Hi all, three weeks ago I sadly had to separate my boars, Sven and Ghost, after a falling out. They had lived together for 11 months but it was always more of a coexistence enabled by a large space and lots of resources than a happy loving pair. I always knew it could happen because my older boy Sven was separated from the last bond attempt after attacking him pretty badly. He did accept Ghost as a baby and tolerated his antics, but I think perhaps just saw him as more of a threat as he got older and bigger. I moved ONE THING in their cage one day and problems arose, Ghost trying to hump Sven until the point Sven was up on his hindegs clearly about to attack.
Its a shame because I think if we could have made it past Ghost's puberty time, they might have been ok (only would have been 2 more months)
but separating them was definitely the right thing for Ghost's safety. They were in a 2x6 (c&c grids), they now have half each with a divider. Sven is infinitely happier and calmer, out and about much more and happier spending time with us out of his cage.
I am however worried about Ghost. He still does a twice daily zoom around his little space and is still eating, drinking etc. The rest of the time though he pretty much spends sitting or laying at the divider staring at Sven. He is petrified during floor time and won't move. He has always been more skittish and nervous and would follow Sven during floor time for safety - we still give them floor time together, with a divider, but Ghost just hides. I'm most worried about him sitting at the divider in the cage. He seems sad. They don't interact through the bars because Sven ignores him. Could he be depressed or am I reading too much into it, as he's still zooming, eating, drinking?
If he's depressed I don't know what to do. There isn't enough room to add another pig to his little space now and if there was another falling out we'd be completely stuffed as we have no other space. I do not have a rescue near me that will do bonding (I asked last time around) and as much as we would be prepared to neuter him and get a female, even if we could extend his 2x3 I don't feel it would be fair to Sven to put a female that close to him.
Any thoughts?
Its a shame because I think if we could have made it past Ghost's puberty time, they might have been ok (only would have been 2 more months)
but separating them was definitely the right thing for Ghost's safety. They were in a 2x6 (c&c grids), they now have half each with a divider. Sven is infinitely happier and calmer, out and about much more and happier spending time with us out of his cage.
I am however worried about Ghost. He still does a twice daily zoom around his little space and is still eating, drinking etc. The rest of the time though he pretty much spends sitting or laying at the divider staring at Sven. He is petrified during floor time and won't move. He has always been more skittish and nervous and would follow Sven during floor time for safety - we still give them floor time together, with a divider, but Ghost just hides. I'm most worried about him sitting at the divider in the cage. He seems sad. They don't interact through the bars because Sven ignores him. Could he be depressed or am I reading too much into it, as he's still zooming, eating, drinking?
If he's depressed I don't know what to do. There isn't enough room to add another pig to his little space now and if there was another falling out we'd be completely stuffed as we have no other space. I do not have a rescue near me that will do bonding (I asked last time around) and as much as we would be prepared to neuter him and get a female, even if we could extend his 2x3 I don't feel it would be fair to Sven to put a female that close to him.
Any thoughts?
