Advice please - one baby GP persecuting another

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Mrs Teapot

Hello knowledgable GP owners, can you please give advice? The two GP's are around 3 months old. Both females (that is what P@H sold them as). One is the bold one, one is the scared one that only braves things by following the brave one.

You might remember I mentioned unexplained blood the other day, a one off. Turns out I think it is fighting, as the brave one is now contintually persecuting, nipping, nudging and biting the scared one. Just today it has got quite bad. Is this normal baby/hormonal behaviour that will sort itself out?

They were bought together by the way. They did love each other to begin with.

I'm feeling really sorry for the scared one, but if they are temporarily apart they start calling for one another.

Do I give it time? Should I be shouting NO at the time of a bite or making a loud noise to try and give the idea that biting equals a nasty loud noise?

Please, please advise.

Many thanks.

Mrs T
 
Hi, I'm afraid I am no expert with females as we only have boars, but if blood is being drawn, I would personally separate them as it sounds like one is being badly bullied. Not only will this be bad for obvious health reasons, but the bullied pig is likely to become more oppressed and timid as it goes on.

I know that teen boars of that age up to about a year or so can get like this, the hormones are running rampant just like in some stroppy teenage humans, so I guess it would be possible for them to just turn like that.

If it were me I would seperate, but perhaps someone with more knowledge with sows will be able to help shortly.

Good luck :)

Edit: http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
this website may help explain what is normal behaviour.
 
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We had to split our girls too :(. They were about 8 months. Alice started picking on wendy because Wendy was poorly. Are they both in good health? its cruel but sometimes piggies pick on the not so healthy ones. xx
 
Well blood has been spilt only once, but I didnt find out where it came from.

Perhaps one is poorly - good point. I know when we picked up the GP's P@H made some comment about one being quite 'bold' or some such. Maybe we just picked one with a strong character and a timid one?

Isn't it detrimental to seperate them now at just 3 months, when it could be a temporary thing?

I just spent a fortune on an indoor cage (Nero 4, with stand) - absolutely cannot afford to buy another cage at this stage OR have room for both indoors in seperate cages.

The more advice the better.
 
If you could find a cheap cage you could put that cage on top of the Nero 4 cage - that's what I do with my cages - I have a Nero 3 on a stand and another cage on top of that. They have bunk beds. :))

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I've only owned pigglies for 2 yrs so i'm really not sure what you should do in regards to splitting them or not. I now have 4 piggies, 2 bonded pairs but their bonds are not particularly strong. I'm sure somebody with more experience will be along soon to help. Good luck xx
 
It's hard to know what to do really - maybe if they aren't actually hurting each other then it would be okay to keep them together longer and keep an eye on things. ?/ If there is any serious fighting though I think seperation is the only way.:(
 
i agree with Nemo, if its really bad and serious fights and blood being drawn, i would separate, if its innocent stroppy nipping then i would keep together.

Scruffy nips/nudges Max when hes tired and wants his own space or if Max gets in the way. He even does it to me! ive felt it and its not a bit, its just a brush of the teeth which doesnt hurt at all!
 
I suppose it's like all animals really - you're always going to have one that is top dog aren't you. :))
 
Up untill a few months ago I too only ever kept boars but I do now have two sows who live together and they are much more bother than the boars and indeed can be very stroppy. I have had one instance of blood being drawn when one nipped the others ear but I was loathe to seperate them immediately and thus watched them closely and distaracted them with copious amount of grass etc. They still live together and indeed still have their moments probably hormonal.

I'm not saying you should let one be bullied senseless or take serious injury but am simply saying that sows can show aggression to one another at times and still rub along happily after all I have two human daughters who sometimes fight and seperating them is not an option.

You may think I'm mad but If I observe the stroppiness I either clap my hands or make a stream of TUTTUT sounds which is usually enough to distract them. Two of everything also helps and scattering of veg so that they don't have to eat too closely.

GOOD LUCK
 
you need to keep an eye on them and assess them. I know that some of my sows are moody and have to be paired with only certain guineas otherwise they bully.
If she's stopping her getting to the water, or food, thats a bad sign. If they eat alongside each other they may be ok.
The bold one will probably chase the unsure one out of the hiding area, so you need two hiding areas.

Incessant bullying where the bold one nips the unsure one then chases her round and round continually nipping ending up squealing and backed into a corner is not good. One of mine used to do this, and this is not dominance its just nasty. The odd nip is ok.
 
Great and helpful insights and replies - as always :(|)

We have found where the blood came from - the bold one has a bald patch - no sign of infection. I wonder if after all the quiet/scared one had a go and now the bold one is getting her own back? Or she already the injury when we had her, or she acquired it some other way.

We have been clapping and shouting 'no' or making a loud noise as distraction.

The grass idea is good as is two piles of veg.
 
Yes, two of everything, dry food bowls, wet food bowls if you have them, bottles, hidey holes, toys etc. If you decide not to separate if you are sure it was a one off, I would still be extremely vigilant of bullying behaviour as it can escalate.
 
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