Are they getting on?

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JamiesMum

Opening a new thread as I noticed older ones don't appear to get commented on as much.

Quick low down - I got Jamie from Pets at Home at 10 weeks old. I was told as he's a boy to just have one. I have learned since that that isn't the case and he now has older boar Max who is 1yo as a cage mate.

Initially I worried that as Jamie was pig number 1 in his cage that he was in some way bullying Max. Max would hide in the hidey hole part of the cage and Jamie would block the entrance. I worried that he never came out.

So last night I bought them each an individual pigloo full of the lovely cotton wool like bedding each. I noticed Max comes out far more often and I've seen him using the water bottle, eating lots of fresh veg etc.

BUT.. I've also noticed a switch in dominance, I have a feeling Max is being a littly bully-ish to Jamie (I know that isn't a word)They sometimes square up and I hear teeth chattering. Jamie will jump on top of one of the pigloos to keep his distance. I've also noticed a small patch of his fur isn't laying flat on his left cheek - looks like a tuft. I've tried to examine but he wriggles so much.

On the most part - they do seem to be ok. They do share a pigloo from time to time. I just worry. Any advice?
 
They do need to sort put dominance issues and its normal for them to 'hump' or jump on each other and a low teeth chattering is sometimes heard. As long as there is no blood drawn keep them together and watch them closely.

Are they both eating ok? Also what size cage do you have as the more space the better. Also make sure you have two of everything so they have no reason to fight.

I'm sure someone can give you some more advice shortly.
 
sorry cannot offer any advice other than to keep an eye on them, sometimes it takes a while for dominance to be settled between them. keep an eye on them for now and they should be fine unless blood is drawn.
 
Thank you for your help. I just feel confused and want to know I've done the right thing.

Jamie now chooses to sleep on his own away from the two pigloos on the floor. He never used to do that before.

Both are eating fine, drinking water and helping themselves to unlimited hay. I get the feeling they don't want to be near each other.
 
Hiya, sounds like they are doing alright. If they are not going to get on it usually happens fairly immediately. My two boys sleep separately usually, so I wouldn't worry about that. I would like to see them cuddled up more but they seem happy with their own space.
Wiebke, who usually chats about dominance and bonding is on holiday in Switzerland at the mo, so she will no doubt catch up with this thread soon. xx
 
The boys are exhibiting normal behaviour towards one another but i know it can escalate quickly.

My boy pairs don't choose to sleep together, snuggle together or eat together, bar veggies. If both boys are allowing one another to go where each pleases, eat from bowls, drink from bottles & neither is blocking the entrance to a pigloo when the other is inside then they aren't bullying.

It'd be good if you could feel/see if there is a bitemark where this clump of hair is on Jamies face.

Some boy pairings settle straight away & others take time & i would only separate them if there are definite bite wounds & or dominant behaviour being displayed continuously ie: lunging or jumping at one another orloud chattering at each other.

I'd also like to ask is the cotton wool bedding you've mentioned the stuff generally used for hamsters? A coloured fuzzy material that is just like cotton wool? If so please remove it as the fibres can wind round limbs/toes & cut off the blood supply.
 
Thank you for the tip Niki. And everyone else for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

Well things are getting worse. Now I think its Jamie again being dominant. Max doesn't come out of house much unless to eat/drink. I've got them both on the sofa now. Max is pretty much enjoying snuggling on my lap while Jamie constantly comes over teeth a chattering and bum swinging then Max chatters back. I tried to move jamie aside earlier and he almost nipped me.

Just this second Jamie has practically lept onto Max. It's definitely Jamie.

I am going to have to buy a seperate cage and put them side by side.

I hope they will be ok for the night. won't be able to get a cage till after work.
 
jamie may just want a cuddle with you on his own as he doing teeth chattering when your holding max just a thought as ben gets upset when i cuddle harry they dont live together as when i put them together ben went for harry & was a very nasty smell
i hope they settle again
 
I hope that your boys settle again.

