Bonding a trio 2 sows, 1 neutered boar

Kellykels

Kellykels

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Hi all.

I have been reading about bonding in the various threads and the day to introduce my piggies to each other will be tomorrow.

From what I understand:

It's a neutral location, a few piles of hay or one big one in the middle and hides with two openings at least.

Rumble strutting, chasing and mounting are fine.

Just make sure I have a towel or oven glove handy in case of a sudden fight.
Once blood is drawn the bond has failed.

How long do I leave them together in the neutral space? A few hours with supervision? An entire day? An afternoon?

Then from what I understand they go together in the cage if all has gone well, because if we seperate them again it will be a wasted bonded session as they will be at square 1 again.

Is there anything important I have missed?
 
There shouldn’t be any hides in the bonding pen, just hay (And of course water)
It will take several hours - each bonding is going to be different so it’s not possible to put a definite time on it, some will go through the stages and sort out a rough hierarchy quicker than others. Full bonding takes a further couple of weeks after bonding day.
Yes, if all has gone well after several hours, then move them to the cage together, don’t separate them after that point. Make sure the cage is also throughly cleaned out and rearranged
Good luck!
 
Piggies&buns said:
There shouldn’t be any hides in the bonding pen, just hay (And of course water)
It will take several hours - each bonding is going to be different so it’s not possible to put a definite time on it, some will go through the stages and sort out a rough hierarchy quicker than others. Full bonding takes a further couple of weeks after bonding day.
Yes, if all has gone well after several hours, then move them to the cage together, don’t separate them after that point. Make sure the cage is also throughly cleaned out and rearranged
Good luck!
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Thank you. It's difficult to get things straight because you hear different information from different places. I'm trying to be a thorough as possible in my understanding.
 
It’s good to know exactly what to do and what to look for in advance of starting.
You can keep this thread updated throughout bonding day, for further help and advice, but also because we will be excited to hear how things go!
 
Piggies&buns said:
It’s good to know exactly what to do and what to look for in advance of starting.
You can keep this thread updated throughout bonding day, for further help and advice, but also because we will be excited to hear how things go!
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Thank you I will. I really hope it goes well. Womble could use the company.
 
Oo exciting. When I bonded sisters Mistletoe and Jingle to their neutered boar, Cufflinks, he had been living alongside them for 6 weeks (after his op).

They would interact through the c and c grids separating them. I put a small lid on his side just in case.

I cleaned part of the girls cage with vinegar and water (50/50) to neutralise any smells and out in new fleece and loads of hay.

Once introduced it quickly became clear that all was going to be fine. Cufflinks did try it on with both sows. I remember Mistletoe spraying him with a well aimed jet of urine!!

This was a while ago and there have been additions since.
 
flowerfairy said:
Oo exciting. When I bonded sisters Mistletoe and Jingle to their neutered boar, Cufflinks, he had been living alongside them for 6 weeks (after his op).

They would interact through the c and c grids separating them. I put a small lid on his side just in case.

I cleaned part of the girls cage with vinegar and water (50/50) to neutralise any smells and out in new fleece and loads of hay.

Once introduced it quickly became clear that all was going to be fine. Cufflinks did try it on with both sows. I remember Mistletoe spraying him with a well aimed jet of urine!

This was a while ago and there have been additions since.
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Thank you for sharing your experience.
 
I started out with no hideys but after a few hours added some things with two exits as (1) it looked a bit boring in there, but mainly (2) they were tired and you could tell they wanted to nap but nobody was going to sleep in the open. I just used cardboard tunnels and pegged a cover over a corner of the pen but not so it would flop down and hide them, just so it made a little 'roof'. Good luck!
 
Free Ranger said:
I started out with no hideys but after a few hours added some things with two exits as (1) it looked a bit boring in there, but mainly (2) they were tired and you could tell they wanted to nap but nobody was going to sleep in the open. I just used cardboard tunnels and pegged a cover over a corner of the pen but not so it would flop down and hide them, just so it made a little 'roof'. Good luck!
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So sometime without hide and later with hides.
 
Kellykels said:
So sometime without hide and later with hides.
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That's what I did as with that bonding things were going fine. If there was still tension I wouldn't have put in any 'obstacles'. The last time when Zara went for George all guns blazing it was actually apparent within the first 10 minutes that there was going to be trouble - all I had to decide was the point at which they weren't going to be able to sort it out themselves. They've settled as neighbours though.
 
