Could I Add A Fourth Piggy To My Trio?

[RosieMaia]

I'd really like to welcome a fourth piggy to our home now that we'll be making a larger c&c cage.

Currently, I have a neutered boar Rosie (2.5 years) and two girls: Maia (2 years, our top piggy) and 'baby' Alice (6 months, bottom piggy).

When we introduced Alice to Rosie and Maia, Maia immediately became very protective of her and assumed a motherly role. Currently, the girls are inseparable - they sleep and eat together and cuddle and groom one another a lot. They both love their husboar Rosie. All in all, I think the three are very closely bonded and love each other a lot.

I would like to add a baby girl to my trio. The piggy would almost certainly be a young baby (with no rescues in the country, my only option would be a petshop piggy, who are usually sold at 3 weeks old). If I waited for Alice to be fully grown, let's say 1.5 years old, I'm thinking the new baby couldn't possibly challenge anyone's position in the herd, right? She will just automatically assume the bottom position and Alice and Maia could 'adopt' her. However, seeing that my two sows are so very well bonded, I wonder if they will accept easily a third one. I don't think bullying would be likely, since none of them is very dominant or ever shown aggressive behavior until now, but I suppose the new pig could become the outsider.

Any advice is more than welcome! Thanks

 

[pig in the city]

Hi. A baby sow should be accepted by the group quite easily but still do the introductions on neutral territory.
There is always the danger when introducing a new pig that it will upset the group dynamics, especially as the baby grows up.
Always have a plan B in case you end up having to split the group!

 

[Janice C]

Can only reiterate @pig in the city !
Babies are usually easily accepted into a group and as yours seem to be non dominant I don’t think you’ll have any flare ups between them as she grows older. You’ll probably find one or more of your sows will mother her especially if they sell them so very young in your country. Wee soul will need their affection and care. Xx

 

[RosieMaia]

Thank you!

I really was hoping for an answer along these lines

It's difficult when you have no rescues in the country - it would have been great to have access to piggy dating, not to mention not having to buy a piggy, plus it also means that if for some reason one has to give up their piggies, you have to find a good home on your own. I've been thinking of opening one, actually, but it's not something I could afford at this moment either financially, or time-wise, but the idea is there. I hope one day I'd be able to do that.