The Inevitable

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The3LittlePigs

The3LittlePigs

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After many months of being together, the inevitable has begun. My baby boars are no longer babies, and the trio is beginning to fight. I was hopeful that things might work out after them being a trio for so long, but after watching lots of dominance displays and teeh chattering i have picked up on the first wound- and its nastier than i expected. It has already begun to heal up (curse me for missing it in the first place!) And isnt too big i suppose, but even the thought of it makes me sick with worry. Its on my smallest piggies nape, just beyond his crest. I havent checked the other two yet today but will be doing so soon. I'm not sure what to do about the piggies though; should i seperate them or wait it out? I know my parents wont be keen on the idea, and its hardly ideal, but maybe with christmas coming up i would persuade them. I just really hope it cold work out. Any advice? Ive read through most of the threads on here but id really prefer to keep them all together. Id hate to have to seperate them.
 
Hi there,

Sadly more often it's only a matter of time that 3 boars are going to fall out, as they get older, their hormones are going pretty crazy, a bit like teenage boys getting inquisitive, and doing what's natural. It's important you check your other pigs for injuries, as you wouldn't want them to fester. As you will see from the threads and posts, it just doesn't work when the fighting has been so bad. Its inevitable they will have to be separated.

Sorry the news isn't positive.
 
Thanks for the advice. I knew it would happen eventually I'm just not sure what to do now. My parents are convinced they dont need seperating, and i dont have a second hutch yet; i wont be able to get one till christmas at least. Would it be okay for them to stay together till then? How would i know who to take from the trio? I know the two uninjured boars get along best but one is quite old and the other is very dominant and would be hard to rebond if the other passed away.
 
If blood has been drawn you really need to separate them. Things will only escalate. Sorry it isn't better news.
 
Is there anyway you can divide the cage they are in at the moment so that the one that needs to can be seperated from the fights?

I do not mean to scare you but once blood is drawn it can get very nasty. I have seen a couple of rescue pigs who were submitted completely earless and lip torn due to being part of a large boar group. The former owners did not "notice" until it was that severe. Obviously you are a much more observant owner in a better home but please be aware that the fighting might get worse the longer it carries on for.
 
I can, but the only home i can offer him is a pets at home cage and its more of a carry cage than anything. I know he'd be miserable in there. Not to mention it'd be inside, and he's currently outside- would the temp change affect him? Plus he'd have to be alone and without a hutch- so in the small cage - at least until christmas and he hasnt done well like this in the past. I definitelty wouldn't be able to give him a bigger spot inside because my parents arent willing to donate anymore indoor space, but the garden is pretty much mine. My old boar, who is around seven, also has a small cut in his ear but is oherwise fine. He seems to get mounted by the troublemaker rather than actual fighting and they cuddle alot so i'd rather them be together. I'm just worried that having my little pig inside wont be good for him. Is it really better than him being with them? Can i enclose a picture of the cut too tomorrow (too late to prepare the small cage now) in case it needs any specific care?
 
If its in the interest of my peeglets I'm happy to seperate him inside tomorrow, and i'll try to give him some seperate grass and floortime when i can. I'm just worried about him having to stay in such a small cage- especially alone and with the washing mahine running often- for such a long time, but i suppose its for the best. I'm not sure how my parents will feel but i'll do my best to sway them.
 
The3LittlePigs said:
If its in the interest of my peeglets I'm happy to seperate him inside tomorrow, and i'll try to give him some seperate grass and floortime when i can. I'm just worried about him having to stay in such a small cage- especially alone and with the washing mahine running often- for such a long time, but i suppose its for the best. I'm not sure how my parents will feel but i'll do my best to sway them.
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I have a spare indoor cage that someone donated to the rescue, its not big enough for 2 pigs but would be fine for a lone piggy if you want it. l assume you will try and find him a friend in the future and you can get a bigger cage then?
 
I really appreciate the offer, thanks so much, but i do have an indoor cage- just one thats too small for two piggies. Of course, I'm happy to get a hutch and a run with christmas money- and then a peeg to share it with him - he'd just have to wait till then. Thank you again though for the offer, very sweet of you. I'm just nervous that my parents wont take the new very well. Thanks so much!
 
I think you just have to be brave and show your parents the injuries which are already happening. They will like it even less if future fighting leads to significant injuries which need vet care or infected cuts. You clearly care for your boys so I suspect your parents will care too when it is all explained.
 