Sometimes, the dominance issue can swing with boars. Max seems to be a fairly laid back character, so you may be in with a chance.

Jamie could be coming into his naughty age by the looks of it (at four months); if it is that you are in for a hard ride as he has to prove to himself and the world that he is the most macho piggy ever!

Please don't separate them too often - that can make things only worse in the long run. Otherwise, Niki is far more experienced with boars than I am.
 
ollie said:
jamie may just want a cuddle with you on his own as he doing teeth chattering when your holding max just a thought as ben gets upset when i cuddle harry they dont live together as when i put them together ben went for harry & was a very nasty smell
i hope they settle again
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Ooh you experienced the smell too! Thankfully I haven't witnessed it since! Thank you for the advice.
 
Wiebke said:
I hope that your boys settle again.

Sometimes, the dominance issue can swing with boars. Max seems to be a fairly laid back character, so you may be in with a chance.

Jamie could be coming into his naughty age by the looks of it (at four months); if it is that you are in for a hard ride as he has to prove to himself and the world that he is the most macho piggy ever!

Please don't separate them too often - that can make things only worse in the long run. Otherwise, Niki is far more experienced with boars than I am.
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Thank you for your input - I was told you are experienced in this. Hope you had a lovely holiday. :)

Max definitely is very laid back. He is such a sweetie whereas jamie is a livewire.

I've bought another cage for Max and they are positioned right next to each other - does that still class as seperation? I feel it is working. Jamie is popcorning around his cage as usual and Max is coming out far far far more often now Jamie can't trouble him.
 
Quite a few people have their boars that way - they can still interact, but have each their own territory and seem a lot happier that way. If both your boys are, I would leave them like that for the time being.

They will hopefully still be able to go together in a run or have play time together.
 
They definitely do seem happier this way. Max was chilling out outside of his pigloo earlier. He's never done that before. He was also leisurely drinking and feeding instead of rushing like he used to.

I have them both on the sofa now. My boyfriend is holding Max and I have Jamie. I let jamie wander over to Max to see what the feeling was like and immediately teeth chattering occured so I pulled them aside again.
 
well all seems to be at peace. Both cages side by side. Both piggies next to their personal bowls eating carrots, curly kale and cucumber.

I can sleep well tonight.

It wasn't what I imagined. But they are both sweet pigs and both look very happy.
 
Your boys definitely sound happier now that you've listened to them & done as they've asked :)

Piggies altho' not living together in the same space, can & do live very happy lives when they have another pig/pigs living nearby where they can interact/see/hear/smell each other if they choose but can't inflict any wounds on one another.

There is no reason why they won't share a run together - my next-door-neighbour boars were separated because of bullying when they were youngsters & have lived next door happily to one another for the past 3.5yrs but they share the run together & with my other intact boars, with no problems

I do hear the odd bit of chattering but they calm down when i referee & i never leave them unattended. :)

As i said to someone else the advice i give is only that, advice - YOU are the one who can see your pigs & you know them best :)
 
I have 4 single boars who all live with a divide down their cage (separated into pairs if you know what I mean). They seem to be very happy that way - they popcorn at each other, talk to each other etc but the minute I try to put them back together war breaks out!
 
Hello pompypigs!

So the two pairs get along? just not with the others so to speak?

I hope that the fact that they can see, hear and smell each other helps. From what I know Max lived alone completely his first year.
 
JamiesMum said:
Hello pompypigs!

So the two pairs get along? just not with the others so to speak?

I hope that the fact that they can see, hear and smell each other helps. From what I know Max lived alone completely his first year.
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Sorry I didn't explain myself very well did I?
No, none of the 4 get along so they are all separated - you can see my set up in the housing section - that would describe it best xx
 
JamiesMum said:
Ooh you experienced the smell too! Thankfully I haven't witnessed it since! Thank you for the advice.
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it was horrible so i will never but harry & ben together again thankfully they were outside
they'll talk to each other from a cross the room & when 1 of them is having their nails done but just good when they get close

nice to here jamie & max are getting on better
 
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