Bonded Sows, Not So Bonded Any More?

[Jeniva]

Hi all. I got two sows, a mother and daughter, from a rescue and had them bonded with my boar.
The trio was a bit iffy but they were mostly ok. They'd switch between who would cuddle who, rarely saw all three together.
Han unfortunately became very ill and has passed away. Now I've just got the two girls, who were previously bonded. The mother is being a bit nasty to Remy. She doesn't let her in her hide and lunges at her and chases her. Remy screams a lot, but she screams when I touch her so she's a bit of a drama queen.
They do graze next to each other and I've seen them walking about OK.
This morning I bathed them together to see if that helped but Merigold is still being a bit nasty to Remy.
Any suggestions?
They have a hugeeee cage and two hides, one hide can easily fit 4 piggies in - and Merigold sits in there guarding it. Remy usually goes to the other hide.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all. I got two sows, a mother and daughter, from a rescue and had them bonded with my boar.
The trio was a bit iffy but they were mostly ok. They'd switch between who would cuddle who, rarely saw all three together.
Han unfortunately became very ill and has passed away. Now I've just got the two girls, who were previously bonded. The mother is being a bit nasty to Remy. She doesn't let her in her hide and lunges at her and chases her. Remy screams a lot, but she screams when I touch her so she's a bit of a drama queen.
They do graze next to each other and I've seen them walking about OK.
This morning I bathed them together to see if that helped but Merigold is still being a bit nasty to Remy.
Any suggestions?
They have a hugeeee cage and two hides, one hide can easily fit 4 piggies in - and Merigold sits in there guarding it. Remy usually goes to the other hide.

I am very sorry for your loss!

Please sit it out! It should die down again. What you are witnessing is a new hierarchy sort-out with some heavy duty dominance. Han has obviously been the leader of the group and has left a big gap at the top. Dominance tends to be stronger if the new top piggy is not quite confident in their new position.

Please remove any hideys with just one exit and feed any pellets and veg in a bowl each in smaller portions 2-3 times a day, so everything can be eaten in one go and there is no food hogging. Place the bowls at least one body length apart, if not further. Make sure that you have two water bottles in different places and that access to the hay cannot be blocked.
If you can, look out for a neutered rescue boar that you can date with your girls, although with mum running the business now, she may prefer a less dominant husboar in the future that does not threaten her new status gain.

Your experience is not at all unusual.

Here are our relevant guides:
Sow Behaviour
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

 

[Jeniva]

Thank you for the response. I had them in their run today with one hide and they were both sitting in it happily together, and whenever they were out of the hide they were side by side.
They don't tend to fight over the bottle or bowls that i've seen. Mergigold just seems to be ok sometimes then randomly goes on a rampage. She's quite a nutty guinea pig in general though and a bit of a beast, she's extremely big.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the response. I had them in their run today with one hide and they were both sitting in it happily together, and whenever they were out of the hide they were side by side.
They don't tend to fight over the bottle or bowls that i've seen. Mergigold just seems to be ok sometimes then randomly goes on a rampage. She's quite a nutty guinea pig in general though and a bit of a beast, she's extremely big.

This behaviour is normal for the later stages of a the dominance phase. It will slowly settle down again.