Chasing and nipping

[Becca]

I have had my three girlies now for 5 weeks.I noticed a few week ago that two tended to pair up and left the other on her own.
I felt really sorry for Bluebell on her own and bought another piggie.
Since i introduced the new piggy Bluebell as paired up with one of my orignal girls leaving the new Piggy and Buttercup.
Buttercup as been chasing and nipping my new girl
My question is do i take the new piggy out and get her a friend leaving the original three?
Sorry its all rather confusing :-[
I just want to do the best for them all.

Many thanks

 

[bevs]

Have only got boys so can't advise you i'm afraid, but loads of people here have girls and one should be along soon

Girls can be quite fickle can't they, (human ones) maybe its the same for girl pigs!

Think i'lll stick with boys LOL

 

[Abnoba]

it can take ages for pigs to get the pecking order right, and to figure out who really is the boss.
now that there is another piggie the whole thing is being "discussed" by them all over again...

leave them to it.

As long as there is no actual blood flowing (and even a slightly torn ear doesnt count as blood flowing) you should just sit and watch.
I know its hard, it look so rough when they chase each other and nip, and fur is flying in all directions - but they can handle alot more than we think.

However, to reduce stress, make sure that there are enough places for all three of them to hide and be seperate from each other if they want to. Also, if you can, replace wooden houses with cardboard houses for the time being - and cut two entrances in it.
To prevent one piggie being cornered.
Imagine a situation where the boss piggie chases another one, the other one hides. Boss one decides it wants that house, the other pig wants to give in and make space - but cant! so it does the only thing - trying to get out of the one front opening.
But the boss pig sees the pig coming towards it as really really cheeky - as if the other pig comes towards him and wants to nip him, chase him away, demonstrate that it is not willing to make space - when really, all it wanted was to run away.

how big is your cage?

make sure you have at least two foodbowls in different corners of the cage, so that they can get to food even if bossy pig is watching over the foodbowl number one.

They will sort this out themselves. Only if there are serious injuries you should have a think about seperating them.

 

[michellemuffin]

totally agree with Abnoba, girls rarely hurt each other I have 16 girls all in one hugh run and apart from a quick knock with the nose nothing ever happens, but then they have loads of room plenty of food bowls and water bottles (4 of each),
give them time they always get sorted and one will be big momma as I call her boss pig in other words, in the past 18 months 3 of my momma pigs have died but each time another one stepped into the job with no worrys firstly Ruby who was a bossy mare but sweet, squeak then took over she was almost 8 when she died then cuddles a rescue pig took the job when she died recently she was almost 7, this time how ever no one has so far taken the job leading me to believe they think they are all equals, but age seemed to play an influence on the momma pig, this time quite a few are of similar age so looks like they will just agree to get along,

 

[kellyandpiggies]

I agree with the others. Make sure you have got plenty of food bowls and other items so that they can have one each. Hope it all turns out well.

 

[Becca]

Thanks all for your replies.They have a 5x2x2 double hutch.I also have a large cc cage indoors for the warm/cold weather.
They have plenty of hidey holes and i do have dishes and water bowls on each level.
I shall leave them to it but keep a close eye on them.
I do feel better now

Becca

 

[Barmy4boars]

Awww hope they sort things out Becca. Sounds like they are sorting things out if you just introduced a new piggy, even numbers are generally thought to be best anyway. You have been given good advice already just monitor things and see how they go!