Introducing A New Sow To Is This Normal?

[lauralucy]

so I have a pair billy (4 and a half) and phoebe (just over 3) and a singleton snowy(10months) who have been living side by side for the 4 months.

when introduced or having play time phoebe would argue with snowy real face offs, teeth chattering and chasing.

I decided yesterday after seeing a snowy looking rather sad and left out on her own to try again out in the hallway they got on fine popcorning by snowy chasing rumbling trying to hump by both. took this as a good sign, as it was getting late and I had to go out I put them back in their own cages.

today (clean out day) I took out the divider of the messy cages and let them all meet phoebe was/is very protective and doesn't like sharing billy.

all went well humping chasing rumbling lots of noise. so I've taken this as a good sign, cleaned out the cages/cage, put fresh hay in, cleaned the water bottles and food dishes and put them all back in.

all seems to be going well lots of noise, one face off between phoebe and snowy seemed to resolve itself .

do I take this (for now) that its a good bonding? there has been no teeth chattering (i'm sat on the floor with my towel ready) just lots of chasing, rumbling and a few face to faces no teeth that I'm aware of.

Billy is now asleep in one corner phoebe eating and snowy is resting at the other end (2 minutes ago was resting 4 inches away from billy)

is it safe to go off and leave them?

they have a 6x2.5 c&c cage.

sorry for rambling!

 

[Wiebke]

I would think that they are well into the dominance phase. Just make sure that there aren't any hideys with single exits or corner (including hay lofts) where a piggy can be trapped. All you can do at this stage is keeping your fingers firmly crossed that the two girls will sort it out between them eventually. Billy will keep well out of what is a strictly sow hierarchy matter.

If you feel that the tension is still too high, please separate with grids and continue under your strict supervision when you are back home again.

Adding a third piggy to an existing well bonded pair is probably the trickiest bonding possible.

 

[lauralucy]

thank you 3 minutes after I posted that teeth chattering and launching at each other happened it would appear phoebe is not a piggy pig.

back in there own homes again.

back to the drawing board on what to do with snowy!

 

[Wiebke]

Would you consider getting Snowy her own sow friend or neutered "husboar"?

The best way is by dating a single piggy at a good rescue, so you have mutual liking as a solid foundation for a new relationship. There are a number of rescues with neutered boars that will rehome nationwide, like Honeybunnies just off the M1 by Leicester or RNGP Welfare in Rugby. Some RSPCA branches also a have a boar neutering policy, but the quality and piggy knowledge of each individual branch can vary enormously.

We now have a recommended rescues locator at the top under the forum logo.

 

[lauralucy]

I would love to but I don't have the room for another piggy. I already have 9, will have to see if she will settle with one of them (she wont go into the group on the first meeting she upset 4 of them)

 

[Wiebke]

It is always a real headache to settle difficult piggies; that's how I have ended up with four groups after starting to build up one big one! All the best for finding a suitable solution for Snowy.