Bonding my piggies

[I love piggies123]

Hi
This is my second post on this forum so hopefully I’ve put it in the right place this time lol
Just was wondering if I could get some advice - or for someone to confirm that my bonding is going okay haha
Today I’ve introduced my two older sows (6/7months old) and my two babies (8 weeks old) and everything seems to be going okay so far

However one of my older sows seems to be pushing one of the babies out of the way but the baby just runs away. Is this a good sign?
Also the other older one doesn’t seem to be interested in the babies at all apart from a few butt sniffs to begin with.
Will fighting occur instantly if it’s going to happen or can it happen later on?
Thank you and sorry for the long post!

 

[Piggies&buns]

You have put it in the right place!

These are our bonding guides and they will give you the tools to decipher the behaviours you are seeing.
However, what you are describing sounds to be as expected.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

 

[Wiebke]

Hi
This is my second post on this forum so hopefully I’ve put it in the right place this time lol
Just was wondering if I could get some advice - or for someone to confirm that my bonding is going okay haha
Today I’ve introduced my two older sows (6/7months old) and my two babies (8 weeks old) and everything seems to be going okay so far

However one of my older sows seems to be pushing one of the babies out of the way but the baby just runs away. Is this a good sign?
Also the other older one doesn’t seem to be interested in the babies at all apart from a few butt sniffs to begin with.
Will fighting occur instantly if it’s going to happen or can it happen later on?
Thank you and sorry for the long post!

Hi

After initial acceptance, any dominance interaction will only happen between the piggy ranked straight above in the hierarchy; the leader will stay aloof and insist on their personal privacy sphere. Babies are generally put firmly in their place at the bottom of the hierarchy by the lowest ranked older sow. It will look and sounds much more dramatic than it actually is. Piggies don't hurt babies.

Please remove any huts with just one exit during the first 2 weeks and follow the advice in our bonding guides where you'll find group bonding videos and special chapters on sow and baby bonding aspects as well.

Sows usually don't fight because they are wired to live in groups and work together; their equivalent of a fighting bite is a mouthful of hair.

Teenage boar fights are generally the result of human pet keeping not respecting their needs at all - buying babies for looks without thought for a personality match and then sticking them into cages that are too small and where the under piggy cannot remove themselves from the premises peacefully once the teenage hormone spikes... It's not boars that deserve a bad press but the way piggies are sold and owners who don't research properly!

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)