I need help!

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bubble&squeak4ever

bubble&squeak4ever

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My 2 sows have started to show some aggression towards each other! They've been together 3 years and have always got on well but now they seem to be rumbling at each other more than usual and squeak seems to be giving bubble the odd little nip! As you probably know I'm saving for a new hutch for them as theirs is to small (because they don't use the bottom level), could this be why they're fighting? It seems to be mostly in the hutch but today I noticed that squeak nipped bubble while they were in the run (which left her with a teeny cut on her nose) What could be causing this? What should I do?
 
Ok thanks. I really don't know what to do. I'm sat here in floods of tears! When squeak nipped her bubble had a cut and it bled a bit does this count as 'blood being drawn'?
 
Well if blood was drawn blood was drawn ... :( I'm not an expert on this subject though so I'll bump this up and wait for some more experienced to reply :)
 
Another thing... I didn't actually see squeak nip bubble that's just what I'm assuming happened but I guess she could of cut herself some other way?
 
I have more than two girls, but mine haven't suddenly got more aggressive towards each other after years together without a big outside reason. It could be the too small hutch if they are used to bigger spaces or there could be a medical reason such as the beginnings of ovarian cysts.

If it was a tiny cut I would personally leave them in together - please offer other opinions if anybody has other ones.

How are they now? Is there humping? Head lunging to the side at the other one? Rumble strutting? Or are you seeing following, nose into the shoulder, ear grooming or repeated bottom sniffing? Are they shoulder to shoulder looking at you or are they at opposite ends of the space trying to diss each other? What is their body language please?
 
Well as it's dark now I don't know what there up to so I will tell you what they were like earlier. After I cleaned bubble's cut up a bit I put them back in the run together and sat and watched them for a bit. They wasn't any rumbling, nipping etc. apart from one chin to chin thing. Then when I put them back in the hutch... there was a few rumbles from squeak and a tiny half hearted nip (only because bubble tried to gain access to the pigloo that squeak was in which she wasn't happy about!). That was about it. I really think that it's the hutch size as it's only started since I brought them a big run which they've been in a lot recently. So I was thinking that it could be, because they've been in the run alot, their hutch seems extra small in comparison therefore they get in each others way and start having a go at each other? But as I said they're getting a new big hutch very soon!
 
It sounds as though you're right, any real bad blood between them would certainly have continued and escalated through the evening.

So, don't separate them. Try to give them as much space as possible and get the bigger hutch sorted out.

Also, it may help if you can remove anything that has a dead end, just put tunnels in, that way there is no smaller piece of space that can be 'mine' and they won't argue over it.

I also think it's likely that one of them is coming into season and is a bit more stroppy - that normal, dominance stuff kicks off at that point in my herd.

You are not having a good day are you. Lots of sympathy from me and my girls. Keep an eye on them, dole out the treats to both equally and try to relax a bit as they will pick up on your stress.

Very best of luck with the next few days, Sarah
 
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