Bonding two younger girls with three older

[rhimorrison]

Hey!

I have two very dominate piggies (Maggie and Roxy) and one very placid one (Indi). All of these girls around 3-4 years old.

First a little background.
Maggies sister had sadly passed away, very young, one night (her name is Agnes) the following day I contacted a shelter and adopted Roxy to ve Maggies new cage mate. Bonding for those two did not go well whatsoever. They were full on fighting, i mean teeth and on hind legs. They were only together when i was watching them. Long story short they are both chill not after weeks and weeks of trying.
I thinj adopted another two from the same shelter. Bonding was alright Maggie and Roxy being themselves didnt make it easy. Sadly one of the newer adopted pair had to be put down due to health resons. Which left me with Indi (placid pig) took a while and Roxy sometimes takes a chunk of Indi's hair but they live fine.

Most recently i adopted Biscuit and Sweetie (from the same shelter as all the others, these two are 14months old) Sweetie is such a timid little thing. But Biscuit is a little terror. Roxy and Maggie can be chilling out and Biscuit will just walk too close to them (i am sure she knows it winds them up) and then they both strike at her. Roxy has grabbed a few tufts out of Biscuis hair om separate occasions (checked Biscuit over and no bleeding at any point)

Roxy, Maggie, Indi live side by side with Biscuit and Sweetie. Had the wee gals since Monday and it is now Sunday. Any ideas. I have veggies and hay but when it goes they just fight and bite hair. Is this okay, is it just not a match?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Can you please clarify - do your dominant older sows simply nip (letting the under-pig feel their teeth without breaking the skin) or are they actually biting off hair and ending up with a mouthful of hair?

The first is a very normal and pretty mild gesture of dominance whereas the second is the sow equivalent of a full-on fighting boar bite.

 

[rhimorrison]

When Roxy does bite she does get clumps of hair in her mouth, there is a loud squeak and then biscuits runs off. (If this has happened I do check Biscuit just to make sure there is no broken skin and until she is calm) Roxy will just lay there after Biscuit has ran away.

They are separated and only have time together when i am watching. They arr currently living side by side in my C&C cage, which is fine. They will touch noses through the grid and nothing aggressive happens. Even they lay side by side when they have the grid between them.

When i first introduced them they had a little bit of rumble strutting but would be able to lay down together. Now Biscuit just looks in Roxys direction and she is raging.

 

[Wiebke]

When Roxy does bite she does get clumps of hair in her mouth, there is a loud squeak and then biscuits runs off. (If this has happened I do check Biscuit just to make sure there is no broken skin and until she is calm) Roxy will just lay there after Biscuit has ran away.

They are separated and only have time together when i am watching. They arr currently living side by side in my C&C cage, which is fine. They will touch noses through the grid and nothing aggressive happens. Even they lay side by side when they have the grid between them.

When i first introduced them they had a little bit of rumble strutting but would be able to lay down together. Now Biscuit just looks in Roxys direction and she is raging.

To be honest, this doesn't sound good. I would abort the bonding meetings. Acceptance has not happened and will never happen once a piggy has made up their mind that they really do not like another pig.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

I am very sorry that your dream is not coming off, but guinea pigs are every bit as complex as people. You cannot make best friends out of people who hate each other's guts. The same goes for piggies. There is no magic wand measure that can change their personalities and their outlook.