Slow bond nervous babies/ fluffy

Emx93

Emx93

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So fluffy has baby neighbours as I'm sure you've all seen, I'm wondering how soon they should settle in, I wanted to neighbour for a couple of weeks before trying an introduction but the babies seem quite nervous, they're tame as in happy being handled but I haven't seen them eat and they are a bit small, one hasn't gained weight and ones lost about 15g (which is negligible in an adult but I'm not sure how this works with 8 week old babies). Fluffy has shown positive signs of grooming at the divide and seems quite interested but the babies are pinned in a hidey 24/7. I'm wondering whether trying an introduction sooner may help their confidence if they have a grown piggy to learn from or whether it may make them worse. They are 8weeks 4 days and currently 312g and 320g 💖 there's no signs of illness so I think they are just still settling in 😊 xx
 
Emx93 said:
So fluffy has baby neighbours as I'm sure you've all seen, I'm wondering how soon they should settle in, I wanted to neighbour for a couple of weeks before trying an introduction but the babies seem quite nervous, they're tame as in happy being handled but I haven't seen them eat and they are a bit small, one hasn't gained weight and ones lost about 15g (which is negligible in an adult but I'm not sure how this works with 8 week old babies). Fluffy has shown positive signs of grooming at the divide and seems quite interested but the babies are pinned in a hidey 24/7. I'm wondering whether trying an introduction sooner may help their confidence if they have a grown piggy to learn from or whether it may make them worse. They are 8weeks 4 days and currently 312g and 320g 💖 there's no signs of illness so I think they are just still settling in 😊 xx
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Hi!

Babies should be introduced as soon as possible. Their need for belonging to a group and a guardian to take care of them and lead them is overwhelming.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
OK so they are in the bonding pen, all currently huddled in hay, fluffy has her head on caramels bum. That's the closest I've seen her get to another pig since princess, still plenty of time to go wrong but this is improvement on instantly attacking them!
 
Emx93 said:
OK so they are in the bonding pen, all currently huddled in hay, fluffy has her head on caramels bum. That's the closest I've seen her get to another pig since princess, still plenty of time to go wrong but this is improvement on instantly attacking them!
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I’ve got my fingers (and piggy paws) firmly crossed for success!
 
I'm really hoping all goes well for you, you have been through enough with your pets lately. X Come on girls play ball!
 
Got everything crossed 🤞 seen babies eat now when fluffys eating, bit of chasing from fluffy when one of them startles her but nothing outside of what I'd expect, they're huddling in hay together most of the time 🤞🤞🤞🤞 please be friends please be friends!
 
A lot of the dominance now to be honest is between the two sisters... I think they have to reistablish heirachy don't they now fluffy is in the mix... My cats been at the vet all day so when the vet called about my cat and I was mid bonding I asked about the babies weights and she said they're fine 😊
 
I do so love a happy ending. Yes, you can add houses with 2 exits now. Fingers crossed.... sounds like Fluffy doesn’t feel challenged or threatened and has fallen for their cute baby charm
My Ralph (Holly’s husboar) was a nightmare to bond, having dated every single sow that came into the rescue and even he fell for the charms of a baby sow.
 
Awwww... trying to figure out which end is which with fluffy :)) so glad it’s going well
 
I just dread them hitting teenage months, not sure how fluffy will cope with them pushing boundaries and humping! I do plan elective keyhole spaying them but with the covid situation I can't even get my kitten spayed and chipped so it will be a while xx
 
Tagging in some experts here... @VickiA @Wiebke hope that's OK!
So the bond (crosses every finger) seems very peaceful now, next to no dominance except the odd headbutt if one of the babies runs into fluffy full speed (which I'd expect and it's usually met by a submission squeek), hardly any chasing now, there was never any rumbling or teeth chattering... Its nice because the cage is so big that it allows fluffy to choose exactly how much or how little interaction she wants, for example they will all cuddle together, all eat together etc and then if fluffy feels the need for space she'll take herself to her own tunnel for a bit before either the babies join her or she chooses to go back to them. My question is the problem with trios and the outsider situation, I think it's clear that the sisters are very tightly bonded and if one pig is ever on their own it's usually fluffy (though not always she has had one baby with her before), this isn't necessarily bad as I said she chooses when she wants them around and when she wants her own space etc and they seem to really enjoy it when she snuggles up to them, their confidence has come on loads and they're eating and popcorning etc but if we do end up with an outsider issue would it be worth dating them with a neutured boar once they've had a few months to settle as a trio or given fluffys social history is it best to leave well alone (which would be my initial thought). I'm pretty happy with the bonding overall (without jinxing things as with fluffy you never know when she may go on overload randomly) and fluffy seems quite protective of the babies in that if I open the cage she will dive in front of them as if to say 'my babies, you can't take them'
The heirachy is pretty clear in that fluffy is boss, flower is middle pig and caramel is bottom pig 🙈 I just like to be one step ahead given the previous issues we've had 🙈 I'm very hopeful though that given she now has two friends and she's 2 years their senior she should hopefully not be bereaved again! It's whether they survive the teenage months! xx
 
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