Boar behaviour

[DougalandDiego]

Hi all,
Me again! Sorry I feel like all I’m doing is posting at the moment!

The boys have had a bit of a bumpy ride over the last couple of weeks. They had a bit of a fall out which I posted about around a week or so ago - chasing, squealing, teeth chattering and all of the normal boar behaviour. It lasted for a few hours and me and my partner were very close to separating them as we were concerned Dougal (the submissive pig) was being bullied. However during this disagreement they did have ten minutes or so where they’d rest so we persevered. Everything seemed to calm down so we left them - I’ve been at home due to current circumstances so have been keeping a very close eye on them as they’re in our spare room. Since then we’ve taken both of them to a vet visit (yesterday) as Diego the dominant pig has a heart murmur and took both of them as we know Diego is a very nervous piggy. We dropped them off at 11 and picked them up at 5. On the way home they started off fine but there was a brief teeth chattering - I think it was at each other but then it could have been at me. I put hay heads and some veggies in and it stopped. Since then there has been very brief moments of when they sometimes bump into each other in their cage there is a lot of rumble strutting (mostly from the submissive pig) when Diego wants him to move but then Dougal does squeal and lie down like he’s being submissive. If Dougal doesn’t move there is normally a bit of a nose off and Diego will eventually make Dougal run off which looks like a bit of a chase away. They’ve never gotten into a piggie tornado or drawn blood and Diego does leave Dougal to eat/sleep but I think the friction is when they both want a certain area in the cage. They’re currently in a 2x5 c and c which we are going to upgrade significantly to a 4x5 or 3x6 in a months time when we move house (I didn’t want to do this now and cause more upset). They have two pellet bowls, two hideys, two bottles, two hay stations.
My question is they only do this for a brief moment but is constant rumble strutting from the submissive pig when the dominant pig goes past normal? He’s quick to squeal and be submissive if Diego gets fed up or wants him moved. I’ve made myself so worried and anxious about their behaviour at the moment that I feel guilty about even walking my dog and leaving them unsupervised but I think it’s just me being a complete worrier. I’m trying to reassure myself that it’s boar behaviour and that they’re not drawing blood or properly fighting so there isn’t a need to seperate and it’s just their way of communicating.
I should also add that they’re going back to vets tomorrow as Diego is having an echocardiogram. Am I right in taking both still despite the teeth chattering on the way home yesterday? The vet also found Diego has a very slight lung problem (she suspects a very slight start of bronchitis - she’s one of the pig recommended vets on this forum) so he’s going to be prescribed some antibiotic for this tomorrow. The journey is 45 mins each way so did they just get a bit grumpy and hungry or should I be worried?
I also wonder whether they’ve been arguing if Diego has had this lung problem and it’s making him more grumpy?
I’d really appreciate any advice as I’m starting to get a bit upset and anxious about it all and I’m due to go back to work on June 1st as I’m a teacher so I’m worried they could fight when I’m out if their bond is broken?
I’ve looked at the forum pages about boar behaviour but find the teeth chattering and chasing is the only major aggressive behaviour I’m seeing and it doesn’t carry on for very long.

Thank you in advance!

 

[DougalandDiego]

I should add theyre roughly around 12 months so I’m hoping it’s just hormones and not that their bond is broken!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Strictly speaking if it is just rumbling, chasing and mild teeth chattering, then it’s fine. It’s mild dominance - chattering and chasing isn’t major aggression as you have referred to it. You need to let them get on with it if this is all that is happening.
If the behaviour - chasing, mounting - becomes constant and relentless, one piggy becomes withdrawn and never gets any peace then it’s heading into bullying which warrants a trial separation and if the bullied pig perks up, then it’s a dysfunctional bond requiring separation.
If there was a full on fight then it’s immediate and permanent separation.

If you can, then I’d add in more hideys - I have found things much calmer when there is at least one hidey per boy

Yes, take them both to the vet tomorrow.

My two boys often jump, and rumble when the other walks past, it’s not a worry in itself. Its boar behaviour and the rumbling will likely always happen - my two year old boys (well, one of them in particular) have just had quite a big hormonal week or two, the mounting and rumbling and chasing has been off the charts for their normal laid back selves!

