bonding a third female piggy, not going well i dont think

[jammybaby]

I got a new piggy a few weeks back, and have over the past couple of days been trying to bond them, but it is Not going well, i don't think my dominant piggy bubbles who was the boss before I got our new pig sprinkles, is not liking sprinkles at all, I put them on the floor together and bubbles just sits there teeth chattering and squeeking and she makes a kindof hissing noise, she does this everytime I put them in together, and I have tried them for the past 4 dayys for an hour here and there and still no better, squeeks is fine with sprinkles its just bubbles who has the issuemif sprinkles gets too close, bubbles flies for her and the squabble, no blood drawn yet. Just wondering if there is anything else I can do to help them bond or are they just never going to get along if they are like this everytime I try them together?

 

[Wiebke]

You have to sit it out for a longer space of time and see whether will eventually accept each other or not, especially as there have been no fights. Have they spend time next to each other so they could get more used to each other before you put them together? Disputes are generally between the two dominant sows and if Bubbles is afraid of Sprinkles taking over, she won't be happy! It is frankly right on the line of whether I would bond myself and it could go either way. I wouldn't expect an easy or quick bond even at the best of times with a situation like that.

Trios have always got the additional problem that you may end up with an outsider problem, so if it is possible for you to keep two pairs, I would rather go for that option than risk upsetting your existing pair. The best way is to piggy date (either sows or a neutered boar of any age) at a good rescue that offers this service because your piggy can choose who she likes best and you only come home with a successful bond and no headaches!
I have gone that way several times myself with single piggies of mine, and last summer even with two redoubtable middle aged cataract sows to choose a husboar of their liking - always with great success.

 

[guineapigs<3]

I have 2 sows and introduced a third 2 weeks ago, at first my more dominant one Lola was doing the whole dominance thing (rumbling strutting, teeth chattering) I put 2 pens together (not cages as they can't see each other unless they stand up) they carried on claiming dominance for a while but after 24 hours of being next to each other they were fine with each other, another test you can use is the bath test, if you put them all in the bath together they won't fight and will work as a team to swim and try and escape from their bath! a few nips are fine so try your hardest not to step in if they nip each other (obv step in if they start fighting) as they need to set their hierarchy out, and also introduce them on mutual ground, don't try putting the other one in your 2's cage as it'll be scared and your 2 will get ready to fight a new comer of 'their turf'! hope this helped! xx

 

[jammybaby]

Thank you for your replys, i have made a indoor run in my living room today, with a partition in the middle so my piggys can get used to each other without being threatened, hope fully this will work

While they are out of their cages also i am going to disinfect them, and buy new toys, then bath the pigs tomorrow, fingers crossed this will work , if not i will buy a new cage and look for another female or neutered male to join sprinkles

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Sadly, despite all attempts, it may not work still.
I had a new piggy next door to my herd, they would chat and sniff through the divider so just under two weeks, tried introductions on our sofa over a few days. Decided it was time to try them in the pen - all scrubbed, nothing in there etc.
All went well - usual sniffing, chasing etc. but then the new piggy launched herself at 'top' herd piggy and locked into battle. I intervened but it happened again. Not wanting either to suffer any injuries (and me having a coronary) called it a day
Sadly, it was obvious it wasn't going to work and it upset my top girl who began 'attacking' her friends, something she has never done. It was awful and I was extremely upset for days after.
Sow dating ended our worries, Sally has two little buddies now and they all get along great x)
I couldn't quite work out what had gone wrong - neutral space not big enough ? Two strong minded piggies both wanting dominance ? Blamed myself so much for upsetting the harmony in the herd for a day or two and visualised lots of single piggies 8...
They just didn't like each other...end of and nothing can be done apart from find a single piggy their own friend/s
Hope it all works for you and your girls, it can be very scary attempting to bond (have been successful with two bondings )
Good luck p

 

[Little Pig]

the bath test, if you put them all in the bath together they won't fight and will work as a team to swim and try and escape from their bath!

The purpose of bathing pigs when trying to bond is to get them to all smell the same, NOT to put them in water deep enough to scare them and force them to swim. Please never do this. When bathing, they should be in shallow water only.