Update - she has eaten nuggets, walked through the water dish five times that I have seen and sucked her feet, eaten hay, a little cucumber and a tiny bit of apple and has chased around the conservatory as though she is rocket powered. The initial keeping her head down behaviour because she was nervous has now altered and she has settled in well and explored every bit of the conservatory. (I have had to stopper up two tiny cracks that she can get into!)
Her only real problem is Carmilla who has bullied her a bit by head rearing and some chasing, but this is being stopped by the other three who are all older than Carmilla and roundly tell her off. (I should say that it is Carmilla who is establishing her dominance above Chamomile in the pecking order by doing this and entirely natural. The older piggies will stop defending Chamomile when she is bigger) Chamomile has been groomed (ears and bottom) by all the older three so she is accepted into the herd altogether.
However, Chamomile is taking to wandering around then whizzing off so that whichever older piggy is following her they keep being left behind. Seeing them trying to speed up after this tiny ginger rocket is actually quite funny, I think they will get fitter! Interestingly, Carmina (the eldest) just had a full on chuntering face off over looking after the baby. Carmeline wants to. So does Carmina. Fascinating. There is no real war going on here, it is all terribly polite but surprisingly loud. I think our new baby may alter the dominance structure, I think Carmeline may now feel the need to take over the herd.
Sorry about all the similar names - Chamomile is obvious (tiny), then from youngest to oldest Carmilla (white) Columbine (tricolour scruff) Carmeline (ginger and white) Carmina ( dark brown agouti).
Here are a couple more pictures....
And a huge thank you to Lindsay who has really settled Chamomile down and made her feel really secure so that she could cope quite easily with the introductions. She wasn't actually afraid for very long and is more nervous of me than anything else already which is absolutely as it should be. Also to Rachel for the pictures and for cuddling her all the way home!
Good luck xx
