Too Much Nipping With Bonded Sows?

[Kithri]

Hi, everyone. We'll have had our two girls, Eleanor and Lucy, for a week as of tomorrow. They're sisters and have never been apart, so they're pretty well bonded. Our guess is that Lucy is definitely the dominant one, as she often kicks Eleanor out of whatever pigloo they're both using, usually with a nip to the behind and an audible protest from Eleanor. I had read in one of the threads that this could just be Lucy reasserting her dominance, and I figured it was normal given that they're in a new cage, everything is unfamiliar, etc.

But now I wonder if it's been going on for too long, and it seems to happen more frequently. For the most part, the girls living along together just fine: Lucy doesn't prevent Eleanor from leaving her pigloo or from eating, or anything. It's only ever when they're sharing a pigloo and Lucy decides that she wants to be alone. No blood has been drawn from the nips that we can see, but we do worry. My fiancé says it looks like Eleanor is starting to resist. An example of this would be just now: Lucy nipped Eleanor, but she didn't leave the pigloo. She just sat there. And now they're both fine, as far as we know.

Is this all still normal? Should we be concerned or when should we start being concerned?

Thanks!

EDIT: There's also been no teeth chattering, growling, or anything like that. Just a quick nip to get Eleanor out of the pigloo.

 

[Wiebke]

The dominance phase typically lasts around 2 weeks; towards the end, the underpiggy gets its say as how much it allows itself to be pushed around. Your two girls are pretty much on course.

You may also see a flare up whenever one of the girls is coming into season.

 

[Kithri]

The dominance phase typically lasts around 2 weeks; towards the end, the underpiggy gets its say as how much it allows itself to be pushed around. Your two girls are pretty much on course.

You may also see a flare up whenever one of the girls is coming into season.

Thank you! For some reason, I was thinking it only lasted a few days. I feel much better now! You're the best. *gives cookie*

 

[tracey madigan]

My pigs still behave like this and have been together a few months they are fine if I remove the beds but feels mean to do that and they have two but Insist they both need the same one !