Bullying

[Lovespigs]

My pigs have been together for 4 years, Dumbo is 6 and a half and Florrie is 4, Florrie is a long haired alpaca pig and Dumbo likes to eat her hair, not typical barbering, just ripping her hair out and eating it, she definitely eats it, i’ve seen her do it, the vet has told me it’s normal, and it’s not. Florrie gets so distressed. It doesn’t happen often though. Today, i went to give the pigs their dinner and i notice Florries entire back is bald and really sore, and Dumbo was humping her, they are both females by the way. I have separated them now, what can I do to help Florrie, i’m reluctant about ever putting them back together again honestly.

 

[Wiebke]

My pigs have been together for 4 years, Dumbo is 6 and a half and Florrie is 4, Florrie is a long haired alpaca pig and Dumbo likes to eat her hair, not typical barbering, just ripping her hair out and eating it, she definitely eats it, i’ve seen her do it, the vet has told me it’s normal, and it’s not. Florrie gets so distressed. It doesn’t happen often though. Today, i went to give the pigs their dinner and i notice Florries entire back is bald and really sore, and Dumbo was humping her, they are both females by the way. I have separated them now, what can I do to help Florrie, i’m reluctant about ever putting them back together again honestly.

Hi

I am very sorry about your problems

Please have Dumbo checked for ovarian cysts.
Sows: Behaviour and Female Health Problems (including mounting and ovarian cysts)

Please keep them next to each to each other with interaction through the bars to keep their bond alive until Dumbo's cysts have been dealt with and you can then try a formal re-introduction on neutral ground.
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

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[Lovespigs]

dumbo has been previously diagnosed with ovarian cysts, i apologise for the total too, i was just quite panicked at the time of writing that, ive made sure to keep them next to each other, because of the heat they are in a bathroom at the moment free roaming, unfortunately ive only had the space to put dumbo in a carrier, but i will sort out accommodations tomorrow.

Hi

I am very sorry about your problems

Please have Dumbo checked for ovarian cysts.
Sows: Behaviour and Female Health Problems (including mounting and ovarian cysts)

Please keep them next to each to each other with interaction through the bars to keep their bond alive until Dumbo's cysts have been dealt with and you can then try a formal re-introduction on neutral ground.
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

PS: We kindly ask our members to please use normal font in any titles and text. When scrolling through a number of alerts, upper case is much more difficult to read and is actually at higher risk of being overlooked rather than an easier to read normal title.
We do our best to deal with all new threads as soon as one of us is coming on, seeing that we do all this for free in our own free time.

 

[Wiebke]

dumbo has been previously diagnosed with ovarian cysts, i apologise for the total too, i was just quite panicked at the time of writing that, ive made sure to keep them next to each other, because of the heat they are in a bathroom at the moment free roaming, unfortunately ive only had the space to put dumbo in a carrier, but i will sort out accommodations tomorrow.

She seems to have another bout of her hormones going into overdrive, unfortunately.
I am very sorry. It's not the news you want to hear.

PS: Barbering can have many facets but one of them is dominance-based/bullying overgrooming. It is thankfully not the most common but that is no consolation to you.
Please check that stress-related mange mites could not be behind it, though and that the barbering/wounds are not self-inflicted.
Barbering (Eating Hair)

 

[Lovespigs]

She seems to have another bout of her hormones going into overdrive, unfortunately.
I am very sorry. It's not the news you want to hear.

PS: Barbering can have many facets but one of them is dominance-based/bullying overgrooming. It is thankfully not the most common but that is no consolation to you.
Please check that stress-related mange mites could not be behind it, though and that the barbering/wounds are not self-inflicted.
Barbering (Eating Hair)

oh no, what exactly does that mean?

 

[Wiebke]

oh no, what exactly does that mean?

Please take the time to read the links in my posts and have her vet checked again. Active hormonal ovarian cysts can be very disruptive for a group and can lead to fall-outs in sows.

Generally, removal of ovaries (and/or womb) may have to be discussed. I wish I had nicer news but you seem to be now at the sharp end of what ovaries can do to a sow bond.

 

[Lovespigs]

i have spoken to the vet previously about what to do, and he didn’t recommend the spay surgery because of her age, i know there are injections she could possibly have, i’ll talk to the vet about that.