URGENT! Bonding Issue

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PiggieSushi

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Please help. I got 2 sows 2 weeks ago. All of these time they seem to be bonding ok. There was a bit nipping at the start, but it got less on the first week. Then suddenly today, as I was about to give them their veggies, one of the girl (Mayo) chased the other (Kiwi) and bit some of her fur off. It happened twice, before and after they got their veggies, and didn't seem that Mayo would back down. Kiwi looked so scared and frozen, so I separated them for now..

She nipped Kiwi's fur off one time on the first week, but never happened anymore. The acts of dominance was happening less too on the following week. So I thought they were already accepting each other..
Should I keep them separate temporarily and reattempt bonding later? Or is it better to keep them separate permanently?
 

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I'm no piggy expert but I had a bit of barbering from Willow on Blossom at the beginning. As I understand it it's just a dominance thing while they're sorting out their hierarchy. They're the best of friends now.

All I can suggest is keep an eye on them and see how they go.
 
Chasing and nipping is dominance. Neither of these things are concerning and do not require separation.
There is also the issue of perhaps one is having a strong season and it has increased dominance. That in itself would not necessarily be a problem.
However ripping another sows hair out is a potential problem. It is the equivalent of a boar full on fight and may mean there is a problem between them.

Barbering - eating hair - is something different and is not strictly a concern for their bond.

Acceptance happens within the first hours of bonding day so they will be well past that. However as it takes two weeks to fully form a bond, those two weeks are about establishing the hierarchy and sometimes they find they they just can’t do it.
 
I separated their cage with a grid and they've been sniffing each other throughthe grid.. Is that a sign they want to be back together or an agression?
 
Interactions through the bars are not a sign they want to be together or that they have a functioning hierarchy.

In order to establish if they want to be together, you have to put them on neutral territory and allow them to make their decision about their relationship. It’s basically the full bonding process - a few hours in neutral territory, and only move back to the cleaned out cage together if things go well in the bonding pen.

Bonds In Trouble
 
Got it, thank you.

Update: I moved them to neutral territory. There was a bit nipping and rumblestrutting by the dominant pig. So far, the underpig has been showing signs of submission. A couple times they tensed up, but when they were more relaxed, the underpig was following the dominant one. They made lots of chatty noises when they're relaxed. But lots of submission noises from the underpig. Minor teeth chattering once in the beginning, but that's all. The dominant pig also stroked the chin of the underpig. From what I read that could be a sign of acceptance? All in all, I still have high hope this will work out.
 
Thank you for your help. Sorry I'm asking so many questions 😅 I was shocked because I thought they already accepted one another.

It's been going for 3.5 hours now but the underpig is still making some noises like she's annoyed. They shared food and water, but the dominant pig is still chasing her at times.
I looked at them just now, the underpig is resting close to the dominant one. Is this a good sign? Should I wait longer?
 

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Update: they're resting next to each other 😃
Is it safe to move them back to their cage now?
 

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They had accepted each other but forming a relationship doesn’t stop at that point. It takes two weeks after bonding day to properly sort out the fine details of their bond.
You are always going to see dominance to some
extent though so that is why you don’t separate for chasing and nipping.
 
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