Free Ranger said:
That's what I did as with that bonding things were going fine. If there was still tension I wouldn't have put in any 'obstacles'. The last time when Zara went for George all guns blazing it was actually apparent within the first 10 minutes that there was going to be trouble - all I had to decide was the point at which they weren't going to be able to sort it out themselves. They've settled as neighbours though.
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One of my pigs is really shy but she is the boss of the two girls. I'm not sure how she's going to handle things. She tends to like to hide rather than be out in the open in unfamiliar territory.
 
I think you will get a good idea in the first 5 minutes. My first bond with Posh, Ginger and Ted was brilliant. Ted was such a gentleman, no humping just went up to both and said hello and had a gentle wander round. Then Posh came up to him and started licking his ears. They were outside in the run within an hour. Ted got a few crafty nips on his bum from Ginger for around 5 days (just little nips) but that was it. Ginger and Ted were then best of buddies.

On the other hand Hector, Ginger and Posh was pretty much a no, no from the word go. Hector was quite excited, but neither of the girls were impressed by his advances. Despite lots of kissing, licking and chatting through the bars for nearly 3 weeks it was over within 5 minutes when Posh attacked Ginger after Hector had followed her round sniffing her bum. Was it because the top pig should have got more attention I don’t know? Was Posh jealous? or was she just not impressed by his young enthusiasm? I just don’t know? There’s nowt so strange as piggies :doh:
 
Bill & Ted said:
I think you will get a good idea in the first 5 minutes. My first bond with Posh, Ginger and Ted was brilliant. Ted was such a gentleman, no humping just went up to both and said hello and had a gentle wander round. Then Posh came up to him and started licking his ears. They were outside in the run within an hour. Ted got a few crafty nips on his bum from Ginger for around 5 days (just little nips) but that was it. Ginger and Ted were then best of buddies.

On the other hand Hector, Ginger and Posh was pretty much a no, no from the word go. Hector was quite excited, but neither of the girls were impressed by his advances. Despite lots of kissing, licking and chatting through the bars for nearly 3 weeks it was over within 5 minutes when Posh attacked Ginger after Hector had followed her round sniffing her bum. Was it because the top pig should have got more attention I don’t know? Was Posh jealous? or was she just not impressed by his young enthusiasm? I just don’t know? There’s nowt so strange as piggies :doh:
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Really that quickly? Thank you for sharing your experiences. I have not done an introduction before so it helps.
 
Kellykels said:
One of my pigs is really shy but she is the boss of the two girls. I'm not sure how she's going to handle things. She tends to like to hide rather than be out in the open in unfamiliar territory.
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That might act in your favour actually. There is a theory that if they are out of their comfort zone they pull together, I don’t know how true this is? I suppose the bonding situation is stressful for them anyway
 
Bill & Ted said:
That might act in your favour actually. There is a theory that if they are out of their comfort zone they pull together, I don’t know how true this is? I suppose the bonding situation is stressful for them anyway
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Womble isnt usually bothered about being out in the open and often naps there but not in unfamiliar territory, he prefers to be in a place he feels comfortable.
 
Bill & Ted said:
Both bonds were as different as chalk and cheese! I am still reeling from that last bond when I think of it. just glad I was wearing very padded gloves 😆
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That bad? 😶 So they live separately now?
 
Tara95 said:
Good luck with the bonding! I've always been Lucky with bonding some how. I think a nuetered male with sows is the best match so the odds are in your favour! :) Xx
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I hope it goes well. They're even under the age of 1 so they are younger sows because I heard the younger the better chance of bonding with an older pig.
 
When Zara erupted I wouldn't have been able to catch her because she was chasing him round and round at full speed. I actually dropped a towel over her and then scooped her up. It's how my mum used to catch errant budgies!
 
Kellykels said:
That bad? 😶 So they live separately now?
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No Ginger and Posh are fine. They were a little bit rattled but they are together and fine. Posh is the boss and Ginger has always been the underpig. Ted obviously was accepted immediately by Posh so that kept the status quo. She obviously didn’t like the young upstart but why she flew at Ginger only a piggie would know 🙄
 
Free Ranger said:
When Zara erupted I wouldn't have been able to catch her because she was chasing him round and round at full speed. I actually dropped a towel over her and then scooped her up. It's how my mum used to catch errant budgies!
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Yes, that’s just like Posh was with Ginger, just like a cat fight, spinning around. I just waded in and grab Posh, thick gloves helped because she was biting down on my hand. Then Ginger immedia started rattling her teeth at Hector so then Ginger was promptly lifted out too :doh:
 
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