last week we rescued a group of 4 sows, were told all were 2 years old (though I'm pretty sure 2 are older and 2 are youngsters),when we got there they were housed in disgusting conditions in a hutch thats too small. until the end of this week, all 4 are still stuck in this 3.5ft x 1.5ft double hutch, it does have a run on but they wont use it.
ok, so at first we noticed that 1 pig in particular is extremely skinny, and 1 in particular seems much chunkier than the others. just thought she maybe didnt get her fair share of the food when it was put in. ive been watching them intently for the past 2 days, and the fattest one is a bully from what i can tell. the skinniest pig isnt allowed in the bed area, is chased from the bowls, is bitten if she gets too close to the biggest pig. i put them in their run earlier while i cleaned the hutch, fed them etc. the run on the grass is 4ftx3ft so bigger than the cage, and all 4 were briefly munching the grass when for some unknown reason big pig chased and bit the skinniest pig several times on her butt and on her sides. the skinny girl was squeeling and squeeking and grinding her teeth.
the 2 middle pigs, 1 older looking one who is the most laid back girl, and the other smaller younger looking pig, get along great, and just seem to ignore it all. they can most of the time get into the bed area and to the bowls without issues. although the bigger girl did have a couple of scabbed over bites on her shoulders and side when we got them, they were almost healed and the scabs were falling off but they definitely look to be bite marks underneath.
i removed the bully pig briefly to see what happened, and all 3 got along much better and all went into the bed area without any squeeks and chasing etc. the other bigger older girl seems to take over being boss pig if the bully pig is out, but she is laid back with it and the smaller girls are fine with her.
I'm not sure what to do about it. shes an older pig, and i dont know that she would bond with another pig, but when shes alone she does seem to miss her piggy friends.
all 4 are terrified of people, though bully pig is the most outgoing and will take food from your fingers, the others just sit and grind their teeth at whoever is near their hutch. the skinniest girl is the most fearful guinea pig i have ever owned, when i manage to pick her up she scratches and squeeks and scrabbles to escape, she seems scared of life entirely 8...
any advice? what would you do? ive only owned them for a few days, although the only thing thats changed for them is that they have clean dry bedding and plenty of food. they are even in their old hutch right now so no differences. really dont know what to do.
ok, so at first we noticed that 1 pig in particular is extremely skinny, and 1 in particular seems much chunkier than the others. just thought she maybe didnt get her fair share of the food when it was put in. ive been watching them intently for the past 2 days, and the fattest one is a bully from what i can tell. the skinniest pig isnt allowed in the bed area, is chased from the bowls, is bitten if she gets too close to the biggest pig. i put them in their run earlier while i cleaned the hutch, fed them etc. the run on the grass is 4ftx3ft so bigger than the cage, and all 4 were briefly munching the grass when for some unknown reason big pig chased and bit the skinniest pig several times on her butt and on her sides. the skinny girl was squeeling and squeeking and grinding her teeth.
the 2 middle pigs, 1 older looking one who is the most laid back girl, and the other smaller younger looking pig, get along great, and just seem to ignore it all. they can most of the time get into the bed area and to the bowls without issues. although the bigger girl did have a couple of scabbed over bites on her shoulders and side when we got them, they were almost healed and the scabs were falling off but they definitely look to be bite marks underneath.
i removed the bully pig briefly to see what happened, and all 3 got along much better and all went into the bed area without any squeeks and chasing etc. the other bigger older girl seems to take over being boss pig if the bully pig is out, but she is laid back with it and the smaller girls are fine with her.
I'm not sure what to do about it. shes an older pig, and i dont know that she would bond with another pig, but when shes alone she does seem to miss her piggy friends.
all 4 are terrified of people, though bully pig is the most outgoing and will take food from your fingers, the others just sit and grind their teeth at whoever is near their hutch. the skinniest girl is the most fearful guinea pig i have ever owned, when i manage to pick her up she scratches and squeeks and scrabbles to escape, she seems scared of life entirely 8...
any advice? what would you do? ive only owned them for a few days, although the only thing thats changed for them is that they have clean dry bedding and plenty of food. they are even in their old hutch right now so no differences. really dont know what to do.
