Dominant behaviour between my two 6 month old boars.

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

It’s normal for the top pig to have the pick of hides and bottles etc. And it’s good that the underpig is accepting his position.

Alright , thank you very much for everything you have solved for me so far. I will keep an eye on them for the next week's in case one of them gets an hormonal spike (which I think has already passed but you never know). Blessings for you all .

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

It’s normal for the top pig to have the pick of hides and bottles etc. And it’s good that the underpig is accepting his position.

So it's me again, they have sorted out who is the boss, but the boss is ripping the underboss hair when he nipps him. Should I worry or is it normal to nip and take a bit of his hair? They don't fight or argue it's just s dominant behaviour but I'm a bit concerned about it .

 

[Siikibam]

That doesn’t sound good really. There shouldn’t be any hair pulling. Nipping is normal and shouldn’t break skin. But pulling hair is usually the way sows show they don’t like each other. How is underpig behaving?

I’ll tag @Piggies&buns @Wiebke @VickiA

 

[Wiebke]

So it's me again, they have sorted out who is the boss, but the boss is ripping the underboss hair when he nipps him. Should I worry or is it normal to nip and take a bit of his hair? They don't fight or argue it's just s dominant behaviour but I'm a bit concerned about it .

Is it ripping out hair or barbering? How is your under-boy taking it?
Please be aware that your perception and how you relate it to us is already shaded by your own emotions and anxieties and that our answers will come back as a reaction to your presentation since we don't have direct access to your piggies.

Please take the time to read this guide here and see whether it is a more harmless form than what you are reporting. Barbering can have several different functions so it is worth having a clear look: Barbering ( Eating Hair)

It would help us if you could take a short video, upload it elsewhere on a public setting and then copy/paste it into your post. We do not have a video uploading facility since run on voluntary member donations.

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

Is it ripping out hair or barbering? How is your under-boy taking it?
Please be aware that your perception and how you relate it to us is already shaded by your own emotions and anxieties and that our answers will come back as a reaction to your presentation since we don't have direct access to your piggies.

Please take the time to read this guide here and see whether it is a more harmless form than what you are reporting. Barbering can have several different functions so it is worth having a clear look: Barbering ( Eating Hair)

It would help us if you could take a short video, upload it elsewhere on a public setting and then copy/paste it into your post. We do not have a video uploading facility since run on voluntary member donations.

I don't think it looks like barbering cause it seems a bit agressive, like nipping, I checked my self the underpig's hair pulling it a bit hard and not too many of it went off (just like 4 strings of hair). He seems ok for now, this nipping happens when the dominant one doesn't want to be with the underpig in the same place (but sometimes they eat hay together, sleep together, etc). But, I have seen that the underpig gets a bit anxious when the bossy pig is around, there were some teeth chattering from the underpig to the boss pig, and some

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

*edited last paragraph*

He seems ok for now, this nipping happens when the dominant one doesn't want to be with the underpig in the same place (but sometimes they eat hay together, sleep together, etc), nipping isn't always necessary for the boss to tell the underpig to get out of the way, but sometimes he doesn't get the message and he tends to nipp him.
I have seen that the underpig gets a bit anxious when the bossy pig is around, there were some teeth chattering from the underpig to the boss pig, and some rumbling strutting from the boss pig the first days, but it has stopped for now. I have checked the underpig for any bite or scratching marks but there is no visible hair missing or marks

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

I don't know if I should separate them, because there haven't been a fight or anything too serious, but I'm worried that this agression (I know there are some normal dominance behavior) may affect the underpig mental and physical health. As I said in the previous message, there isn't a scratch or bite mark in the underpig, I got worried because today when the boss nipped the underpig he took a bit of hair from the root, + I found more in the morning, and the underpig is getting a bit anxious when the boss pig is around (except when he accepts to eat hay together).

 

[Piggies&buns]

if you are concerned about the functionality of their relationship, you do not need to wait until a fight has occurred to separate them. They want to live in functioning relationship and if things are tense between them, the submissive becomes withdrawn potentially due to being bulied, potential weight loss due to not being allowed to eat when he wants to etc, then that may not be a functioning bond. As wiebke has said though, only you can make that call as we cannot see what is actually going on.

this guide Bonds In Trouble explains how to carry out a temporary separation to check whether their bond is still working

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

if you are concerned about the functionality of their relationship, you do not need to wait until a fight has occurred to separate them. They want to live in functioning relationship and if things are tense between them, the submissive becomes withdrawn potentially due to being bulied, potential weight loss due to not being allowed to eat when he wants to etc, then that may not be a functioning bond. As wiebke has said though, only you can make that call as we cannot see what is actually going on.

this guide Bonds In Trouble explains how to carry out a temporary separation to check whether their bond is still working

Well, I might be overdoing it (I'm a new guinea pig dad so everything is new to me). There is no humping or chasing around the cage. The nipping happens just when the boss pig wants something like a hay rack, bed, or just the space. The underpig can eat hay sometimes, he is lively asking for food as normal, the only thing that made me worry is that one nip that pulled the underpig's hair. I mean I think they respect each other because the boss pig is not bullying my other baby, it's just when he wants something that takes him out of the way.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Well, I might be overdoing it (I'm a new guinea pig dad so everything is new to me). There is no humping or chasing around the cage. The nipping happens just when the boss pig wants something like a hay rack, bed, or just the space. The underpig can eat hay sometimes, he is lively asking for food as normal, the only thing that made me worry is that one nip that pulled the underpig's hair. I mean I think they respect each other because the boss pig is not bullying my other baby, it's just when he wants something that takes him out of the way.

ok - what can be seen as aggressive to a new owner can be described as normal by one who knows their behaviours! Humping and chasing is also normal so even if they do those behaviours it’s still fine.

The dominant piggy has the pick of the best items so this is why you must ensure there is always multiple of every item including multiple hay piles, so the submissive has a choice of other places to go.

What do you mean by the submissive is ‘able to eat hay sometimes’? He must always be eating hay.

 

[Siikibam]

How many piles of hay do you have? If the nipping only pulled hair once then that’s fine. You also say ‘other baby’. Are there three boars together?

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

They have 3 hay areas with one water bottle on each, 4 hideys (including the tunnel), and plenty of space to run (I have a 4x6 C&C cage the panels are 30cm each). The nipping with the hair pull was only once, the rest of them is just a nip and the underpig makes like a crying sound (which as I read is normal). And sorry want I meant is that he can eat peacefully when the boss pig isn't bothering him (they eat hay together sometimes, and from time to time the boss pig makes him go away into a hidey or to another hay rack) they are not very active during the morning , they tend to go crazy at evening.

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

And as you can see I might be overdoing it a bit hehe, they are even sharing the hay fiber ball.