It's like a pay per view ultimate fighting match

[GiddyUpGo]

My daughter adopted two piggies from a friend, a boar and a sow. She already has a young sow who is maybe five months old and she hoped the two sows could be cagemates. They've been getting used to each other in separate cages for a couple of weeks, but when she tries to put them together -- in a neutral space, just a box with a towel in it -- the older sow (she's probably two) just brutally attacks the younger one. There's no blood so it maybe looks worse than it is, and my daughter quickly separates them. We're not sure where to go from here ... we're new pig owners but we did successfully introduce our younger pig to an older one a few months ago (the older one died suddenly a couple of months later) so we didn't expect it would be this challenging to do it a second time. This new pig is a lot older so maybe just set in her ways? We're concerned we won't ever be able to put them together, and my daughter can't really rehome them because they belonged to her friend and she promised to take care of them.

Would appreciate any insight and suggestions. Thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

My daughter adopted two piggies from a friend, a boar and a sow. She already has a young sow who is maybe five months old and she hoped the two sows could be cagemates. They've been getting used to each other in separate cages for a couple of weeks, but when she tries to put them together -- in a neutral space, just a box with a towel in it -- the older sow (she's probably two) just brutally attacks the younger one. There's no blood so it maybe looks worse than it is, and my daughter quickly separates them. We're not sure where to go from here ... we're new pig owners but we did successfully introduce our younger pig to an older one a few months ago (the older one died suddenly a couple of months later) so we didn't expect it would be this challenging to do it a second time. This new pig is a lot older so maybe just set in her ways? We're concerned we won't ever be able to put them together, and my daughter can't really rehome them because they belonged to her friend and she promised to take care of them.

Would appreciate any insight and suggestions. Thank you!

Hi!

Unfortunately, it sounds like this bonding is never going to work.
By far not all bondings ever work out when one party is not happy about/insecure/afraid of new company or if the personalities don't mesh.
My guess would be that the new sow is feeling stress and is fear-aggressive.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

How has the friend kept the two piggies? Were they living together (with the boar neutered) or alone?
I don't have enough background information to answer your other questions.

 

[GiddyUpGo]

Thanks for your reply. The boar isn't neutered so the two were kept in separate cages. The sow was kept with a companion maybe six months ago? But her companion died and she's been alone since then.

Hi!

Unfortunately, it sounds like this bonding is never going to work.
By far not all bondings ever work out when one party is not happy about/insecure/afraid of new company or if the personalities don't mesh.
My guess would be that the new sow is feeling stress and is fear-aggressive.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

How has the friend kept the two piggies? Were they living together (with the boar neutered) or alone?
I don't have enough background information to answer your other questions.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your reply. The boar isn't neutered so the two were kept in separate cages. The sow was kept with a companion maybe six months ago? But her companion died and she's been alone since then.

I thought she may have likely been a single and not used to sharing her space with another piggy. I often see this kind of reaction in sows that have either been single from the start or after the loss of a companion since baby days so they overreact because they don't have a handle on how to deal with another new piggy and are insecure/afraid. I call this reaction fear-aggression.

Unfortunately it is not at all easy to work past and takes in my own experience usually months and more than one candidate to work past until they have worked through their fear issues enough that they can eventually settle with a completely non-aggressive piggy. My dumped human-orientated ex-single Beryn took a full one and a half year to get used to interacting with other piggies and many failed bondings until she finally found an elderly submissive sow she is very happy with.

Could you keep your sow next to the boar again in adjoining cages (if she is noticeably happier being next to him) or is the boar bonded with another boar now? If the sow and boar are indeed best friends through the bars, would you consider neutering (depending on the country you are in and the massively varying operation cost)?
Here is all the information on neutering and neutering ops: Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

At least you should not have to worry about surprise babies...

 

[GiddyUpGo]

Our younger sow isn't aggressive at all, which is why it's so heartbreaking to see her get bullied like that. I do think neutering our boar would be a good option; he and the new sow have known each other for a long time so I think they probably could share a cage. I just have to find a vet around here who will do it and hope it doesn't cost a fortune. Thanks for your input!