When is the right time to separate - sow bonding?

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Puzzlepigs

Puzzlepigs

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I posted a previous thread regarding bonding my two pairs of sows together. They were getting on fine before I went away but obviously because of them all being separate for around 5 days whilst I was away, they hadn't been able to make direct contact. I introduced them again yesterday and things weren't as good. There wasn't any violent behaviour but it was very different to before.

So, to cut a long story short, I was wondering when 'enough is enough'? What I mean is when is the right time to separate if you think that the behaviour is going to escalate. There was some teeth chattering, chasing and 'attempted' nips but like I mentioned before, they didn't seem to be doing this aggressively, they were just warning each other off.

I'm worried that I separated them too early after them being introduced in the *thoroughly cleaned* large C&C cage. I've had Florrie and Inca for three weeks and they have been living beside Puzzle and Bingo for that long. I started the introductions on week two (I know it might have been a bit too early, but that was the time recommended by the rescue owner).
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Introducing girls is a can be a stressful time, they do tend to bicker a fair bit while sorting out the hierarchy with the under pigs squealing a lot to signal their lower ranking position. We do have to ride it out and allow them time to decide who's who in the pecking order, so as long as there are no actual fights it's best to give them time to sort it out.

Bullying can be a tricky aspect - not allowing a pig to move freely around the pen so they can eat and drink is the main one to watch for even though they are not being attacked.

Good luck, I hope the girls settle soon.

Suzy x
 
Thanks, I think I may have separated them all too early. Wiebke's thread is right - it does look pretty mean to us humans but as long as they aren't getting physically hurt I suppose it is okay. :)

I'll be trying them again today and getting a friend of mine to film them and I'll be sending that off to the rescue as she was interested to see how the bonding was going on. It's such a shame about the weather as the pigs were really enjoying meeting each other on the grass last week!
 
Good luck with the bonding :)

If it wasn't for Wiebke, my girls would never have bonded. It is all to easy for us to intervene and spoil any progress.

It is just a case of sitting it out I'm afraid unless serious aggression is shown x
 
I must have really bad luck.. :(
I tried my two with Pippin (nicknamed Bellatrix because she was rather cruel to the pigs from day one and also because of her fuzzy black swiss coat that resembled the character, Bellatrix's hair from Harry Potter :red ), she would nip Puzzle and Bingo constantly, so I had to draw the line with her. 8...
Though because she didn't get on from the start and numerous bonding attempts failed she had to return back to the rescue. Fortunately I hadn't let myself get too attached as I was aware that it might not work.

I'd thought things were going on with Puzz (Puzzle), Bing (Bingo), Flo (Florrie) and Inx (Inca) but today was awful. It was like a free for all and Florrie started it. She was rumbling madly, teeth chattering, mounting, chasing and then Puzz retaliated. They all decided to join in and literally leapt at each other. They were chasing madly, nothing like I've ever seen before with my experience of bonding Puzzle and Bingo - they just got on after Puzz being quarantined for a week and a half. It's such a shame. I've sent the video off to the rescue so they can have a look but I don't think it is going to work. I let them try and sort things out but it turned out like a full blown fight with them all kicking bedding everywhere - to the extent some actually flew right out the piggy room door!

I'll follow advice and if people think I should try again as no blood was drawn, I'll try outside in the pen on the grass as that was absolutely fine. If it doesn't work I either return Florrie and Inca, or try and find the space for another large cage for them.. I'm heartbroken. I love little Inky and Florrie Fruitcake, they've really found a place in my now broken heart :( I fell in love with them both as soon as I saw them on the guineapigrehome site.
I'm keeping positive though, as much as I can. If they can't stay with me, I will make sure that the rescue finds them an extra special loving home.
 
Aw, I'm sorry to hear this, it really is nerve shattering :(
We tried several attempts in neutral areas when we tried to introduce Sally into the herd and all was ok until we put her into the pen (thoroughly cleaned, new vet bed so it was all new for the existing piggies) The younger girls liked her and popcorned all over her and Sally was in heaven with all the attention until Amelia decided to check the 'new' girl in town out (they'd met neutrally and were fine together and had lived next to each other for a couple of weeks whilst Sal was in quarantine)
That's when all hell broke loose and Sal picked a fight with Amelia twice 8...
I separated them before any injuries could have been sustained, split them and sat and cried :(
Sometimes, piggies won't get along - I class myself as lucky having a lovely herd of six but the four we introduced to Amelia and her friend Olivia were only around 9 weeks old whereas Sal was 9 months approx.
Just meant we had to take Sal dating at a rescue and let her choose her friends herself...two gorgeous girls who totally adore each other x)
I'd love a neutered boar for the herd but would never attempt it as it took Amelia a few days to settle down as she began 'attacking' the other girls - I hated myself for upsetting her :...
If your nerves can take it, try once more but maybe have Plan B of keeping them separate ready.
Good luck :)
 
Thanks for your advice. I had the choice of rescuing a baby piggy there, but I chose to try Florrie and Inca because I thought that they'd be less likely to get adopted as they are around 10 months old. They are very calm pigs when together and it really is fascinating to see the immediate change in personality when they are all together. I was really surprised to see Florrie testing Puzzle and rumbling up to her which Puzzle obviously wasn't very pleased about!

Fingers crossed it will stay dry for a little while and I'll try the pigs out on the grass. I have considered bathing them all before hand but I really don't know how much of a difference (or not) this will make. The cage has been completely empty except for piggies and clean bedding to ensure they couldn't claim anything as 'theirs'. I'll see how it goes today with them. :)
 
Puzzlepigs said:
Thanks for your advice. I had the choice of rescuing a baby piggy there, but I chose to try Florrie and Inca because I thought that they'd be less likely to get adopted as they are around 10 months old. They are very calm pigs when together and it really is fascinating to see the immediate change in personality when they are all together. I was really surprised to see Florrie testing Puzzle and rumbling up to her which Puzzle obviously wasn't very pleased about!

Fingers crossed it will stay dry for a little while and I'll try the pigs out on the grass. I have considered bathing them all before hand but I really don't know how much of a difference (or not) this will make. The cage has been completely empty except for piggies and clean bedding to ensure they couldn't claim anything as 'theirs'. I'll see how it goes today with them. :)
Click to expand...

Any news on the girls...:)
 
How is it going? Sometimes it can be a matter of persevering - some of my girls have taken two weeks or more to integrate; but there are some piggies that just don't work out in the end.
 
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