What Is A Boar Guinea Pig?

Are you looking for a boar to add to your family as a pet, and you can’t tell the difference? Male guinea pigs look like females once. Differentiating them is not that direct.

If you want to isolate male guinea pigs from their mother and sister, examine their genitalia. Do this before the end of the third week.

Read on to find out how to do it. We will highlight all the differences between male and female guinea pigs to bring everything to light.

What Is A Boar Guinea Pig?

A boar is a male guinea pig. It has different characteristics and traits from sows (female) and pups (babies). They differ in lifespan, behavior, and many other characters. If you are used to guinea pigs, you can tell if you see a boar or a sow.

So, what should you know about boar guinea pigs before bringing one home? Continue reading as we explore the topic in detail.

How Can You Tell If You Have A Boar Guinea Pig?

Distinguishing male guinea pigs from female ones requires close examinations. Simply looking at them from above cannot be so obvious. But how do you do it?

Pups have to be separated at 3 weeks, one of the reasons you should know which is male and which one is not. You need to isolate male ones from the rest. Otherwise, they will start mating with their mother and sisters.

Before you handle pups for identification purposes, wash your hands. Do that also after examining the babies to avoid spreading infections. Another thing to note is the temperature in the room. Pups can easily catch a cold. So, you need to do the exercise faster.

Hold the pup you are to examine gently on its back and give it a snack to divert its attention. The first tip is to check the distance between the anus and genitalia.

A male pup is about 2-3 inches, while a female guinea pig is less than an inch. The vulva is located just right above the anus.

The next feature to use is the shape of the genitalia. In boars, it is like a circular dot. The genitalia is also bulged outwards to accommodate the testicles found just beneath the skin.

Also, feel it with your hand if you can find a donut-shaped organ around the anal area. That is the testis.

Lastly, check just above the genitalia opening for the penis. It may not be so obvious. So, gently press over the genitalia area. The presence of a ridge confirms that the guinea pig pup you are examining is a boar.

Difference Between Male (Boar) And Female (Sows) Guinea Pigs

The size of adult guinea pigs has everything to do with nutrition and genetics. You may find two fully grown boars of different sizes. In general, boars are larger than sows. They can weigh between 2-2.5 pounds, while sows weight ranges from 1.5-2.25 pounds.

Apart from the large size, boars are also more confident than sows. If you are going to train your pets, you are likely to start with the females as you fulfill the curiosity of boars.

They are generally explorers and willing to move around to discover new things than female guinea pigs.

The typical lifespan of guinea pigs is between 4-10 years. Both male and female guinea pigs experience health issues that may shorten their lives.

Feed them a diet of plenty of hay, vegetables, and fruits to improve their health. Given the same conditions, boars are likely to live longer than sows.

Knowing the difference between male and female guinea pigs is not easy when they are young. As they grow, their appearances make it more apparent. Boars are larger than sows and produce feces with unpleasant order than sows.  

Can Male (Boar) and Female Guinea Pigs Be Kept Together?

Yes. Guinea pigs are social animals and will go along quite well in the same cage. If you want pups in the future, you don’t have a problem putting a boar and a sow in the same guinea pig cage. But if that is not the case, neuter the make one.

How Many Boar Guinea Pigs Can Live Together?

Guinea pigs are social and can live in a group of 10 in the wild. But if you consider boars as pets, you may only consider two or a maximum of three. Male guinea pigs are competitive among themselves and won’t do well as a group of bachelors.

Is It Better To Own A Male Guinea Pig Or A Female Guinea Pig?

Many people prefer female guinea pigs as a pet because they appear docile, unlike their aggressive male counterparts. They share many common characteristics like temperament. You will also care for a boar the same as a sow.

However, males have bolder personalities, making them easier to handle and train. Whether you choose a boar or sow is a matter of personal preference. We cannot give a recommendation.

Guinea Habitat Guinea Pig Cage by Midwest

Wrapping Up

Male guinea pigs tend to be bigger than females, more aggressive, and have bulging genitalia. It may be difficult to tell the difference when the pups are a few weeks old. But as they grow older, you can examine them for the crucial differences.

Thank you for your time at the Petsive. We appreciate you and invite you to check out our previous posts on related topics.