Anyone else experienced this?

[dannif_piggies]

So since Honey passed, Willow has been side By side neighbours with Lois and Laine. Initially this helped Willow realise she wasn't alone, and picked her appetitive straight back up. After about 2 days of being next to them, Willow started chewing at the bars and chewing the coroplast base on Lois and Laines side. It settled down, but the last few days and nights it's been excessive, causing sleepless nights as the pigs are in the room with me. tonight I have placed some plastic sheets where Willow would be able to see the girls, which blur out the vision between the two cages, and since they've been there she hasn't chewed the bars, nor the coroplast, not even moved to a different spot (touch wood)

Is it possible that Lois and Laine are causing Willow distress (when she can see them). She would bite at the bars and then when one of them would come over she would rubble strut until they left. She is a very dominant character so is it distressing her that she wants to be top pig between them but can't actually get to them?

Side note: I tried to bond the trio again this morning and from the get go Willow was rubble strutting excessively, hair was on end for all three of them, and they had quite a big scuffle, luckily, no pigs we hurt, Lois is a dominant character also and wasn't backing down to Willow. I've accepted this trio isn't going to work and have been in contact with all local rescues within an hours drive in order to bond Willow with another single pig.

My overall question is: has anyone every experienced neighbouring pigs causing more distress to one another?

Since putting the sheets up, Willow seems to be "guarding" he boundary a lot less and actually moving around the rest of her cage more than she was, playing with her toys etc.

 

[Swissgreys]

I am far from being an expert but my limited expereince shows me that sometimes piggies simply enjoy all the drama and interaction with the safety of a barrier in between.

I have a similar set up to you, with a bereaved piggy alone, but a shared wall with a bonded pair.
Honestly the bar biting, rumble strutting and general hanging out that goes is almost continual.
However despite multiple attempts with different piggies it is clear that this is the best solution for everyone right now.

I would say that you need to take the lead from your piggies.
If Willow seems more relaxed with a barrier in place then leave it there, but if she seems to enjoy all the drama and interaction (and can choose to move away) then give her the opportunity.

But hopefully someone more experienced will be along soon and have better advice.

 

[dannif_piggies]

I am far from being an expert but my limited expereince shows me that sometimes piggies simply enjoy all the drama and interaction with the safety of a barrier in between.

I have a similar set up to you, with a bereaved piggy alone, but a shared wall with a bonded pair.
Honestly the bar biting, rumble strutting and general hanging out that goes is almost continual.
However despite multiple attempts with different piggies it is clear that this is the best solution for everyone right now.

I would say that you need to take the lead from your piggies.
If Willow seems more relaxed with a barrier in place then leave it there, but if she seems to enjoy all the drama and interaction (and can choose to move away) then give her the opportunity.

But hopefully someone more experienced will be along soon and have better advice.

Thank you for your response, it's nice hearing from people in the same situation, i kept the plastic sheets up from around 7 o'clock last night and actually Last night was the first time I have seen her popcorn and do zoomies in her cage since the passing of Honey, obviously that doesn't mean she hasn't, but she's usually rather active, and the only behaviour I've seen is her concentrating on Lois and Laine. She even squeaked for her breakfast this morning. By all means I have no intention of keeping Willow a lone piggy, but to me her behaviour seems happier without being able to see Lois and Laine and just hear them. She seems so be interacting with her cage more, like she used to, running through tunnels etc rather than almost guarding her hay box constantly. Maybe she still isn't quite aware that Honey has gone and could've seen Lois and Laine as a threat to her "group" is this possible?