The3LittlePigs said:
I really appreciate the offer, thanks so much, but i do have an indoor cage- just one thats too small for two piggies. Of course, I'm happy to get a hutch and a run with christmas money- and then a peeg to share it with him - he'd just have to wait till then. Thank you again though for the offer, very sweet of you. I'm just nervous that my parents wont take the new very well. Thanks so much!
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Well get in touch when you want another pig and we can help find him the right friend x
 
Thanks so much! I will do. Ive approached them just now thanks to all of your encouragement and they're okay with him staying in till christmas as long as i clean him out everyday (they have a soft spot for kiwi) so he'll be moving in tomorrow. Hopefully i'll be able to get a good hutch, i'll be researching to find the best one in the time being. I didnt plan on getting another piglet but i guess if its what they need then its for the best. It worries me so much to see them squabbling, especially since its kiwi getting hurt and he's just so little, although it was bound to happen i suppose. Thanks again for all the kind words and support, i'll post here if anything changes. Thanks!
 
Need help again. The aggressive pig is chasing and swaying his hips at my old pig and I'm terrified hes going to hurt him. My parents are saying i should remove the agressive pig instead and put the injured one back out with the older boy. I'm not sure what to do. At this point i just want it to be like it was when it was just me and the older boy. I feel as if everythings going wrong and i've just made life harder for everyone even though its not my fault that the aggressive one came here in the first place.
 
I am v glad you talked to your parents and have been able to separate one boy but sorry you still think you have not resolved the issue.
Firstly, please can you tell us the ages and names of the three so we are clear who is doing what? The oldest boar is quite old isnt he, 7?
You are talking about one of the boars hip swaying - this is dominance behavior but very normal and nothing to get too wound up about. Because you have changed the hierarchy by removing one, they have to sort out the 'pecking order' again. More worrying behaviour is really loud teeth chattering (much louder than normal chatter), puffing up and yawning at the same time and then lunging and biting.
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Have you read this thread above which is useful about fighting vs dominance behaviour?
I know you have found wounds so there is obviously more than simple dominance behaviour going on but it was the youngest who was most injured I think and you have separated him?
Try and take a really deep breath, read the thread on boar behaviour, then go an watch the pair you have still together and see what you think. You do need to find a solution that works but please don't be in a rush to keep switching the boys around otherwise you could end up with 3 single boars.
Let us know what you think having observed some more.
 
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Thanks for the information. I've read through the thread and took a bit of time to step back and review things. My parents are still convinced i should give them more time, and are telling me to put them out in the day and bring them in at night. I'll do my best to prove otherwise in the meantime. The oldest pig is Thistle, who is roughly seven years old and is not dominant pig. He rarely shows aggression and will only occasionally rumblestrut at the others, and he has lived here the longest. When his companion died, we brought him a new friend from Pets@Home (first mistake) named Kiwi. He and Thistle had some minor fights when in the small cage but once they were in our large hutch and run they got on fine. Kiwi is the injured piglet with a cut on his nape, and he is bullied most often by the youngest but largest pig, Pickle. We got him a few weeks after getting Kiwi when my younger sister insisted she wanted a pig too. She lost interest within a week and he has now fallen on me. He is very aggressive and has grown to be huge, and as of late he has become more and more aggressive with the other pigs. When i went into the hutch this morning he too had a cut, and lots of ginger fur all over the place. I have since swapped Kiwi back outside wih Thistle because i want to avoid him getting attacked at all costs due to his age, and Pickle has came inside. I prefer this as he is more confident than Kiwi and i would rather him be inside to prevent the other two from getting hurt. I dont blame it on him entirely but it has made me worry less so I believe this is the best way. I'm not sure how to get out of my parents ridiculous plan but i'm doing my best. My mum seems to be on my side so hopefully all will be well. Thanks again for the advice.
 
I forgot to add; Thistle usually takes the brunt of Pickles dominant behaviour, most often mounting, but he doesn't have any wounds so i suspect he is just trying to be top pig.
 
Could you not let let your parents read this thread & links that you have. Some people on this forum have been piggie owners for many years & they really know what they are talking about. One of these Wiebke
Regularly contributes to a magazine. She is deemed an expert in her field on piggys.
Are you intending to bring them in when the weather gets to severe
 
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