to why you won't take your pig to the vet if it's sick. Ignorant but creative. I, believe me, I have heard every excuse in the book.

GuinessOllie

Post   » Sun Sep 17, 2017 7:55 pm


I've taken my boar to my vet . He has low vitamin c efficiency and bad dandruff . He's still intact . I won't get him nuteured because I don't know his history with anesthesia and he's very nervous , skiddish pig because his original owner was never home . He's not hand broken very well because his original owner wasn't really home to play with him so he's not used to being picked up so he runs and buckles . But once I pet him and talk softly to him he pecks up and stands up so I can pick him up . I don't know what his allergies are to medications If he gets sick . He also has a fiber problem .

WICharlie

Post   » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:38 am


I'll tell you his history. He's a guinea pig. He's never been under anesthesia. He's never been given any medication. Especially if you got him from a pet store. And if you got him from someone getting rid of him.

But it doesn't really matter because your just playing us. Trip trap, trip trap.

GPIG

Post   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:19 am


It feels like a couple little kids that like to annoy and get a kick out of using words that seem funny to a 5th grader

Classicalcavy

Post   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 6:37 am


I think you are right, GPIG.

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