Becoming Too Aggressive?

[Kithri]

Hi, all. So we introduced our two pairs last night, our originals Eleanor and Lucy, and our new girls, Marigold and Elvira. I've read up on all the guides for bonding and different behaviors, but we're still concerned.

We put them together in a neutral cage at 9pm last night. It's twelve hours later and the behavior hasn't really changed - lots of chasing, loud teeth chattering, hackles raised, rumble strutting, loud squeaking, and occasionally some lunges. They've shared hay and veggies together, but then they get right back to it. It doesn't seem like anyone has been seriously hurt.

Is this normal? Or should we be worried that the bonding has failed?

 

[autumne]

I introduced my two males to my single one about 2 weeks ago and they are still 'fighting' but not as often or as aggressively. I think it's normal, just give it some time, but separate them if there is any blood or injuries. If you want them together forever, try not to separate them and reintroduce if nothing severe happens. I'm no expert, but this is what I did with my piggies and they have gotten significantly better. Good luck!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, all. So we introduced our two pairs last night, our originals Eleanor and Lucy, and our new girls, Marigold and Elvira. I've read up on all the guides for bonding and different behaviors, but we're still concerned.

We put them together in a neutral cage at 9pm last night. It's twelve hours later and the behavior hasn't really changed - lots of chasing, loud teeth chattering, hackles raised, rumble strutting, loud squeaking, and occasionally some lunges. They've shared hay and veggies together, but then they get right back to it. It doesn't seem like anyone has been seriously hurt.

Is this normal? Or should we be worried that the bonding has failed?

I would give them some time out in their pairs and see whether they are instantly relaxed again. Generally, I split sows or sow/neutered boar group bondings up overnight if they haven't come to an agreement and confrontational behaviour persists. Hf tensions are high on the second day as soon as they come together, then I count that as a failed bonding. Once piggies have decided they do not like the 'others', they rarely change their mind.

By far not all mergers work out in my own experience having tried lots of them. We may have our (human) dreams, but piggies have very much their own personalities and minds...

 

[Kithri]

Thanks for the replies. Right now they're chilling out in their pigloos since, without them, the arguing was continuing and I wanted them to de-stress. They all seem fine - occasionally one will go out for some hay or water, and no one will try to stop her or start something. It makes me hopeful that progress IS being made. Should we still separate them for a while or leave it be?

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the replies. Right now they're chilling out in their pigloos since, without them, the arguing was continuing and I wanted them to de-stress. They all seem fine - occasionally one will go out for some hay or water, and no one will try to stop her or start something. It makes me hopeful that progress IS being made. Should we still separate them for a while or leave it be?

Leave them be, but please DO NOT put any hideys into a bonding area and do not put any hideys with just one exit into a joint cage until the dominance phase has settled down; they are prime flash points!
If you want to create protection and shelter, place a fleece over the whole or at least a large part of the bonding area.

 

[Kithri]

Pigloos taken out. I thought it'd be okay since they can easily (and do often) go underneath them to exit. So far, it seems to be getting better. Lucy and Elvira, the two most dominant ones, were just sitting side-by-side, hanging out. Still some squeaking, some chasing and nipping, but less teeth chattering. Worst case scenario, we'll build another cage and have two separate pairs, but hopefully this works out! Thanks so much for your continued assistance!

 

[Kithri]

New question! (Sorry to double post.)
We have to leave in about an hour for a while. Should we separate them until we return?

 

[Wiebke]

New question! (Sorry to double post.)
We have to leave in about an hour for a while. Should we separate them until we return?

No, they seem to have come to an agreement now, so I would just eave them to work through the worst of the dominance (which seems to have happened now) and not cause another bout by splitting them.

 

[Kithri]

No, they seem to have come to an agreement now, so I would just eave them to work through the worst of the dominance (which seems to have happened now) and not cause another bout by splitting them.

Thank you! Lucy was just all up in Elvira's (very long) fur, sniffing and checking her out. Someone was squeaking as this was happening (hard to tell who), so maybe it was Elvira doing submission squeaks. Right now, Eleanor and Elvira are chilling out near each other, and things really seem to have calmed down. Earlier, Lucy was lying down next to Elvira and Marigold for a good amount of time!