Bonding advice

[5guineapiggies]

Hi can anybody help our situation please?
We are just currently introducing 2 new rescue piggies with our current 3. They are all girls, the 2 new ones are the youngest. However, one of the new pigs is badly bullying and biting our eldest, making her always hide. She is never this quiet and is normally always upbeat and happy. None of the other pigs seem to be getting bullied but are neither bonding with pig that is bullying.

On the other hand, the other new pig is settling in well, although still a bit shy.

If they do not get along we may have to give the bully or both of the new ones away and we really do not want to.

Any suggestions please?

Many thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Hi can anybody help our situation please?
We are just currently introducing 2 new rescue piggies with our current 3. They are all girls, the 2 new ones are the youngest. However, one of the new pigs is badly bullying and biting our eldest, making her always hide. She is never this quiet and is normally always upbeat and happy. None of the other pigs seem to be getting bullied but are neither bonding with pig that is bullying.

On the other hand, the other new pig is settling in well, although still a bit shy.

If they do not get along we may have to give the bully or both of the new ones away and we really do not want to.

Any suggestions please?

Many thanks

Hi! Please read this guide in order to understand the behaviours and dynamics.
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

You have obviously passed from acceptance into the dominance phase and are currently in the roughest bit where the new hierarchy is sorted out, starting from the top. The strongest dominance always comes from the sow that is just ranked above.
You new top lady has obviously won the top spot contest against your old lady and is now dominating her to ensure her position. Taking over from an established piggy always requires stronger dominance behaviour.
The other lower ranked girls will stay out of this and then work out their ranking in turn as the procedure travels down the ladder. The whole process takes around two weeks until the new group is fully established.

I hope that you are conducting the introduction on neutral territory because otherwise the new piggies will feel as intruders and may overreact in defence. Please remove any hideys to avoid any risk of bust-ups untils things have calmed down more, which can take 2-3 days.

Please never just give a guinea pig away on its own without its bonded mate as a punishment, just because it simply does what guinea pigs do and not what you expect from them.
Guinea pigs are group animals that live in a bonded hierarchical society with quite strict rules and a pretty complex interaction. They are not wired to be on their own, nor should any happy bonds be ever arbitrarily be separated!
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview

 

[5guineapiggies]

Thank you, we will try removing the hidies tomorrow when we try them together again

 

[Wiebke]

Please give them time to work it all out!

Please take the time to read the guides. They will help you to understand the interaction and judge the whole process much better. If you merge two established groups where one is not sub-adult and cannot challenge the established hierarchy, you will inevitably get much stronger dominance. If neither of the group leader relinquishes their claim for the top spot, then a merger fails. But that is not bullying, just standard procedure.
Nipping is NOT biting, it is a very carefully judged gesture of power that lets the underpiggy just feel the teeth without breaking the skin. It is par for the course during the dominance phase.