Advice on mixed bonding please

Reevesey973

Reevesey973

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Hi I’m a new piggie owner. My first piggies were 2 rescue sows, sadly 1 died. I contacted the rescue for a companion for the 1 sow I still had and there was a neutered boar still in post op 6 week quarantine. He came to our house and midnight (sow 1 1/2yrs) and jasper (boar 3 yrs) have been living side by side for about 4 weeks. during this time they seemed to show a lot of friendly interest in each other. Jasper is also bereaved, his companion was a boar. So i have 2 bereaved piggies, both previously in single sex relationships now in mixed pair.

Obviously Jasper is DESPERATE to hump Midnight 😆 but unfortunately she will have none of it. I’m a novice here but Jasper seems very laid back to me (other than the testosterone) and Midnight seems very fear aggressive.

I have read all the guides on here at least 10 times but would appreciate your thoughts Please.

they were introduced at 4pm yesterday, at first there was a lot of attempts to hump and midnight was very aggressive - kicking, nipping and lunging. Jasper would retreat but soon have another go. There was a lot of teeth chattering from both And chins up. It settled down a bit before bedtime but i was very nervous to leave them alone.

in between humping and aggression they seem to want to be together, they eat side by side and lie in close proximity and there’s plenty of bum sniffing and they will groom themselves when near the other piggie.

I found them this morning side by side although jasper looked on high alert.

jasper is still trying to hump midnight a lot and she is still rebuffing him but it looks less aggressive, just kicking sqeaking and pushing him out of way with her head, occasional nipping but not always. There can be quite a bit of chasing round the cage. They have lots of space and no hidey holes or corners, also got 2 of everything. not seen any lunging this morning.

I know it can take a few weeks for the dominance to settle down. Does this sound like a potential relationship?

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice 😊😊

Thank you very much

Ruth
 
This sounds very normal.
She will only allow him to mount her when she wants him to and until then, she will keep him at bay. He will need to learn! But for now he is just very excited to be around a lady and he is not thinking with his head!
The behaviours you view as aggressive is simply piggy speak - nipping and lunging are power and defensive moves not aggression.

Did you introduce them on neutral territory?
Did you then move them to the cage together after several hours in the bonding pen or are they still in the neutral territory bonding pen overnight?
 
Hi Vicki

Thank you for replying so quickly 😊 That is so reassuring to hear that it’s normal. I literally watched them all evening with oven gloves on just in case 😆

They are still in neutral territory. I have so much c+c i could make a third 5x2 cage. With clean washed fleece in it. They are still in there, as i now have to wash all the bedding out of the 2 cages they were in before. They do now have one of their cosy cups each and a tunnel each which i took out of their own cages. Plus 2 piles of hay, 2 food bowls and water. Since putting the tunnels in they seem to be more relaxed and each chilling separately. Jasper is currently nodding off (he must be exhausted!) and midnight is munching.

they do seem quite calm at the moment.🤞

I’ll be keeping my eye on them all day.

Thank you so much for your advice and reassurance, i really appreciate it.

Best wishes

Ruth
 
Reevesey973 said:
Hi I’m a new piggie owner. My first piggies were 2 rescue sows, sadly 1 died. I contacted the rescue for a companion for the 1 sow I still had and there was a neutered boar still in post op 6 week quarantine. He came to our house and midnight (sow 1 1/2yrs) and jasper (boar 3 yrs) have been living side by side for about 4 weeks. during this time they seemed to show a lot of friendly interest in each other. Jasper is also bereaved, his companion was a boar. So i have 2 bereaved piggies, both previously in single sex relationships now in mixed pair.

Obviously Jasper is DESPERATE to hump Midnight 😆 but unfortunately she will have none of it. I’m a novice here but Jasper seems very laid back to me (other than the testosterone) and Midnight seems very fear aggressive.

I have read all the guides on here at least 10 times but would appreciate your thoughts Please.

they were introduced at 4pm yesterday, at first there was a lot of attempts to hump and midnight was very aggressive - kicking, nipping and lunging. Jasper would retreat but soon have another go. There was a lot of teeth chattering from both And chins up. It settled down a bit before bedtime but i was very nervous to leave them alone.

in between humping and aggression they seem to want to be together, they eat side by side and lie in close proximity and there’s plenty of bum sniffing and they will groom themselves when near the other piggie.

I found them this morning side by side although jasper looked on high alert.

jasper is still trying to hump midnight a lot and she is still rebuffing him but it looks less aggressive, just kicking sqeaking and pushing him out of way with her head, occasional nipping but not always. There can be quite a bit of chasing round the cage. They have lots of space and no hidey holes or corners, also got 2 of everything. not seen any lunging this morning.

I know it can take a few weeks for the dominance to settle down. Does this sound like a potential relationship?

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice 😊😊

Thank you very much

Ruth
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Only submissive sows will allow themselves to be dominance mounted by a new boar as a signal of their submission; a dominant sow won't allow herself to be mounted until she is ready for sexual mating at the end of her next season (which will be rather dramatic again but won't result in a fall-out). Initially, a dominant leader will often insiston her personal space being respected; the more the more insecure she is.

Your poor boy will have to get over his hormonal over-excitement, keep his knees crossed and keep his distance until she is good and ready to relent. They will nevertheless become good friends if he can accept his inferior ranking in the hierarchy and can avoid pushing his luck for too long or too far.

It is well within normal parameters.
 
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The expression on Jasper's face in that tunnel is priceless! What a gorgeous boar. I hope they settle down soon. Good luck!
 
Thank you so much Wiebke for taking the time to reply. As a new piggie owner i need some reassurance. I have read your info on bonding several times but it’s quite nerve-wracking. Jasper seems like a relaxed piggie to me so i hope he can hold out until she is ready x Ruth
 
It all sounds perfectly normal to me, too. He’s just over excited to be near a lady, and needs to learn to temper his enthusiasm. When he realises that she is permanently going to be there when he wakes up he will calm down a bit. He’s just a young over excited young man at the moment. It always takes time to settle down after any introductions, but as long as there is no hostility things will calm down.
 
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