First Time Bonding Piggies

[DylElla]

So my rescue Holly who we picked up on Saturday is doing really well and I've found her a companion, little 8 week old Poppy (photo below) who we collect on Saturday. I've got another cage so was going to put Poppy's cage a little away from Hollys but next to it so they can see/talk to each other for a bit then order the run for the girls (don't want to risk using the one I use for the boys) and do first introduction on neutral territory, hay and veggies with no tunnels or anything then if all is ok after a few hours add some hiding places but with more than one entrance?

I want to join their cages and put them both in so I've read I'll need to wash everything so neither cage smells of either piggy, is this right? Any tips appreciated.

 

[GPcrazy]

I've never done it before, so no firsthand tips, but based in a thread I read in here recently don't rush to put them in the new cage. Make sure they are fully bonded and not just tolerating each other before you move them. Not sure how you know the difference though.

 

[Wiebke]

So my rescue Holly who we picked up on Saturday is doing really well and I've found her a companion, little 8 week old Poppy (photo below) who we collect on Saturday. I've got another cage so was going to put Poppy's cage a little away from Hollys but next to it so they can see/talk to each other for a bit then order the run for the girls (don't want to risk using the one I use for the boys) and do first introduction on neutral territory, hay and veggies with no tunnels or anything then if all is ok after a few hours add some hiding places but with more than one entrance?

I want to join their cages and put them both in so I've read I'll need to wash everything so neither cage smells of either piggy, is this right? Any tips appreciated.

View attachment 52000

Hi!

We have got some very detailed guides, which you may find helpful. Sub-teenage babies (even more so single babies) are usually absolutely desperate for company, so please either quarantine properly in another room for 2 weeks or decide to risk it and have her next to Holly for a night before you do the formal intros - or introduce straightaway on neutral territory if you have several hours' time to supervise in one go on that day to let them work through the main parts of the bonding (acceptance and then the main hierarchy sort-out).
Once you are sure that the girls get on, you can then clean and rearrange the new cage. With youngsters it is not quite as important that you completely neutralise everything as when you are dating teenagers or adults as their is no question of a potential hostile takeover a piggy's territory by an invader.

You have to brace yourself for the fact that youngsters are firmly put in their place at the bottom of the hierarchy (mums do it, too, at the end of the nursing period when the babies lose their protected status and become full members of the group. With babies, that usually translates to lots of drama and submission squeaking etc. You have to sit through that and not intervene. Not every single piggy will necessarily like or be able to deal with a new companion, so dominance can vary enormously depending on how confident Holly is in herself and with the company of a new piggy.

Please take the time to read these guides here:
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

 

[Tiamolly123]

The only thing I would say apart from Wiebke advice. I had 2 sows coming up to a divider, looked really cute & was kissing or noses, it seemed as they were missing each other, I had to separate the two herds to have a even number in the C&C cages so they had even number in the cages. Anyway when they were put together they fought. Your should be able to bond them just stand by in case anything happens. I have bonded an adult with 2 babies & everthing was good.

 

[Tiamolly123]

gorgeous piggy love the colouring

 

[DylElla]

Hi!

We have got some very detailed guides, which you may find helpful. Sub-teenage babies (even more so single babies) are usually absolutely desperate for company, so please either quarantine properly in another room for 2 weeks or decide to risk it and have her next to Holly for a night before you do the formal intros - or introduce straightaway on neutral territory if you have several hours' time to supervise in one go on that day to let them work through the main parts of the bonding (acceptance and then the main hierarchy sort-out).
Once you are sure that the girls get on, you can then clean and rearrange the new cage. With youngsters it is not quite as important that you completely neutralise everything as when you are dating teenagers or adults as their is no question of a potential hostile takeover a piggy's territory by an invader.

You have to brace yourself for the fact that youngsters are firmly put in their place at the bottom of the hierarchy (mums do it, too, at the end of the nursing period when the babies lose their protected status and become full members of the group. With babies, that usually translates to lots of drama and submission squeaking etc. You have to sit through that and not intervene. Not every single piggy will necessarily like or be able to deal with a new companion, so dominance can vary enormously depending on how confident Holly is in herself and with the company of a new piggy.

Please take the time to read these guides here:
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

Thank you so much. We're getting poppy on Saturday morning so I think I'll put her next to Holly for Saturday then on Sunday I can be home all day and focus on introducing them in the run but I'll definitely read the guides. I have had a quick glance but will read in more detail.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much. We're getting poppy on Saturday morning so I think I'll put her next to Holly for Saturday then on Sunday I can be home all day and focus on introducing them in the run but I'll definitely read the guides. I have had a quick glance but will read in more detail.

Best of luck! You want to have a free day; and when bonding adult/older piggies preferably two.

 

[DylElla]

So if all goes well in the run on Sunday can they go in the cage together at the end of the day?

 

[Wiebke]

So if all goes well in the run on Sunday can they go in the cage together at the end of the day?

If all goes well, they can go in the cage anytime between half an hour to two days. It all depends on how well the bonding goes; I've had youngsters that just walked into a group pen, and those 10 seconds was all it took - there was the inevitable dominance to put them in their place in the hierarchy, but I've also had bondings (mostly with older sows) which have taken more than one day to settle or have failed altogether when piggies took a pretty instant dislike to each other or the dominance problem could not be agreed upon. There are no hard and fast rules; each bonding is unique and relies on the dynamics between the personalities involved.

I would recommend to wait until they have had their first nap closer together in the bonding pen and are still fine with each other (exchange of friendly gestures like kissing, popcorning, eating from the same bowl etc.) afterwards.

 

[DylElla]

Ok great thank you. If the run doesn't turn up by Sunday will they be ok side by side until Monday possibly Tuesday?