Introducing A New Baby.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Holliemcclymont

Holliemcclymont

New Born Pup
Joined
Nov 10, 2015
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
20
Hello! I adopted two female piggys about 5 months ago, the pet store were unsure of their ages but they were large and out of baby stage so perhaps a year or two old. The Piggys have been together from a young age and were given up by their last family who couldn't take care of them. I've had my babies for 5 months as I said and everything has been great. They have their own room and everything they want, they are very friendly, they cuddle up together constantly and it is lovely to watch them bond and play and groom one another, they never, ever fight.... That is until today!
On Friday I went to the pet store to pick up hay and food and treats for my babies, the pet store had a lot of new piggies in and there was a beautiful little baby girl that I just didn't wanted to leave! The pet store advised me that I could safely care for the little baby and it would take around 2 weeks to fully Introduce her to my older piggys. All had been going well! I have Introduced them on neutral grounds and let them interact with each other for around an hour each day - with my supervision of course. They have been getting along brilliantly, playing and squeeking and running around, the baby was even popcorning which was lovely to see. So now it's Tuesday, I've come home from work, got the girls out and fed them and had a play and got the baby out, all was going well and then out of the blue one of my older girls started to attacked the baby. Then my other older girl started to attack the baby. Then the older girls started to violently attack one another. They were displaying really aggressive and angry signs when split up and kept edging towards fighting again.
I put the baby away in her cage thinking maybe it was because she was out, however the fighting continued and I had to separate them.
They are fine now, they are happy and cuddled up and the baby is away in her house.
Any help?
 
I think its all about working out who's dominant over who.

Mine have all done the same for the first hour of putting new piggies in and once they've worked out whos gonna be the boss piggy they have been fine! It can be scary but sometimes you have to let it happen or they'll never be together peacefully.

BUT IF THERE IS BLOOD SHED separate them immediately. You don't want to put any piggies at risk. IF FIGHTING GOES ON FOR LONGER THAN AN HOUR, separate them. There might be little nips and bites after but if its fighting, you may have to give up the newbie, or fins her a friend in a separate cage


When I introduced my eldest to two younger girls they fought with the girls and each other and both are rumble strutting and chattering, nipping but once they settled, they're all fine and a happy family now!

Hope this helps!
 
Thank you got the reply! Really put my mind at rest to know that it's somewhat normal behaviour.
As I watched them more it seemed as though my two older ones were fighting over the baby. They didn't harm the baby at all, just protected her and played with her but they were very mean to each other and displaying really dominant behaviour with lots of little attacks.
They are fine now though and cuddled up happily, silly piggies! I'm wondering if they are fighting for dominance now that there's a new piggy and perhaps they are sorting out the hierarchy. Hope they sort their differences soon and start being my lovely cuddly piggies again xx
 
That's exactly it! Sorting out the hierarchy just need to give them the time to do it with the new piggy present just keep and eye on them!
 
I don't think so, they are kinda just showing who's boss I think but no1 is winning. They are sat together again now cuddling but as soon as my boyfriend came in they started at it again x
 
I hope it all calms down soon. It's a very stressful thing to witness. :hug:
 
I've only been splitting them up as that's what the pet store worker advised, they said to let them play together and bond for an hour or two a day for two weeks before letting them share the same home? They are in the same room just in separate cages. They have around 3 hours together a day when I'm sat in with them.
Do you think I should make the ground neutral and let them all stay in the same cage from now on? X
 
Yea, have them sit in neutral ground for as long as you can, then in a large, cleaned cage with no prior scent. It will make it worse the more days you go on because basically you keep hitting reset on introing them. They need to be together once after an intro. It pointless to do it a few hours a day.
 
Thank you :) blinking pet shop worker telling me to do the wrong thing! My poor piggies! I've done as you said, they are all together now in their fresh home and seem very content! Fingers crossed they don't have any little scraps. Thank you so much for your help! X
 
Happy as Larry. You can barely see the tiny baby In the corner as she's yet black c

image.webp
 
That's great, cute little guys. I would suggest keeping them together in that cage for 3 days to a week without taking one out to not disrupt them, or give cause to have two gang up on one once one returns. Also In the picture that cage looks small for three or maybe it's long, I don't know. But if they are fine in it, over time as the baby grows, then space will decrease and then they may start fighting out of no where. Also if the baby goes through growth spurts it will at some point may try to challenge back, and more space always takes that away from them. So I'd suggest looking online for a used big cage on say craigslist etc. It sounds screwed up to say, but there's always a lot more cages for sale listed than pigs as a lot pass or people get rid of them. So you could find one real cheap if you need too. They look good and they both know it's a baby. You just don't want to provide an opening in the future where they reject her or turn on her.
 
Thank you :) it's a pretty big cage, it's really long and does half way across the wall and they have 2 other little houses inside the cage so there's room for them all to have their own sleeping place, or all sleep in the big shelter together and plenty of room to run around :) I always leave the cage open as they have their own room so they have run of the room 24/7 so loadsssss of space with lots of home made hiding spaces and no wires etc x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top