Timid female been bullied - what next?

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Claire1973

Claire1973

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Well my bonding process went badly wrong at the weekend, I attempted to bond our new rescue girl Gypsy - an 8 month old approx female that had been living outside in a filthy cage swimming in an inch of rainwater - she hasn't been handled much and is very timid and terrified of me touching her. I thought I'd try her with my group of four - three sows and a neutered male. Bonding in the bath with a pile of veg and lavender oil on them seemed to go well, Iggle my boar was strutting his stuff around her keeping the other curious ladies in thier place, so I cleaned out the cage with white vinegar - made sure I had lots of fleece snuggles water bottles etc but when I checked them the next morning poor Gypsy was covered in bites all over her back bottom and ears :-( she is now alone again and on Metacam and Baytril - but what on earth should I do next? Is it a total no no to try her again with the group? If so then what would be best to do? If they didn't accept her ( and she didn't fight back she just hid in her fleece bag squealing :-( ) poor little girl - she has been sat on my lap every night watching tv just to try and get her confidence with humans built up a bit!
 
Would it be possible to take her to a rescue and pick her own friend, go sow dating? I know with boars that its a big no no to put them together again when blood has been drawn, not sure if its the same with females, but you did everything correct, so i think get her a neutered boar or another sow and just keep her in a pair.
 
I would not put her back with the group - bites are usually the end of the road. I usually have a newbie living next to the group for several days until there is friendly interaction through the bars from both sides before I stage introductions. A bath is only necessary when you want to introduce boars (it washes off the stink of an excess of testosterone).

The best thing to try would be piggy dating at a good rescue, either with some very gentle, maternal sows or a gentle neutered boar to make sure that she will be accepted. That way, you only come home with a piggy that works. Give her time to heal first and keep checking for possible abscesses. It is very unusual for a sow to be bitten like that.

I can recommend these two rescues in Yorkshire most warmly; either of them will do their best to find a suitable friend and make sure that they actually work out:
http://www.bramleycaviesrescue.com/
http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/
 
Yes I could get her a friend from the rescue any time, I suppose i was still hoping she could join my group because I had plans for a of pigs that I could add to like I have seen at our rescue - they have 11 or 12 that they can add to with very little trouble! I was going to get hubby to build a huge run in the garden for the summer! Does this mean my group of four will never accept an outsider too?
 
Wiebke said:
I would not put her back with the group - bites are usually the end of the road. I usually have a newbie living next to the group for several days until there is friendly interaction through the bars from both sides before I stage introductions. A bath is only necessary when you want to introduce boars (it washes off the stink of an excess of testosterone).

The best thing to try would be piggy dating at a good rescue, either with some very gentle, maternal sows or a gentle neutered boar to make sure that she will be accepted. That way, you only come home with a piggy that works. Give her time to heal first and keep checking for possible abscesses. It is very unusual for a sow to be bitten like that.

I can recommend these two rescues in Yorkshire most warmly; either of them will do their best to find a suitable friend and make sure that they actually work out:

http://www.bramleycaviesrescue.com/
http://www.milhaven-rescue.com/
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Thankyou so much -c I will certainly not try putting her back in the group then - they must sense her fear :0 my daughter volunteers at Bunny Burrows in Richmond and they often have pigs in - I am also waiting for a foster pig to give birth - maybe a baby girl would work? X
 
A baby girl could work very well indeed. I introduced a 4 week old baby girl to my three pigs and they took to her straight away as she was right at the bottom of the pecking order. I also introduced Erin who was six weeks at the time to my bonded pair and again, they took to her. It sounds like Gypsy could well do with being bonded to a very laid back girl or neutered boar.
 
Claire1973 said:
Thankyou so much -c I will certainly not try putting her back in the group then - they must sense her fear :0 my daughter volunteers at Bunny Burrows in Richmond and they often have pigs in - I am also waiting for a foster pig to give birth - maybe a baby girl would work? X
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A baby girl might work - keep an eye out though; badly bullied piggies can turn into bullies themselves. Hopefully, your girl will feel better with a friend that is nor likely to challenge her authority. If you have the choice between several girls, go for a quiet, submissive one.
 
I draw the line when blood is drawn as well. A friend would probably be the best idea.

I have a sow and neutered boar and a pair of elderly sows who I couldn't get in together, but spent a lot of last summer in my enormous run on the lawn. The presence of food you could stand on helped a lot, and over the summer months they developed a sort of semi pecking order and the two alpha females mostly kept out of each other's way. Now I can have them out for floor time together, but haven't put them in the same cage because the oldies are 6 and just too old to risk unsupervised.

Paula
 
Would introducing her to the quietest one of your girls be an option? I am no expert but you may have go too quick too soon? If she settles with one of your girls and is happy for a week could you then try another girl and so on?
Just a thought, would welcome other's comments to my suggestions?
 
Would introducing her to the quietest one of your girls be an option? I am no expert but you may have go too quick too soon? If she settles with one of your girls and is happy for a week could you then try another girl and so on?
Just a thought, would welcome other's comments to my suggestions?
 
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