Bonding my new pig

[piggy_smalls]

Hi all!

I have a male aged 16 months and on Thursday we’re getting a six week old rescue pig to attempt to bond with him.

I have a few questions…

First, my understanding is with teeny babies, that they need bonding immediately in a neutral area as they need interaction. This is contrary to the advice provided by the rescue but I will go with the experience of you guys as you’ve lived it!

They also recommend scent swapping but again, I understand this is out dated and no longer recommended?

My plan is to keep him separate for a couple of days to settle in as I’ll be his third home in as many weeks bless him, then try an introduction. Should the first introduction be through the bars or in the neutral area?

Thank you!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Oh bless him.

No scent swapping - it’s not recommended.

There is no first introduction as such - bonding itself is a one time event seen through to conclusion on that one day.
Bonding is always in a neutral area. If you have bars between then they are getting to know each other but are not properly bonding (it’s just pre-bonding).

So, bring him home, put him in a cage beside your older boy and let him settle in for a day or two (he is young so shouldn’t be in a cage by himself for long).
Then when bonding day arrives move both the piggies to a neutral bonding pen which contains just hay and water. Leave them in there for at least several hours (if you have any concerns, then leave them longer - it’s better to leave them in there for a long time (overnight even) than move them too soon), monitor the progress.
Once you are happy they have got through the early bonding stages and like each other then move them to the cage they are to share (which should either be completely cleaned out and neutral or carry the scent of both piggies (never just the scent of one).
It will then take two weeks for the bond to be fully established.

If things don’t go well in neutral territory and the bonding is a failure, then they have to go back to separate cages and should not be put back together again.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

 

[weepweeps]

I’ve always bonded young baby boars with adult boars.

I’ve always popped them straight into the bonding pen not long after getting them home so they can meet and spend all that day and overnight getting to know each other.

Good luck. I hope they like each other

 

[piggy_smalls]

Soooo….the new 6 week old baby is now in a cage bang next to my 16 month old boar prior to proper bonding. My older boy could not give two s***s! Crumble has been wheaking and popcorning all over the place and can obviously smell Eddie. But nope. No reaction at all from Eddie. We’re going to try them together over the weekend but at this rate Eddie doesn’t NOT seem impressed!

 

[Wiebke]

Soooo….the new 6 week old baby is now in a cage bang next to my 16 month old boar prior to proper bonding. My older boy could not give two s***s! Crumble has been wheaking and popcorning all over the place and can obviously smell Eddie. But nope. No reaction at all from Eddie. We’re going to try them together over the weekend but at this rate Eddie doesn’t NOT seem impressed!

All the best!

Here is our step be step bonding guide, which also contains a special chapter on baby bonding.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

 

[Piggies&buns]

You can’t gauge how a bonding will go by the reaction being side by side, so please try not to worry about it not going well

I have merged your two threads so everything is in one place going forward

Fingers crossed for bonding day!

 

[Wiebke]

If your older boy is playing the stand-offish, superior cool dude then that doesn't say anything about acceptance and how their bond is ultimately working out or not. You will only find that out during the bonding.

Good luck.