4 pig squad

[Eggsy]

Hey folks. I have 4 wonderful boys. Alfie (youngest at 6months and the rest around 13months +. ) Jynx. Fred and Barney. They have separate cages.
Just looking for some opinions on grouping them. I have tried it a couple of times and I feel like there is some really good positive signs and very little negative ones. Firstly introduced them together for floor time. I had a big area for them to run around as a neutral area. I bathed them and put them together. They seem to really get on, they ate their food without any fuss. No stealing, no running away and not alot of 'leave me alone' type noises. And lots of popcorning A good solid 2 hours at a time aswell.

Anyway the second attempt went really well also today.
They always seem to chew on the cage separating them.. always laying down near one another, (alfie and jynx never go up the second floor because they always seem to want to stay near Fred and Barney) makes me want to give them more grouping up time.

I'd really like them to be together but I probably wont do that without me being there. So I was looking at getting a custom wooden enclosure built 70inches long with two floors. So they'll have a huge area with perspex along the sides with perspex as a block off point for separating.

I wanted to know what people's thoughts were on this grouping? Obviously it won't be a permanent thing? Or is that something that can be possible?
The idea would be to have them blocked off. So that's what I'm going in for..

I'm not trying to get my hopes up.. Because I know sometimes fall outs can happen. But I want to give them the best possible happy life.

Let me know what you think?

Thanks!

 

[Eggsy]

Just a couple of pics of the gang

 

[Eggsy]

Just a couple of pics of the gang

 

[Livia Rabideau]

Gorgeous boys!

 

[Eggsy]

Gorgeous boys!

Thank you Livia

 

[VickiA]

Ok, here goes.
They are lovely looking piggies. But long term a group of 4 boars is extremely unlikely to work long term. You are much better to keep with 2 harmonious pairs. It’s good the pairs are interested through the bars with each other but I’d keep it that way.
Buddy bathing is an old recommendation that we no longer feel works well for piggies.
Please don’t keep introducing them and then separating them. Each time you do it you require them to reestablish a hierarchy. If you read the guides you will appreciate this is confusing for the piggies.
I’d leave your bonded pairs as they are. Otherwise you could end up with a big bust up and a whole load of unhappy piggies.

 

[Eggsy]

Ok, here goes.
They are lovely looking piggies. But long term a group of 4 boars is extremely unlikely to work long term. You are much better to keep with 2 harmonious pairs. It’s good the pairs are interested through the bars with each other but I’d keep it that way.
Buddy bathing is an old recommendation that we no longer feel works well for piggies.
Please don’t keep introducing them and then separating them. Each time you do it you require them to reestablish a hierarchy. If you read the guides you will appreciate this is confusing for the piggies.
I’d leave your bonded pairs as they are. Otherwise you could end up with a big bust up and a whole load of unhappy piggies.

The one issue I'm finding is one

Ok, here goes.
They are lovely looking piggies. But long term a group of 4 boars is extremely unlikely to work long term. You are much better to keep with 2 harmonious pairs. It’s good the pairs are interested through the bars with each other but I’d keep it that way.
Buddy bathing is an old recommendation that we no longer feel works well for piggies.
Please don’t keep introducing them and then separating them. Each time you do it you require them to reestablish a hierarchy. If you read the guides you will appreciate this is confusing for the piggies.
I’d leave your bonded pairs as they are. Otherwise you could end up with a big bust up and a whole load of unhappy piggies.

Thanks for you time responding Vicki. I will take this all into account. It does seem like they all want to be together as they all just seem to lay next to each other which is really nice to see. But i also wouldn't want there to be any mishaps?

Do you think there is a slight chance they can still have floor time together in a neutral area every so often. Like once a week?
Or is that a no go aswell as you previously said about reintroducing isn't advisable if you do it often.

Thanks.

 

[Piggies&buns]

The one issue I'm finding is one


Thanks for you time responding Vicki. I will take this all into account. It does seem like they all want to be together as they all just seem to lay next to each other which is really nice to see. But i also wouldn't want there to be any mishaps?

Do you think there is a slight chance they can still have floor time together in a neutral area every so often. Like once a week?
Or is that a no go aswell as you previously said about reintroducing isn't advisable if you do it often.

Thanks.

No to the floor time together. The two pairs must be kept separate otherwise you run the risk of bonds being destroyed and fights.

 

[VickiA]

Tempting as it may be to let them out loose together you really do need, in the interests of long term bond success, to keep the 2 pairs separated. With boars, bonding should be done only once and seen through to final conclusion. That is what I meant by reintroducing. Please don't let them all out together as when you do it risks the bond in both pairs being destroyed. You could end up with 4 single separated pigs.

In their separate cages they are each comfortable with the presence of another pair of boars along side them, that's why you aren't getting any hostility through the bars between the 2 cages. They are happy with that arrangement. Within their pairs they have a workable bond they are happy with.

Please just keep them as 2 completely separate pairs.

 

[Eggsy]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I have taken all your advice into account and will continue to keep them seperate. I will however continue my idea about building a newer bigger wooden enclosure. I think they only deserve a big space.

Thanks all!