Changed hutch bedding now fighting

[foxy2279]

Today i cleaned my two girls hutch. Put everything back the same way.

Trixie is now guarding the bedroom area and won't let Talulah in. There are two houses in there and nice soft hay. Every time Talulah tries to go in just through the gap Trixie will charge at her. Poor Talulah seems very upset.

I've had the girls over a month and upto now all has been fine. They have two houses in there and each sleeps in their own house. I thought Talulah was the lead piggie so this has come from no where.

Any advice i would be very grateful. My poor Talulah can't seem to work out whats going on.

 

[Jess]

There's one person I'm positive will know the answer - Guinea Guru Wiebke

 

[twiams]

It sounds like just normal dominance behaviour to me, when you clean a hutch or cage you take away the smell of the pigs that sometimes causes a bit of a tiff, it’s best to have hidey houses in complete different areas of the cage so the piggies can be safe and have there own areas to sleep in. It may calm down sooner or later just keep an eye on everything

 

[Silly]

Today i cleaned my two girls hutch. Put everything back the same way.

Trixie is now guarding the bedroom area and won't let Talulah in. There are two houses in there and nice soft hay. Every time Talulah tries to go in just through the gap Trixie will charge at her. Poor Talulah seems very upset.

I've had the girls over a month and upto now all has been fine. They have two houses in there and each sleeps in their own house. I thought Talulah was the lead piggie so this has come from no where.

Any advice i would be very grateful. My poor Talulah can't seem to work out whats going on.

This sounds exactly like episodes I have had with my two girls since I got them.

I have one more dominant one than the other but if the quiet one is hormonal will answer back and won't be submissive which does lead to sleepless nights (they are in the bedroom). Maybe make sure their houses are spaced out enough and so that they don't have to squeeze through a small area to get to their bedroom.

Do you think they are hormonal at the same time, if mine are hormonal together it's a nightmare but no blood has ever been drawn so I leave them.

Possibly your quiet one is hormonal at the moment. Usually after cleaning though they do soon put their scent back by the bum dragging.

I found it upsetting to sometimes see Titch getting what I thought was picked on but realised she was happy enough and eating and getting chubbier.

Hope things calm down, I read the bit about sow behaviour and it did help its at the top.

S

 

[klee]

It must be the weather for it, two of my girls had a bit of a squabble earlier and Tia got a nip on the ear ( very tiny scratch.
It may be that one or both have come into season, how old are they ? If they are pretty young, the first seasons they can have may be particularly strong and they can be particularly grumpy. I know for a fact that Ruby was in season yesterday as she was rumbling round like a loon.

As you have had your girls only a month it could well be normal dominance behaviour to decide who is boss and the change of bedding has provided an opportunity for this to begin again. x

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds like you have got a dominant girl that is still very insecure in herself, especially when she is challenged with changed surroundings. Just sit it out, as long as your undergirl has her own hidey, access to hay and water etc. and there are no fights.

They will eventually settle down together although it will probably be a rather slow process! I started out with a similar problem, but eventually my two girls became best of friends and very attached to each other, although you wouldn't have thought it from the very inauspicious beginnings. So all is not lost!

 

[foxy2279]

Thank you. It did settle down last night. Still the odd bit here and there she let Talulah in the the end.

 

[Silly]

Thank you. It did settle down last night. Still the odd bit here and there she let Talulah in the the end.

I bet once Talulah settles in you will be amazed how one day she starts rumbletruttin about, it's funny to watch a once quiet one doing it back. I know how it can be a worry though, my dominant one was so bad at the beginning I got her checked as I was paranoid she was a he lol.

S x

 

[foxy2279]

Thank you all. Still got a lot to learn about piggy behavior. I have removed the divider to the bedding area and put the two houses spaced away from each other. Both girls now have a clear run to the water,food and eating hay without having to pass the others house if they don't want to.