Bonding risks with a poorly pig

[flopren]

I need help figuring out a potentially tricky situation. I have two sisters, Sybil and Jovie, aged 5, who have a lifelong bond that I'm cautious not to disrupt. I also have 3 new pigs, adopted at the beginning of March: 2 sows, Tiggy and Nell, from one rescue, and a neutered boar, Griff, from another. The sows lived together at the rescue, and have been cagemates for the past 2 weeks. Griff has been housed next door to them since early March, as he was not yet 4-6 weeks post-neutering op when I adopted him (something I didn't find out up front). Griff is 6 weeks post op tomorrow, but can't yet meet the girls fully yet due to potential ringworm (awaiting test results), though his eye has seemingly cleared up nicely on its own. My main concern is putting Tiggy through another introduction whilst she's so fragile. Whilst the normalisation of her gut mobility feels very positive, at our last visit, the vet said Tiggy was in "palliative care". My plan was to create a mixed herd (1 neutered boar + several sows), but by pushing ahead with that plan, I put Tiggy at risk, and if I don't, I leave Griff by himself (which I wouldn't allow long-term). This could potentially leave me with 3 herds. In theory, I think Tiggy would fit nicely with my eldest sows as they're all of a similar temperament - boisterous but quite subdued. Whereas Griff and Nell are quick, energetic and noisy.

This is all rather stressful. It would be devastating if the bonding process destabilised Sybil and Jovie, or Tiggy, in particular, due to their greater fragility compared to Nell and Griff. I would feel like I'd not protected their obvious vulnerabilities.

Advice welcome!

Edit: new piggy ages:
Nell, 2y
Griff, 1y-18mo
Tiggy, 3y (but vet thinks considerably older than I've been told)

 

[flopren]

More info:

Nell seems very dominant and bossy. She's very energetic, confident and vocal. I wonder if to introduce Nell to Griff, and get Tiggy a calmer, more subdued cagemate instead? Whilst they know each other and are bonded, Nell rumblestruts several times daily, and pursues Tiggy for a while whenever I put her back after feeding/medication (twice daily). Griff is currently more shy, but was the "aggressor" in the breakdown of his previous bond (with his brother). Both are a good match energy-wise. I worry that the two of them would run rings around Tiggy.

 

[Wiebke]

As Tiggy is older as well, it may be worth putting her next to your two old ladies. You can put Griff next to Nell and see how they get on through the bars for a few days. That should take some of Griff's expected over-excitement out of the way and get them more used to each other. Nell seems somewhat insecure and could react with fear-aggression when she suddenly comes face to face with a stronger piggy, so it is worth taking time for the build up to an intro.

We all dream of a big group, but I know from my Tribe journey that it is a lot more difficult to achieve. See whether you can get a couple or a trio and then take it from there.

If you want to introduce all together and then if needed take piggies out that do not gel during the bonding. That is another method but please give Tiggy more time to stabilise first. And in thios case, have Griff living with contact through the bars with all girls to get through his hormone overload for the bonding anyway.

 

[flopren]

One option is this (see attached image). This is as much space as I can give them right now due to other obstacles in the room, though they're not shown on the floorplan:

Cage #1: S&J (5y old; lifelong, stable sisterly bond)

Cage #2, central: Tiggy, the poorly pig (estimated 3y old; in "palliative care", as our vet said)

Cage #3: G&N (estimated 1y-18mo and 2y old; yet to be introduced but have been housed adjacently since 8th March)

My thinking with this plan is to house Tiggy between both pairs' cages, allowing Tiggy maximum (but controlled) social interaction that doesn't expose her to further stress - rumblestrutting, chasing, mounting, food-blocking, and exposure to two very (lovely but) boisterous pigs. The 3x4 size is smaller than the minimum I like to give my pigs, but with her pain and mobility issues (gut, ovarian cysts, arthritis, bumblefoot; she's also bunny hopping to get around at times) it seems appropriate. If Tiggy beats the odds - and I hope she does - I can carefully choose a calm, more subdued, non-dominant cagemate for her in the coming months.

Whilst nursing Tiggy is my top priority right now, I'm mindful of poor Griff, who has been isolated with me for 2-3 weeks now (due to neutering recovery), and who knows how long prior due to having fallen out with his brother. He's a seemingly healthy and sprightly pig, and he needs to be more integrated.

Advice welcome. I just want to do the best I can by them all.

 

[flopren]

As Tiggy is older as well, it may be worth putting her next to your two old ladies. You can put Griff next to Nell and see how they get on through the bars for a few days. That should take some of Griff's expected over-excitement out of the way and get them more used to each other. Nell seems somewhat insecure and could react with fear-aggression when she suddenly comes face to face with a stronger piggy, so it is worth taking time for the build up to an intro.

We all dream of a big group, but I know from my Tribe journey that it is a lot more difficult to achieve. See whether you can get a couple or a trio and then take it from there.

If you want to introduce all together and then if needed take piggies out that do not gel.; that is another method but please give Tiggy more time to stabilise. And have Griff living with contact through the bars with all girls to get through his hormone overload for the bonding anyway.

Thanks so much for your advice. I agree, Tiggy definitely needs more time to stabilise.