Bonding seems to have gone wrong after a good start

[Theremin]

First off: I've kept pigs since the 80s. I've rarely had a group go really bad, so I'm kind of stumped.
My female skinny pig/werewolf Pumpkin started life with another family and had a relationship with a male through bars; the family had mistakenly gotten a male as a companion! Anyway, when the male passed away, they didn't want to add pigs but really wanted Pumpkin to have friends, so they asked if I could take her. She was maybe 2 years, and was a scared submissive pig who squealed when anyone touched her but eventually became friends with my 3 girls.

Well, the last of that herd other than Pumpkin passed at the end of March and left Pumpkin, now about 4 years old, alone.

We found a good candidate female from our local shelter to pair with her after a few weeks and they were introduced in late April and did great together. Pumpkin even tolerated sitting with Clementine and even let her into a hidey with her, which was amazing compared to her past fearful reactions with other pigs. Clemmie had been underweight and I think neglected, but seemed to warm up to Pumpkin while being a bit wary of humans. Clemmie has also put on weight rapidly, but is still smaller than Pumpkin.

Now, out of the blue, this week they fell out. Chasing, chattering, tooth display, then when we put them back together after a time out, a major fight, including Pumpkin pulling a tuft of hair from Clemmie (and biting my husband while he tried to separate them.)

I have them separated now with a divider between the first and second floor of my habitat. They are still hostile when they see and smell each other, and I'm at a loss as to what is going on or how to proceed. I haven't experienced anything like this for literal decades.

Anyway, any suggestions would be helpful. I'm considering letting them get together outside in their large outdoor cage in the grass, but it's rather cold this spring and it might be a week before I can do that. I also am considering giving them a bath, which I know is sort of an old wives tale, but I'm desperate to try to reestablish this relationship before it's just too late.

Thank you for any ideas.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

I’m afraid if there has been a major fight (pulling a clump of hair out is considered a major fight for sows; the rolling around tornado furball is a boar thing and rarely seen in sows), then the bond is over.
I’m afraid there is nothing an owner can do to fix a broken bond. Sows, once they fall out, do not change their minds about each other so trying again after an aggressive encounter would not be recommended.
Bathing is not recommended, it really is an old wives tale. A bath isn’t going to change their liking of each other, character compatibility or ability to form a hierarchy, and actually adds a level of stress which can make things worse.

If you do decide you are going to try a neutral territory reintroduction, then do it after they have had a few days apart, ensure it is definitely neutral territory; and make sure you have thick gloves and are ready to separate them again; oncr they have had a fight (sow version being pulling hair out) then the chances are it will occur again, add on the fact you say they are now hostile if they see and smell each other then a reintroduction would be very risky

When piggies have to live separately, cages need to be side by side so you may need to look to a different long term living situation.
The cages may not be able to be completely side by side (they can need a few can gap or even a blanket over the bars initially) to begin with after a fall out, but over time they will need to be able to see each other between the bars for long term interaction.

Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

 

[Theremin]

I’m sorry to hear this

I’m afraid if there has been a major fight (pulling a clump of hair out is considered a major fight for sows; the rolling around tornado furball is a boar thing and rarely seen in sows), then the bond is over.
I’m afraid there is nothing an owner can do to fix a broken bond. Sows, once they fall out, do not change their minds about each other so trying again after an aggressive encounter would not be recommended.
Bathing is not recommended, it really is an old wives tale. A bath isn’t going to change their liking of each other, character compatibility or ability to form a hierarchy, and actually adds a level of stress which can make things worse.

If you do decide you are going to try a neutral territory reintroduction, then do it after they have had a few days apart, ensure it is definitely neutral territory; and make sure you have thick gloves and are ready to separate them again; oncr they have had a fight (sow version being pulling hair out) then the chances are it will occur again, add on the fact you say they are now hostile if they see and smell each other then a reintroduction would be very risky

When piggies have to live separately, cages need to be side by side so you may need to look to a different long term living situation.
The cages may not be able to be completely side by side (they can need a few can gap or even a blanket over the bars initially) to begin with after a fall out, but over time they will need to be able to see each other between the bars for long term interaction.

Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

Thank you for your advice. I know it's a long shot, and we're usually good or just lucky at getting pigs to bond, especially in trios. I haven't had a duo for a while. I know the set up is temporary for their habitat, but it was the quickest way to separate them without doing something completely new. I literally can't remember such a savage disagreement with any of my pigs for decades, so I am really disappointed and stumped.
We will try the large outdoor cage in a few days with plenty of towels and oven mitts. Fingers crossed.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for your advice. I know it's a long shot, and we're usually good or just lucky at getting pigs to bond, especially in trios. I haven't had a duo for a while. I know the set up is temporary for their habitat, but it was the quickest way to separate them without doing something completely new. I literally can't remember such a savage disagreement with any of my pigs for decades, so I am really disappointed and stumped.
We will try the large outdoor cage in a few days with plenty of towels and oven mitts. Fingers crossed.

If it was such a bad fall out, I personally would abandon all ideas of putting them in the outdoor cage together. I’m not sure it’s worth risking injuries when it sounds like the chances of it being successful are very low if not nil.
I have a fallen out pair of boys - they both had to be put on antibiotics due to the injuries they caused each other in their fight.

Older sows are known to be trickier to bond - once they get past 4 years old or so, a bereaved piggy can do better just having a neighbour than having a live in friend

 

[VickiA]

If it was such a bad fall out, I personally would abandon all ideas of putting them in the outdoor cage together. I’m not sure it’s worth risking injuries when it sounds like the chances of it being successful are very low if not nil.
I have a fallen out pair of boys - they both had to be put on antibiotics due to the injuries they caused each other in their fight.

Older sows are known to be trickier to bond - once they get past 4 years old or so, a bereaved piggy can do better just having a neighbour than having a live in friend

I agree. My experience of sow keeping has taught me over many years the older sows can be very picky about who they live with – and that they can bear grudges for many years. So even though we think the best thing for them is to live together in a pair, the reality is they are probably both happier living side-by-side separately so that they have company but don’t have to share the same living space. I’m really sorry that it hasn’t worked out.

 

[Theremin]

We had another fight after some time together. I think we have a real blood feud. I'm working up a way to make their environment some kind of side by side arrangement. I've apparently been incredibly lucky pairing sows in the past, but these two seem to have personalities and backgrounds that are keeping them from being able to live together.