At what point do you leave them be and stop worrying?

Froggerella

Froggerella

Junior Guinea Pig
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I've been gradually introducing my two remaining boars - Ziggy (approx 4 years old, left bereaved after his long term hutchmate Etch passed away last month) and Gerald (approx 1-2 years old, previously living with two sows - he's castrated). It seems to be going OK, pretty much the same experience I've ever had with bonding pigs - some teeth chattering, the odd warning lunge but no violence, some incessant bum sniffing, etc. No nipping, no blood drawn, nothing that concerns me.

I've worked up the courage and put them both into a clean hutch together. Gerald has taken himself off to one of the hidey holes and Ziggy keeps checking in, to be greeted with some sounds from Gerald but nothing more. They've had a stand off earlier but have settled, and both were eating hay together earlier.

They've been in together maybe a couple of hours now without incident. Realistically, how long would any of you watch over them before deciding you're ok to step away?
 
How long did they spend in the bonding area before you put them both in the hutch? When I bonded two pairs, I bonded them in my parents kitchen for 8 hours before putting them in their clean cage but I had an anxious night worrying. I would keep an eye on them for the rest of the day but it all sounds promising so far
 
Claire W said:
How long did they spend in the bonding area before you put them both in the hutch? When I bonded two pairs, I bonded them in my parents kitchen for 8 hours before putting them in their clean cage but I had an anxious night worrying. I would keep an eye on them for the rest of the day but it all sounds promising so far
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They've collectively spent a few hours together at least before this, I'm not sure how many to be exact. I have stepped away for now but going to keep checking on them... when I left them, they were sitting next to each other and eating from the same hay rack though, which I think is a good sign? And Ziggy has been showing his affection by licking Gerald's eye a lot (that's how Ziggy makes friends, apparently! He used to do it all the time with Etch).

I do think their personalities should mesh quite well, so fingers firmly crossed...
 
If the hours they spent before this were ‘playdates’ after which they were separated, then they dont count towards the bonding as they were never able to establish a relationship during them due to the separation.

It’ll take a couple of weeks for them to fully establish their hierarchy but it sounds as if things are going well. So If you have bonded them in the cage they are going to live in (as opposed to doing it in neutral territory and then moving them to the cage they are to live in), and it’s been several hours and all is still well, then you don’t need to watch quite so closely.
 
Affection and eating together sound promising. You might have bouts of dominance behavior but it appears, from your posts, Gerald is now top boar and Ziggy is submitting.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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