Vicious Dominance?

[Briony_S]

Pepper this evening decided to be very agressive. She was the alpha sow of my young trio but this became a duo just over a week ago due to salt being removed as she was possibly pregnant and was getting caught in crossfire of fluffy and peppers rumble sessions. This evening whilst I was doing the clean outs and top ups pepper became very agressive and started lunging at fluffy. Fluffy wasnt doing anything and pepper seemed to mostly skip the rumbling etc and just went straight to flying at her chattering loudly baring teeth. it wasnt normal dominance I put my hand in to catch her and she caught me with her teeth luckily I moved my hand quick or she would have bit me.

I have separated for tonight and put fluffy and salt back together who are getting on well. Pepper is now on her own. I dont know now whether to leave them as is or attempt a rebonding tomorrow? I'm thinking Pepper might just be on heat or maybe she is pregnant? Only had her for 5ish weeks so it is possible.

what would anyone suggest I do? I believe them all to be 3-4 months they are around 500gms if that helps with aging them?

 

[Wiebke]

It doesn't sound like Pepper likes Fluffy, so I wouldn't put them back together; that is very borderline behaviour and doesn't augur well for them to become friends anytime soon. Sometimes, piggies just don't work out. I've got quite a few of them! If Salt has babies, you may consider trying Pepper with one of them. Some piggies from a problematic background also can come with issues and feel easily threatened.

 

[Briony_S]

It doesn't sound like Pepper likes Fluffy, so I wouldn't put them back together; that is very borderline behaviour and doesn't augur well for them to become friends anytime soon. Sometimes, piggies just don't work out. I've got quite a few of them! If Salt has babies, you may consider trying Pepper with one of them. Some piggies from a problematic background also can come with issues and feel easily threatened.

Thanks. I will keep her on her own for now. She is an agro piggy lol. I thought that she was a bit too dominant at times so I did try her a couple of weeks ago with my older girls but she went for the alpha pig she is teenie and went for a big 1kg sow! I do have a skinny boy who is looking for a friend so if it doesn't work out with salts babies (if there is a girl) she could potentially be his wife. I guess I have to wait and see what comes.

 

[Stewybus]

Hi Briony, I had a similar problem last year with Minnie. I solved it by getting a neutered male, Mitch who seemed to have a calming effect on the girls. Even now, if there's trouble brewing he will go over to the girls & sort the problem out. Maybe not the first thing to do but may be an option if the girls don't get on after a little break from each other.

 

[Briony_S]

I will have to bide my time on this one.. what with the prospect of babies and two boys waiting in "queue" to be neutered. Was going to book joel in this week but now my washing machine has died! I get paid next week so maybe will book him in then and then wait and see re babies etc.. to work out my combos! If I get a baby girl that she will get on with I may just have to rehome her with one (obviously after I determine that they have a "good" bond) as she is a rascal. I knew she was trouble when I got her I will know for next time she was far too confident lol.

 

[Wiebke]

Pepper may settle down more when she feels more secure and confident in her new home and is more used to being around other piggies. But there won't be likely any quick fix solutions for her. Thankfully, you have quite a few options for her that you can try out. Hopefully one where she can be top piggy will work out for her.

 

[Briony_S]

Pepper may settle down more when she feels more secure and confident in her new home and is more used to being around other piggies. But there won't be likely any quick fix solutions for her. Thankfully, you have quite a few options for her that you can try out. Hopefully one where she can be top piggy will work out for her.

She has been with me for 5 weeks and I feel like it might have been the removal of salt last week that upset the balance so to speak as I got the as a trio. Salt never got involved in any dominance she just seemed "immune" almost. I never once saw any rumbling from salt if either girl rumbled at her she just walked off like she wasn't interested and that was that, it did get a little more rumbly between them last week and that is why I removed salt as she seemed stressed out being caught between them at times etc.. I think also they would set one another off and then rumble at her! Pepper and fluffy would rumble at times at each other but fluffy never stood up-to pepper so not sure why pepper decided to be agro with her, fluffy accepted pepper as top sow? She was like psycho pig last night. Fluffy was running away (in fear I think) and she was getting madder and madder and started lunging at her. It was definitely going to end in a blood bath! Fluffy and salt seem very happy together despite a split of over a week so hopefully their bond is strong!