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I have 3 females (rescued) who get on well together. I also took 2 unsterilized males who needed a new home. Although together for the first 6 months of their lives a few weeks after I had them they began to fall out. Vets said it was sexual maturity and I had them both neutered so that I could try again and if not, split up the females and end up with 2 gruops of pigs.
I took all the info. off the forum re introductions -gave up on the males getting on after several tries- then put 1 male next to females in outdoor run. Did this several times and they knew each others smells well. Females all very interested in him. I then took up the run divider and one of the females (the most adventurous and friendly) rushed over into his box in the run and stayed there for some time, some male behaviour, but they ended up in the same box and O.K. together. So I paired them up in the run.
The male was fine (surprised I think). I did the run thing for the two of them several times, then made a new neutral new home for them in the shed. Good size = 135cms x 70cms approx, and 3 boxes to rest plus on box to sit on top of. They have never had fights about food - 2 bowls, fresh food spread around etc, and both may try and take something they love from the other. The issue seems to be male territorialness. He chases her around, usual g-pig noises and body movements, and does not want her to go into any of the 3 nest areas. I see this every morning when I go to feed them. I know I must not humanise this but I do not want her to have to put up with this every day forevermore. I don't think it's fair on her. They have never had bad fights but I think things get heated and eventually it looks as if she is being bullied. By the way the male had been sterilized for 7 weeks when I put them together in the shed, vet advised 6 weeks for hormone levels to drop even though infertile before that. They have been together 6 days now - how long do I go on? I know also that there are plenty of hours when I hear no noise from the shed and they are resting or at least rubbing along O.K. However, I never see them settle in the same nest which I think should happen sometimes if they are happily paired.
Please HELP. I've also read that you have to stick at it and too many tries at bonding make things less likely to be successful. This male was also the less dominant of the two and although he tried to stand up for himself, always ended up being chased endlessly by the other male.
I fell inclined to seperate them in a few days when I next clean them out and reintroduce her to her female companions, as I find the situation stressful and I'm unhappy having put the female in this situation.
Jillian
I took all the info. off the forum re introductions -gave up on the males getting on after several tries- then put 1 male next to females in outdoor run. Did this several times and they knew each others smells well. Females all very interested in him. I then took up the run divider and one of the females (the most adventurous and friendly) rushed over into his box in the run and stayed there for some time, some male behaviour, but they ended up in the same box and O.K. together. So I paired them up in the run.
The male was fine (surprised I think). I did the run thing for the two of them several times, then made a new neutral new home for them in the shed. Good size = 135cms x 70cms approx, and 3 boxes to rest plus on box to sit on top of. They have never had fights about food - 2 bowls, fresh food spread around etc, and both may try and take something they love from the other. The issue seems to be male territorialness. He chases her around, usual g-pig noises and body movements, and does not want her to go into any of the 3 nest areas. I see this every morning when I go to feed them. I know I must not humanise this but I do not want her to have to put up with this every day forevermore. I don't think it's fair on her. They have never had bad fights but I think things get heated and eventually it looks as if she is being bullied. By the way the male had been sterilized for 7 weeks when I put them together in the shed, vet advised 6 weeks for hormone levels to drop even though infertile before that. They have been together 6 days now - how long do I go on? I know also that there are plenty of hours when I hear no noise from the shed and they are resting or at least rubbing along O.K. However, I never see them settle in the same nest which I think should happen sometimes if they are happily paired.
Please HELP. I've also read that you have to stick at it and too many tries at bonding make things less likely to be successful. This male was also the less dominant of the two and although he tried to stand up for himself, always ended up being chased endlessly by the other male.
I fell inclined to seperate them in a few days when I next clean them out and reintroduce her to her female companions, as I find the situation stressful and I'm unhappy having put the female in this situation.
Jillian
