A few behaviour questions

[Shadowchaser]

Second question thread of the week from someone completely clueless.

I recently adopted 4 females. I have no idea how old they are. They are all together in a bluebell hutch which is bigger than the one I got them from in (3ft) so they are used to being squashed in. Thanks to this forum I know it’s too small and have a shed in planning.

Anyway, I’ve had them a week. I’ve barely seen them! They constantly hide in the sleeping area. I’ve given them two hides and they alternative between hide and sleeping area but won’t come out to eat. If I open the door they scatter as far away as possible and squeak at eachother. They run so fast they almost fall out of the hutch at times, if I’m feeding them or changing hay, almost running in a blind panic. Should I be trying to interact with them at this stage or just leave them alone?

Secondly, nobody will go down the ramp. I put them downstairs and they went up easily enough but won’t go down. I’ve made it less steep and carpeted it as well as putting lots of treats on the ramp and downstairs but still nothing. I was hoping to put the hutch in a shed and make it free range but lock them away at night for safety and warmth which won’t work if they can’t go up or down. Any ideas?

It’s hard to say how well they get on. I’ve definatley got two that are more confident than the others and one loner who spends almost all of her time alone. Is this okay? Should I worry that she’s not with the rest? I’ve not found any injuries and that one is potentially the one that’s the friendliest human wise, or runs the slowest! Could she just be an independent personality?

Finally, I read in the guides about the leader or dominant pig. Is there a way to tell who is where in the group?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Totally normal. They will be scared and need to settle into their new environment, it also depends on how much handling they had previously. You could be looking at weeks to months before they settle. One is mine toon a year and a half before he stopped running away from me.
Take things slowly with them and at their pace.

Regarding hides, you need one for each piggy of everything - so four hides, four bottles etc.

It is normal for them to not use ramps and this is why two storey hutches don’t always work. They are ground roaming creatures not designed to climb and consequently need their space to be big enough on a single level. Upper levels don’t count.

Even if they are in the shed, for you to be able to lock them into the hutch at any time at all, then the hutch needs to meet sizing - which is a 7 foot hutch recommended size or a 6 foot minimum.
That is going to be difficult given one of that size (7ft) is not commercially available.
You could be better off for them to be free roam in the shed 24/7, still have a hutch in there (you can keep the bluebell) but keep the door to it permanently open. The bottom level is the bluebell is close enough to the floor that they will be able to hop in and out of it, they don’t ever need to use the upper level. The fact the bluebell is too small won’t then matter if they have constant access to the shed floor, it’ll be nothing more than a bedroom for them.

They will know who is the dominant between them. It doesn’t matter whether you can’t tell.
What I can say is that they will be in a period of reestablishing their hierarchy now they are in a new home and space (this happens in any new environment) . This will take around two weeks.

 

[Shadowchaser]

Thankyou again @Piggies&buns!

I would be happy to leave the door open if the shed is warm enough. Husband is currently looking at heating options to keep it a constant temperature. I would also stuff the hutch with hay, hides and I’ve also got 4 snugglesafe on order. The sheds I’ve seen seem to be something like 6ftx4ft, with the hutch in is that big enough as the hutch would take a fair bit of that up? I just thought I could use the hutch as well as it’s going to be insulated so might be a warmer space inside the shed (and potentially safer?)

I only have 2 water bottles- will get some more! I have managed to squash 2 hides upstairs in the bluebell but can’t fit more. Downstairs I have a cardboard box makeshift one but like I say nobody goes down there…they all prefer to hide in the bedroom bit.

Should I worry about the one that’s always by herself?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thankyou again @Piggies&buns!

I would be happy to leave the door open if the shed is warm enough. Husband is currently looking at heating options to keep it a constant temperature. I would also stuff the hutch with hay, hides and I’ve also got 4 snugglesafe on order. The sheds I’ve seen seem to be something like 6ftx4ft, with the hutch in is that big enough as the hutch would take a fair bit of that up? I just thought I could use the hutch as well as it’s going to be insulated so might be a warmer space inside the shed (and potentially safer?)

I only have 2 water bottles- will get some more! I have managed to squash 2 hides upstairs in the bluebell but can’t fit more. Downstairs I have a cardboard box makeshift one but like I say nobody goes down there…they all prefer to hide in the bedroom bit.

Should I worry about the one that’s always by herself?

If the hutch door was left open it would count. 6x4 is big enough for four piggies

Yes insulate the hutch as well.
My both shed and hutches are insulated.

Don’t worry at this stage about one being alone.
My guess is they are hiding because they’re nervous.

Keep an eye on their general health with the weekly weight checks