Bullying or dominance?

Burns360

Burns360

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Location
East Midlands, UK
Just under 2 weeks ago I bonded my 3 sows with two others I rescued. Kept them quarantined and introduced for hours on Neutral territory before moving them to a cage. The under piggy brambles keeps screaming whenever the new pigs go near her. I assumed this was just submission. But today she was sleeping and the one of the new pigs kept lunging at her and biting her. (Didn’t look like nips) then the other two joined in cornering her. She screamed and screamed but they chased her and and was nipping/biting her face and body.

I checked her over but she has such wiry fur I can’t see any blood. They won’t let her eat or relax always jumping at her and nipping. There’s food bowls all over the cage, hay and water all over so there wouldn’t be any squabble over food. She seems so miserable but I’ve been advised not to seperate? It keeps happening and I’m worried a serious fight will break out.
 
If she isn’t being allowed to eat or relax and the behaviour from the others is relentless, then this has now moved into bullying. Is there another member of your herd that she does get on with? If so, then separating brambles out with a friend would be the best thing to do. If all other piggies are bullying her, then she should be removed by herself but kept in a separate cage alongside the others for some interaction.
 
Piggies&buns said:
If she isn’t being allowed to eat or relax and the behaviour from the others is relentless, then this has now moved into bullying. Is there another member of your herd that she does get on with? If so, then separating the bullied pig with a friend would be the best thing to do. If all other piggies are bullying her, then she should be removed by herself but kept in a separate cage alongside the others for some interaction.
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Thanks for your reply. She gets along with the other 2 she was bonded with. It’s just the new 2 that are bullying her. I was thinking to seperate the new 2 who are already bonded. And keep brambles with the 2 she is bonded with.
 
Burns360 said:
Thanks for your reply. She gets along with the other 2 she was bonded with. It’s just the new 2 that are bullying her. I was thinking to seperate the new 2 who are already bonded. And keep brambles with the 2 she is bonded with.
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That sounds to be the perfect solution to the problem. I’d go ahead and do that and it sounds as if everybody will be happier
 
Thankyou just wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. Since I’ve taken the new 2 out whilst I sorted their cage. Brambles has been eating and even popcorned which she hasn’t done for ages
 
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