 

[DougalandDiego]

Strictly speaking if it is just rumbling, chasing and mild teeth chattering, then it’s fine. It’s mild dominance - chattering and chasing isn’t major aggression as you have referred to it. You need to let them get on with it if this is all that is happening.
If the behaviour - chasing, mounting - becomes constant and relentless, one piggy becomes withdrawn and never gets any peace then it’s heading into bullying which warrants a trial separation and if the bullied pig perks up, then it’s a dysfunctional bond requiring separation.
If there was a full on fight then it’s immediate and permanent separation.

If you can, then I’d add in more hideys - I have found things much calmer when there is at least one hidey per boy

Yes, take them both to the vet tomorrow.

My two boys often jump, and rumble when the other walks past, it’s not a worry in itself. Its boar behaviour and the rumbling will likely always happen - my two year old boys (well, one of them in particular) have just had quite a big hormonal week or two, the mounting and rumbling and chasing has been off the charts for their normal laid back selves!

Thank you for a quick reply I’m relieved I should still take them both to the vets tomorrow as I’d feel awful if Diego had to go on his own as he’s such a big baby even though he’s in charge!

Yeah it’s only ever when they run into each other or if Diego wants a certain spot to sleep and now Diego is asleep in his hidey Dougal is wandering around eating and things and Diego isn’t bothered at all so I’m hoping it’s not bullying. I think I’m just trying to get used to the fact that it’s normal and not to panic at the slight sound of a disagreement. Dougal does seem to stick up for himself and he seems very happy so for now I don’t think he’s being bullied based on what advice you’ve given so that’s so helpful thank you very much!

 

[DougalandDiego]

Strictly speaking if it is just rumbling, chasing and mild teeth chattering, then it’s fine. It’s mild dominance - chattering and chasing isn’t major aggression as you have referred to it. You need to let them get on with it if this is all that is happening.
If the behaviour - chasing, mounting - becomes constant and relentless, one piggy becomes withdrawn and never gets any peace then it’s heading into bullying which warrants a trial separation and if the bullied pig perks up, then it’s a dysfunctional bond requiring separation.
If there was a full on fight then it’s immediate and permanent separation.

If you can, then I’d add in more hideys - I have found things much calmer when there is at least one hidey per boy

Yes, take them both to the vet tomorrow.

My two boys often jump, and rumble when the other walks past, it’s not a worry in itself. Its boar behaviour and the rumbling will likely always happen - my two year old boys (well, one of them in particular) have just had quite a big hormonal week or two, the mounting and rumbling and chasing has been off the charts for their normal laid back selves!

Also I’m glad it’s not just my boys that have had a rough couple of weeks! Maybe it’s the warm weather!

 

[Piggies&buns]

It’s obviously not exact as we can’t see them and see their behaviour but if you were saying they were lunging at each other, it went on for hours at a time and one piggy was becoming withdrawn, not eating as much, being chased from bowls etc, then they would be ringing alarm bells for me.
If there is an underlying issue in their relationship which is causing them to have problems, then you will know about it. A bit of rumbling and chasing alone isn’t a problem.

Yes, spring time is known to cause an uptick in dominance behaviour in some boars, coupled wih the the fact that yours are still teens!

I certainly found more space worked wonders for my boys - they are absolutely fine together, no problems in their relationship, but it just seemed they needed their own man space! So hopefully it’ll help your two as well. Do bear in mind when the time comes, and I think I may have mentioned this to you previously, that a change in environment will likely set off a new set of dominance behaviours.

 

[DougalandDiego]

It’s obviously not exact as we can’t see them and see their behaviour but if you were saying they were lunging at each other, it went on for hours at a time and one piggy was becoming withdrawn, not eating as much, being chased from bowls etc, then they would be ringing alarm bells for me.
If there is an underlying issue in their relationship which is causing them to have problems, then you will know about it. A bit of rumbling and chasing alone isn’t a problem.

Yes, spring time is known to cause an uptick in dominance behaviour in some boars, coupled wih the the fact that yours are still teens!

I certainly found more space worked wonders for my boys - they are absolutely fine together, no problems in their relationship, but it just seemed they needed their own man space! So hopefully it’ll help your two as well. Do bear in mind when the time comes, and I think I may have mentioned this to you previously, that a change in environment will likely set off a new set of dominance behaviours.

Yes thank you I will keep that in mind about the cage setting them off again - I’ll keep their used bedding that smells of them from their old cage and put it in their new cage and try to keep hideys and hay roughly where they have been in their current cage. It will be good when they have a bigger cage as I’ll be able to add more hideys and space things out a bit more so hopefully like you said they’ll have their own man space which will help!