Baby Retaliating

piggl

piggl

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Hi, today I introduced 4 months old bean to 7-8 week old sausage (pet shop baby).

They were introduced in a neutral territory with only hay about 7 hours ago now and everything is going fine. At the start bean was extremely “humpy” but things settled down pretty quickly.
I added in two open ended hides and scatter fed some lettuce and pepper around an hour ago.

I’ve just noticed that the baby sometimes goes to hump bean back, which I know is normal behaviour but nothing i’ve ever seen before from a baby this young. When sausage does this bean isn’t happy and it usually just ends with his like turning around, like lunging at him just a little bit aggressively, then either bean or sausage ends up running away.
Again, I know all this behaviour is normal but I'm
worried that bean is going to have issue with this baby if it’s been 7 hours and he’s already “fighting back”.
I’m probably just overthinking, this behaviour only happens when bean rumblestruts and starts his dominance behaviours, otherwise they are fine around each other.
https://youtube.com/shorts/00ITIXDto0I?si=sdQf6TM4cGAu1fMI

That also leads me to my next question. They are inside overnight as the sun had gone down and it was way too cold for baby to go outside today but I had planned for them to go out into their fresh clean hutch tomorrow when the days at its warmest. Should I leave them longer in this pen so they can create a bond and I can keep an eye on them. I know changing homes can/will restart this process but I just wondered if I allow them to get used to each other for a couple days before moving them, it might make the transition easier?

Any advice/thoughts appreciated :)
 
piggl said:
Hi, today I introduced 4 months old bean to 7-8 week old sausage (pet shop baby).

They were introduced in a neutral territory with only hay about 7 hours ago now and everything is going fine. At the start bean was extremely “humpy” but things settled down pretty quickly.
I added in two open ended hides and scatter fed some lettuce and pepper around an hour ago.

I’ve just noticed that the baby sometimes goes to hump bean back, which I know is normal behaviour but nothing i’ve ever seen before from a baby this young. When sausage does this bean isn’t happy and it usually just ends with his like turning around, like lunging at him just a little bit aggressively, then either bean or sausage ends up running away.
Again, I know all this behaviour is normal but I'm
worried that bean is going to have issue with this baby if it’s been 7 hours and he’s already “fighting back”.
I’m probably just overthinking, this behaviour only happens when bean rumblestruts and starts his dominance behaviours, otherwise they are fine around each other.
https://youtube.com/shorts/00ITIXDto0I?si=sdQf6TM4cGAu1fMI

That also leads me to my next question. They are inside overnight as the sun had gone down and it was way too cold for baby to go outside today but I had planned for them to go out into their fresh clean hutch tomorrow when the days at its warmest. Should I leave them longer in this pen so they can create a bond and I can keep an eye on them. I know changing homes can/will restart this process but I just wondered if I allow them to get used to each other for a couple days before moving them, it might make the transition easier?

Any advice/thoughts appreciated :)
Click to expand...

Please leave them longer in the in the bonding pen so they can firm up their bond and work through the worst of the hierarchy group establishment. Lunging is a defensive action; it translates as 'stay out of my personal space and is generally used by an insecure piggy. As long as the other party is heeding the message you are fine.

The colder spell on its way with frosty nights is not the best time for moving piggies out.
 
Wiebke said:
Please leave them longer in the in the bonding pen so they can firm up their bond and work through the worst of the hierarchy group establishment. Lunging is a defensive action; it translates as 'stay out of my personal space and is generally used by an insecure piggy. As long as the other party is heeding the message you are fine.

The colder spell on its way with frosty nights is not the best time for moving piggies out.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply.

I have made the decision to just move them all inside for the winter, as it was probably going to happen soon anyway. Their setups have always been sort of strangely put together as it was just convenient but I decided to just buy them both proper cages. Reggie will be in a 2x3 kavvee cage and the boys will be in a 2x4, which I know isn't convenient but as its just a cage for illness/winter, it should be okay. They do get time to run around my entire bedroom atleast once a day just for extra enrichement/excitement. I only bought the coroplast for the 2x4 as I already have grids.

I have another question. Reggie has came inside aswell and is living in this blue pet store cage which is around 1.5 grids x 2 and a bit which is definitely only temporarily until his new cage comes hopefully monday/tuesday. It had a base which comes up to about 12cm high, and obviously causes view restrictions for all the pigs. The issue is, is that bean is now going crazy being unable to see Reggie. I assume as he knows hes there hes a bit frustrated that they cant really interact, but there is not much I can do in the meantime.
Should I move Reggies cage furthur away until his new cage comes and they can interact bar to bar? Reggie couldnt care less but hes really laid back and very happy being alone, but beans on edge/overexcited and I am scared it is going to put strain on him and sausages new relationship.

Thanks again
 
Bump!

Although it isn’t affecting bean and sausages relationship as such, bean is spending a whole lot of time climbing/chewing and trying to get through the bars to Reggie.
 
I'd move it further away if the new cage will be here soon. Especially as the other's bond is so new you don't want to break that.
 
Thanks for your reply. Reggie has now been moved but no slowing of beans obsessive behaviour. Chewing the bars, climbing and trying to escape.
 
Just and update/question. They have now been living side by side for about 6 days now and beans chewing at the bars whenever Reggie moves about his cage even the tiniest amount, is not slowing.
I would say it’s a bit better now, lasts around 2-5 minutes but it has to happen at least once an hour.
And it’s not as obsessive as when he knew reggie was there but could not see him.

It’s not to lack of things for him to chew on, he has hay, a wooden ball and a carrot cottage. It’s just the need for attention/to show his manliness to Reggie. Reggie, still couldn’t care less and doesn’t give him the time of day, which may be why it’s so “upsetting” for bean.

I wonder, Reggie doesn’t give bean any time of day through the bars like he won’t even give him a sniff, but when sausage comes and says hi he is very interested to speak to him/get to know him. Could this be because of the failed bond between Reggie and Bean, so Reggie just doesn’t have the time of day for him.

Just wondering if this is likely to pass? Don’t want to put a divider between them for a couple days or anything because i know it will just start again the second I remove it.
Thanks.
 
I find it takes around 2 weeks for them to settle. Give him a bit more time and see what happens. I use clear plastic sheets between them if the bar biting gets too much. It gives my ears and their teeth a rest! They can see the other piggy but not bite the bars, it's a case of taking it away for longer and longer times until they stop.
Good luck!
 
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