I just recently got a new skinny pig who is around 8 weeks I think (he's pretty tiny compared to the others) and I'm trying to figure out normal dominance behavior between him and the possible friend. The friend is my other male who was attacked a few months back but he is constantly trying to nudge the other through the bars. The skinny pig (Bigglesworth) immediately followed and cuddled Reggie (possible friend pig). Reggie whistled to him and did some mounting. What I'm needing advice on is the other dominance signs. Reggie sprayed Biggles in the face a few times with the mounting but he never chattered or swayed. I'd like to give them floor time again if this is positive signs of bonding. Thank you for any advice!
Bonding boy pigs
- Thread starter Mintynoir
- Start date
They can be so complex to read sometimes, can't they?
I find that the bonding guides are really useful, and it helps a lot that they have pictures and videos.
There is an entire special section here on boars too.
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
I find that the bonding guides are really useful, and it helps a lot that they have pictures and videos.
There is an entire special section here on boars too.
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
Love the name Bigglesworth! I've never bonded 2 boys but like it says in the bonding guides if you introduce them and there's no obvious fighting and hostility you need to leave them together afterwards, they get confused if you let them meet and play together then split them up again.
Plan a proper bonding session with a fair few hours in a neutral space and then if they seem like they could be friends (mounting and pee spraying is normal friendly dominance behaviour) then after they've eaten and taken a nap and woke up again and carried on where they left off and not attacked each other, take the plunge and move them into a newly cleaned cage together.
Just be extra careful with a skinny pig as bites can be very serious without protective fur, we had a catastrophic bonding fail with our baby skinny girl Tallulah and the main herd lady boss pig that resulted in some serious bite wounds and a very big vet bill!
Plan a proper bonding session with a fair few hours in a neutral space and then if they seem like they could be friends (mounting and pee spraying is normal friendly dominance behaviour) then after they've eaten and taken a nap and woke up again and carried on where they left off and not attacked each other, take the plunge and move them into a newly cleaned cage together.
Just be extra careful with a skinny pig as bites can be very serious without protective fur, we had a catastrophic bonding fail with our baby skinny girl Tallulah and the main herd lady boss pig that resulted in some serious bite wounds and a very big vet bill!
Hi!
The dominance behaviours are very much in the mild range. Mounting is normal bonding behaviour and target spraying quite literally translates as 'p*ss off' in a fairly emphatic way - my sows do it regularly.
You may find these links here helpful:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics (includes a chapter on boar bonding pecularities and a video of a very mild boar bonding)
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
All the best!
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
Can we see some pigtures of your piggies?
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
Awwww skinny Biggles is so cute, what unusual colours! Our skinny pig girl is mostly chocolate coloured, she has a furry pig husband 
That's adorable! Biggles is such a scared thing I'm happy to see him roaming and popcorning. He got surrendered to my work by a girl who said she was allergic to him.Awwww skinny Biggles is so cute, what unusual colours! Our skinny pig girl is mostly chocolate coloured, she has a furry pig husband