Hi
I got some very good advice and support on here a couple of days ago about bonding our 2 year old boy (Skittles) with a rescue pig of similar age (I am calling him Little Pig for the moment until we know if we are going to keep him).
We put them in the run in the garden for the initial meeting. After a very positive initial few minutes Little Pig became very dominant, with lots of chasing and humping. Skittles did not seem to like this at all to start with, but things calmed down a bit (I actually moved them to an indoor pen with nothing but a pile of hay, and that seemed to help) and in the morning I put them in the hutch together.
They've now been in there three days and seem to get on ok, sharing piles of hay and fresh veg. There is still some dominance behaviour from Little Pig, but Skittles is quick to do a 'I'm no threat' weeking noise, and they get on ok. My concern is this:
The hutch we have is two tier, and only Skittles uses the ramp. Little Pig seems to want to, but is too nervous. As a result, Little Pig stays downstairs all the time, and Skittles goes up and down as he wants to. I am afraid that because Skittles has the option to totally hide from Little Pig whenever he wants, they won't be able to properly sort out their relationship and the dominance issues. What will then happen when I put them in the run in the garden at the end of the two week bonding period? Will they get testy with each other again when Skittles realises he can't get away completely from Little Pig? Little Pig seems very interested in Skittles and I think really wants to be friends, but his dominance may just be too much for Skittles.
Really any help and advice would be gratefully received!
Another (shorter!) question: can we get them out to hold during this two week period, or is it best to totally leave them to it? I am missing cuddles with Skittles.
Thanks!
I got some very good advice and support on here a couple of days ago about bonding our 2 year old boy (Skittles) with a rescue pig of similar age (I am calling him Little Pig for the moment until we know if we are going to keep him).
We put them in the run in the garden for the initial meeting. After a very positive initial few minutes Little Pig became very dominant, with lots of chasing and humping. Skittles did not seem to like this at all to start with, but things calmed down a bit (I actually moved them to an indoor pen with nothing but a pile of hay, and that seemed to help) and in the morning I put them in the hutch together.
They've now been in there three days and seem to get on ok, sharing piles of hay and fresh veg. There is still some dominance behaviour from Little Pig, but Skittles is quick to do a 'I'm no threat' weeking noise, and they get on ok. My concern is this:
The hutch we have is two tier, and only Skittles uses the ramp. Little Pig seems to want to, but is too nervous. As a result, Little Pig stays downstairs all the time, and Skittles goes up and down as he wants to. I am afraid that because Skittles has the option to totally hide from Little Pig whenever he wants, they won't be able to properly sort out their relationship and the dominance issues. What will then happen when I put them in the run in the garden at the end of the two week bonding period? Will they get testy with each other again when Skittles realises he can't get away completely from Little Pig? Little Pig seems very interested in Skittles and I think really wants to be friends, but his dominance may just be too much for Skittles.
Really any help and advice would be gratefully received!
Another (shorter!) question: can we get them out to hold during this two week period, or is it best to totally leave them to it? I am missing cuddles with Skittles.
Thanks!