Grooming Fest!

[Taegijoon]

Hi Hi!

We have 7 pigs. 6 girls and 1 recently adopted boy, right now he is kept away from the girls as he wraps up his 6 week post neutered wait. I have done small lap intro's to the girls and boy is he really rowdy lol.

Anyways, over the weekend I wanted to give them floor time as I felt bad because I work weekdays and don't really have much time at home to play with them. On the weekend I cleared off my bed and placed freshly washed fleece down for them to play on. The girls were sniffing Oreo (our boy) up and then the girls began to groom each other and groom Oreo. It was just non-stop grooming! I even got groomed LOL two piggies came up and started pulling at my leg hair/ PJ pants.

I just wanted to know what this all signifies? I haven't seen much grooming from our girls previously. Only recently from our baby piggie who has broken out of her shell

Some of the girls didn't groom, Chai our fear-aggressive leader (currently recovering from bloat) was groom a lot but she did not groom anyone. She did however harass the HECK out of Oreo's bum with almost obsessive sniffing lol. He even pop corned around a bit because Chai kept following and really sticking her nose in there

My questions:
1. should I treat this as an introduction?
2. Should i treat this as a positive moment? As in, did Oreo create a more positive addition to the heard?
3. Should I still have an official introduction after the 6 weeks for Oreo?
4. The piggie's who didn't get groomed/ Didn't groom other's, should I be cautious of that?

I have read the illustrated guide on bonding/introductions so no need to link the thread, just curious on what this sudden moment can be interpreted as.


Thanks as always

 

[Wiebke]

Hi Hi!

We have 7 pigs. 6 girls and 1 recently adopted boy, right now he is kept away from the girls as he wraps up his 6 week post neutered wait. I have done small lap intro's to the girls and boy is he really rowdy lol.

Anyways, over the weekend I wanted to give them floor time as I felt bad because I work weekdays and don't really have much time at home to play with them. On the weekend I cleared off my bed and placed freshly washed fleece down for them to play on. The girls were sniffing Oreo (our boy) up and then the girls began to groom each other and groom Oreo. It was just non-stop grooming! I even got groomed LOL two piggies came up and started pulling at my leg hair/ PJ pants.

I just wanted to know what this all signifies? I haven't seen much grooming from our girls previously. Only recently from our baby piggie who has broken out of her shell

Some of the girls didn't groom, Chai our fear-aggressive leader (currently recovering from bloat) was groom a lot but she did not groom anyone. She did however harass the HECK out of Oreo's bum with almost obsessive sniffing lol. He even pop corned around a bit because Chai kept following and really sticking her nose in there

My questions:
1. should I treat this as an introduction?
2. Should i treat this as a positive moment? As in, did Oreo create a more positive addition to the heard?
3. Should I still have an official introduction after the 6 weeks for Oreo?
4. The piggie's who didn't get groomed/ Didn't groom other's, should I be cautious of that?

I have read the illustrated guide on bonding/introductions so no need to link the thread, just curious on what this sudden moment can be interpreted as.


Thanks as always

Hi!

It is a very positive gesture of friendship but you still need to conduct a formal introduction for Oreo on neutral ground when his time is up.
Crucial is which sows did groom him - the top brass or just the undersows?

He may pass acceptance with flying colours but that is just the very start of the much more complex bonding process in which then leadership and a new hierarchy needs to be established and worked out; the rough line on the day and the fine detail in the usually average two weeks following the formal introduction.
When that is not going smoothly or two piggies are not coming to an agreement at any point of this process, a bonding can still fail at any stage.

 

[Taegijoon]

Hi!

It is a very positive gesture of friendship but you still need to conduct a formal introduction for Oreo on neutral ground when his time is up.
Crucial is which sows did groom him - the top brass or just the undersows?

He may pass acceptance with flying colours but that is just the very start of the much more complex bonding process in which then leadership and a new hierarchy needs to be established and worked out; the rough line on the day and the fine detail in the usually average two weeks following the formal introduction.
When that is not going smoothly or two piggies are not coming to an agreement at any point of this process, a bonding can still fail at any stage.

Ah I see! Yes now that I rethink the under sows groomed him and only 3 of them did! Chai is our top sow and she was sniffing him a lot! Latte our second in command groomed him and she was groomed by two undersows. Wow how interesting!

So if Chai during the official introduction grooms should I take that as a good sign? One of my biggest questions for introductions is "how to tell when it's over" lol!

Thanks kindly!

 

[Taegijoon]

Hi!

It is a very positive gesture of friendship but you still need to conduct a formal introduction for Oreo on neutral ground when his time is up.
Crucial is which sows did groom him - the top brass or just the undersows?

He may pass acceptance with flying colours but that is just the very start of the much more complex bonding process in which then leadership and a new hierarchy needs to be established and worked out; the rough line on the day and the fine detail in the usually average two weeks following the formal introduction.
When that is not going smoothly or two piggies are not coming to an agreement at any point of this process, a bonding can still fail at any stage.

Sorry another question omggggg lol

So Oreo effects the Sow hierarchy ? I thought the currently standing hierarchy would stay in place since they're sows and Oreo would kind of be there :O
ex: if Oreo want to be the more dominant one and Chai disagrees could this be a problem? Thanks so much!

 

[Wiebke]

Sorry another question omggggg lol

So Oreo effects the Sow hierarchy ? I thought the currently standing hierarchy would stay in place since they're sows and Oreo would kind of be there :O
ex: if Oreo want to be the more dominant one and Chai disagrees could this be a problem? Thanks so much!

There are two hierarchies in the group: the sow hierarchy and the overall group hierarchy. Any boar will fit into the latter wherever he punches in the weight classes figuring out where is one of the stages of the bonding process.

Problems can arise when he aims for the top spot or the top lady is not minded to allow a boar in (the latter usually with very dominant older sows) or if one of the lower ranked ladies will not accept a demotion in rank and the other sows side with her. If they side with the boar, then she will usually submit.