Girls fighting

[kirst10]

Is this common...?

Initially the little tawny piglet Nuggit, would pick and chase Poppet, but its completely swapped over all of a sudden and Nuggit wont move once Poppet has has a nip of her...

I've taken out any hidey holes, just left a few toys, one willow bridge and two bowls of nuggets & i'm keeping an ear and eye out, because if i sit there i can't help but intervene.

I expected this off the boys went they were introduced and they were both very independent alpha types, but they got on like two peas in a pod!
The girls are clearly not from the same litter, Nuggit is slightly younger - but i thought with them being so young, they'd be grand... i can't afford to separate them, all i have is one 120 ferplast and 2 100 ferplast's in a very small house. I can't do C&C yet until we reconfigure house lol, but I'm worried the baba's wont settle.

 

[sharonS]

I don't know if it is common, I have 4 girls living together and there was a couple of days about 2 months ago when I thought I was going to have to split them up. Lots of teeth chattering heads were raised and then they would fly at one another, it looked like one ball of fur. I had to throw a towel over them to separate them. The other two guineas ran and hid. It eventually settled down and no blood had been drawn, so they remain together to this day and get on fine now, must just be a dominance thing. The alpha sow is still top pig.rolleyes

 

[piggyfan]

This is normal. There always has to be a dominant piggy. It is just the way they are. Taking away the hidey house will not allow them to have an area to feel safe in. You must ensure you have two of everything to stop any fighting over things.

 

[kirst10]

It seems more like bullying than a fight for dominance though =/ Nuggit is incredibly laid back, Poppet will just go over to her while she's eating and snap at her, then chase her, pin her, nip etc.
Theres two bridges/hideys, one wood ,one cardboard - two nugget bowls, mountain of hay, some toys. It seems too cruel to have the little one who looks incredibly tired (new rescue dog's been hankering at them all day) being chased rabbid when she's clearly made signs all day of submission.

 

[piggyfan]

It is cruel and horrible. Maybe introducing a third piggy will help with the dimensions? Do you have the space?

 

[Abi_nurse]

Girls can display quite a bit of dominance on one another, but providing no blood is drawn i would stick with it and they should settle down. I agree that a third might help. Or even better a neutered boar. Since my boars been in the herd he really takes control of being the boss and very little actual fighting happens, just the odd tiff which is normal.

x

 

[kirst10]

It is cruel and horrible. Maybe introducing a third piggy will help with the dimensions? Do you have the space?

Really can't, my house is like a boot, the cage they're currently in will only last a few months when they start getting bigger, so having 3 would mean my bedroom would be theres and i'd be on the sofa =s as much as i love pigs, i need a bed too!

 

[kirst10]

Girls can display quite a bit of dominance on one another, but providing no blood is drawn i would stick with it and they should settle down. I agree that a third might help. Or even better a neutered boar. Since my boars been in the herd he really takes control of being the boss and very little actual fighting happens, just the odd tiff which is normal.

x

I really don't have the space for three =[ & i don't think i could take another boar. As horrible as it sounds, i'd favor him - i've always loved boars. They've been quiet for an hour now, only just started chattering and chasing but no distress noises. Ack, =S