Formerly Bonded Piggies Fighting After 1 Week of Separation

[cocoa3007]

I have two bonded skinny sows that have lived together happily for over a year now. Every once in a while there will be some rumble strutting but nothing more, and they often sleep closeby out in the open together.

Last week we were having outside time and one of them was injured, and after a trip to the vet they wanted me to separate them for one week so I could closely monitor the injured one. Luckily she recovered very quickly and is now back to full health! Their cages were next to each other the whole time, they could see each other and often sniffed at each other through the gaps in the grid.

I just put them back together and to my surprise they immediately started chattering. After a few minutes of chattering, running around, scent marking, and rumble strutting they actually went at each other and I had to separate them and put them back in their separate cages for now. I want to give them the night to cool off but really want them to get back to living together, as they both get quite lonely on their own.

Does anyone have any advice on reuniting them, or what might be causing the rift?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I'm so sorry the vet told you to separate them. Unfortunately vets can sometimes underestimate the damage separating them can do. Separating under medical circumstances is usually completely unnecessary and as you are finding can actually ruin a bond meaning they can never live together again.

First things first - did you carry out the reintroduction on neutral territory?
Or did you just put one of them directly into the cage that the other had spent the week in?

Putting them straight into the cage the other had been in will be seen as a Territory invasion and can cause fights. Introductions must always be done somewhere neither of them see as their own space.

If you did not introduce in neutral territory, then I would leave them apart a day or two and then try to reintroduce on neutral territory. Be prepared that if their dispute was because they genuinely do not want to be together anymore then issues will occur again and they need to be separated again and this time it will be permanent.

If that happens to be the case they won’t be lonely living side by side as they can still interact between the bars.
There are a few of us who have side by side piggies due to fall outs

Thread 'Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics'

Jan 23, 2019

1 Introduction
2 Pre-bonding
- Quarantine and sexing
- The need for a plan B
- The rule-breaker: Youngsters under 4 months (sub-teenage)
3 Setting up an introduction
- Getting to know each other
- ‘Buddy baths’ – why not
- Setting up a neutral bonding area
- How to start the bonding
4 Acceptance phase: Do we like each other?
- Friendly getting to know...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonding and Bereavement

• 

Thread 'Bonds In Trouble'

Oct 30, 2017

Overview
1 Causes for bonds to fall apart
2 Bonds in Crisis
- What are the signs of a dysfunctional bond?
- Bullying
- How can I test whether a bond is no longer working?
3 Failed bonds and what next?
- What to do if my piggies have had a major fight?
- When rebonding doesn't work out


1 Causes for bonds to fall apart

Every fall-out has of course its...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonding and Bereavement

•