Stuffed toys for boars

[Calciferpig]

Evening all, so roughly a month ago we picked up two young pigs from a family near my parents village. They're very happy and have a large cc cage with loft, they pop about all over the place and get floor time twice a day. They have two of everything and up to a couple of days ago, were very chill.

They are a delight, but they're also boars and going through their teenage 'years.' One has always rumbled at the other, this the larger to the smaller, and largely the smaller backs off and peace returns. Now the smaller must be going through a hormone change, he keeps trying to mount the larger pig and there has been a bit of chattering and chasing.

I read on the bonding boars page that giving them a stuffed toy (without eyes) is potentially an outlet for their frustrations? But it doesn't seem to be mentioned much in threads. Has anyone tried this with success?

They wouldn't think it was a female would they and have that escalate things?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I think there is little chance of that making a difference. They are needing to establish a hierarchy and are dealing with their hormones.
It’s certainly not something I could have seen working with any of my boars.

If the smaller one tries to take over and they both become dominant, then their bond is going to struggle to be successful regardless of what you do.

You are better off to make sure the cage is big enough on a single level (a 5x2 c&c )(lofts don’t count), that there is two of every item and that all hides have two exits (don’t allow there to be any dead ends in the cage)

 

[Calciferpig]

Thank you, yes all of the above all covered, they also have a largeish hay tray they seem to enjoy. It's strange as the other pig is obviously larger and naturally dominant. It is a bit of a sudden change in the smaller pig. I am hoping he calms down just as suddenly(!)

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, yes all of the above all covered, they also have a largeish hay tray they seem to enjoy. It's strange as the other pig is obviously larger and naturally dominant. It is a bit of a sudden change in the smaller pig. I am hoping he calms down just as suddenly(!)

It’s about character not physical size.
Provided they can sort things out between them then it will be ok.

There is always an element of unknown with teen boars. All you can ever do when the teens hit is hope for the best but have a back up plan in mind

 

[Calciferpig]

It’s about character not physical size.
Provided they can sort things out between them then it will be ok.

There is always an element of unknown with teen boars. All you can ever do when the teens hit is hope for the best but have a back up plan in mind

Understood. I am hopeful because they still sleep next to each other, albeit one outside the tray and one in but they must know the other is there.

I don't know if it's my imagination but it sometimes seems to be set off by floor time, and when they get back in the cage shortly after. It may be that this is just when i am paying most attention, they are in a room with the door shut a lot of the time because we have a dog (not remotely interested in them but to be safe), but i peek in from time to time and it seems things are largely, if not entirely, peaceful when I do.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Understood. I am hopeful because they still sleep next to each other, albeit one outside the tray and one in but they must know the other is there.

I don't know if it's my imagination but it sometimes seems to be set off by floor time, and when they get back in the cage shortly after. It may be that this is just when i am paying most attention, they are in a room with the door shut a lot of the time because we have a dog (not remotely interested in them but to be safe), but i peek in from time to time and it seems things are largely, if not entirely, peaceful when I do.

It’s absolutely possible the change in environment could be setting them off. Some boar pairs are more affected by new territories than others.
They then reestablish when back in the cage and it sets off a round of dominance.

 

[Calciferpig]

It’s absolutely possible the change in environment could be setting them off. Some boar pairs are more affected by new territories than others.
They then reestablish when back in the cage and it sets off a round of dominance.

Should i leave them in for a few days do you think?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I would.
Provided their cage is big enough they don’t need floor time twice a day - once or twice a week is enough.
If it really is clear they are having issues during floor time, then perhaps extending their cage and not doing floor time while they are hormonal teens, might be a possibility?

I have a now 5 1/2 year old boar pair. They had their moments in their teens but were always well bonded. Going into their lawn run made no difference to them.

I also have two one year old boars. They were a pair as youngsters but they hit 18 weeks and had a big fight out of nowhere, bond broken and they’ve lived side by side ever since. When they are in their normal enclosures in the shed, it is harmonious between the bars. When they go into their runs, there is then dominance and territory marking between the bars. I can imagine that, had their bond survived, they also would have been a pair for whom a change in environment could have set off dominance

 

[Calciferpig]

Thank you, i will give them a few days of observation in their cage and see how we go. They do make good use of the upper level, not sure i have space to extend lengthways but i could potentially make it two large levels, the ramp is very long and low and they trot up and down all day.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, i will give them a few days of observation in their cage and see how we go. They do make good use of the upper level, not sure i have space to extend lengthways but i could potentially make it two large levels, the ramp is very long and low and they trot up and down all day.

Upper levels don’t count so while it is a bonus space, it won’t increase the cage size.
It was just a thought anyway - as a way to give them additional leg stretching space without it being floor time as such and upsetting them if that is what is happening

 

[Cheekypigs]

Some boys do keep doing dominance theatre all their lives, even when they have a hierarchy established. I had a pair where one pig would continually rumble and mount the other, but when push came to shove, the other one was actually the boss! He just didn't care to enter into arguments about it. Another pair of boys I had would both rumble, mount and face off and it carried on throughout their lives. They never fought and were otherwise quite happy together.

So I wouldn't worry too much. If they're not actually fighting and drawing blood, they might just be being rowdy boys.

I doubt a cuddly toy would help. The only time I've heard of that helping is when pigs have to be separated, to give them something to cuddle up to.

 

[Calciferpig]

Some boys do keep doing dominance theatre all their lives, even when they have a hierarchy established. I had a pair where one pig would continually rumble and mount the other, but when push came to shove, the other one was actually the boss! He just didn't care to enter into arguments about it. Another pair of boys I had would both rumble, mount and face off and it carried on throughout their lives. They never fought and were otherwise quite happy together.

So I wouldn't worry too much. If they're not actually fighting and drawing blood, they might just be being rowdy boys.

I doubt a cuddly toy would help. The only time I've heard of that helping is when pigs have to be separated, to give them something to cuddle up to.

Thabk you, yes the former sounds very much like what I observe in this pair. It's as if the actually dominant pig can't reallt be bothered, he does rumble and fluff himself up a lot though, a bit like he's saying 'as if little guy'

 

[LongLost Souls]

Yes my boy have been having arguments recently and they have both started becoming dominant but I think when they get out of their young boy stage they will change but I have been handling it pretty well with they you just have to say "HEY" they they will both stop and look around and one will run off to a hide other then that they are great piggies.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes my boy have been having arguments recently and they have both started becoming dominant but I think when they get out of their young boy stage they will change but I have been handling it pretty well with they you just have to say "HEY" they they will both stop and look around and one will run off to a hide other then that they are great piggies.

If there are two dominant piggies together then that is not something they change or grow out of. Two dominant piggies together doesn’t work and fights and broken bonds are likely to occur.

You shouldnt ever need to say hey and stop what are normal behaviours between two compatible piggies where there is one dominant and one submissive

 

[Cheekypigs]

I also wouldn't bother telling pigs off for dominance behaviour. It doesn't really achieve anything. They will just go right back to it. It's necessary for them. Hopefully they sort out their hierarchy peacefully in the end but there's not much you can do to affect that (other than making sure they have enough space, two of everything and so on).