Help! Dominance change after cleaning cage

Rustieboi22

Rustieboi22

New Born Pup
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Hello, we’ve 2 girls with us for a week already. Pork and Katsu (Abyssinian 6 months and American 5 months) When we first got them, we were told that Pork the Abyssinian is the dominant one but today after cleaning / changing the cage

Katsu the American peed on Pork and since then Pork has been actively avoiding and seemly scared or annoyed at Katsu

Katsu has always been the timid one but the role has been reversed with Katsu now eating most of the time and Pork just hiding, not eating much

What is going on? Is this a power dynamics change / territorial dispute? Should we be worried? :eek:
 
It all sounds normal. You have to remember that they take two weeks to settle the hierarchy and relationship when they move into new homes. They’re only a week in.

Peeing on another piggy is also normal and is kind of a ‘get away’ sign.
 
Siikibam said:
It all sounds normal. You have to remember that they take two weeks to settle the hierarchy and relationship when they move into new homes. They’re only a week in.

Peeing on another piggy is also normal and is kind of a ‘get away’ sign.
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Okay :roll: Thank you. We were pretty worried because Pork have always been the active and eating non stop hay buffet one haha...so we were surprise to see the sudden changes
 
If you find your girls are being set off by cleaning the cage, then it can be best to not clean the whole cage in one go - do half one day and the other half another - that way it still smells of them. Territorial issues can be more of a boar thing, but it may help them feel more settled and realise the space is still theirs
 
Rustieboi22 said:
Hello, we’ve 2 girls with us for a week already. Pork and Katsu (Abyssinian 6 months and American 5 months) When we first got them, we were told that Pork the Abyssinian is the dominant one but today after cleaning / changing the cage

Katsu the American peed on Pork and since then Pork has been actively avoiding and seemly scared or annoyed at Katsu

Katsu has always been the timid one but the role has been reversed with Katsu now eating most of the time and Pork just hiding, not eating much

What is going on? Is this a power dynamics change / territorial dispute? Should we be worried? :eek:
Click to expand...

Hi

Please be aware that a cage change can trigger a hierarchy sort-out in boars; especially those where a new relationship is not yet fully stablilised. A stronger season can also trigger a new round of dominance. In those situations allow your girls a little romp on the new fleece before putting it into the case; that way the cage is already scent-marked as their territory when you transfer them.
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

Please be aware that a cage change can trigger a hierarchy sort-out in boars; especially those where a new relationship is not yet fully stablilised. A stronger season can also trigger a new round of dominance. In those situations allow your girls a little romp on the new fleece before putting it into the case; that way the cage is already scent-marked as their territory when you transfer them.
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Click to expand...
Thank you! Will try that method out next time ;)
 
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