Girl Piggies

[Aprile]

Hello,

I'm new to this board and I have a few questions. We've had our first piggy (Briza) for almost a year, just recently we got a new pig (Bug). We have had them seperated for the amount of time you are supposed to (3 weeks) but have been recently putting them together to get used to each other. Bug tends to jump on Briza and it is making our older piggy quite angry. She sometimes tries to bite her. We were hoping after the month to put them together, but the biting is concerning us. I keep saying we should let them be and let Briza state her dominance, but I wanted to see what we should do.

Should we keep letting them get used to each other?
How much longer should we wait to let them live together, or should we keep them seperated?
What should we do about Bug jumping on Briza?

Thank you very much!
Aprile

 

[squeakypigs]

HI Aprile,

Welcome to The Guinea Pig Forum.

The three week period is for new born boars to stay in with their mother. After that three week period, the boars start to become sexually active and can then cause the mother or any other sows to become pregnant. You also only need the 3 week time separated with each other if the new pig you have got is still a baby however as I have stated, all new-born piggies should stay in with their mothers for the first 3 weeks. Pet-store pigs are usually quarentined for longer so their is no need for the pigs to be quarentined when introduced to their new home. However you can quarentine them yourself to ensure that you are putting in a healthy guinea pig with your older pig. This way, you can make sure that no illnesses are passed to your current pigs.

How old are your piggies? Is Bug a boar or sow?

If you could answer those two questions then I will be able to give you better advice then just guessing on your current situation.

Thanks

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Hi Aprile! Welcome to the forum!

There is no need for a 3 week period for them to be left, as Ellie says this is only for the baby boars to be taken away from mum.

The title is girl piggies - so I presume you have two sows? One younger than the other?

Small sows like to get really cosy with older ones, such as ging under there bellies. I would say the 'biting' (has she actually bitten?) is only a defence mechanism and saying 'hey you, I don't like that, stop it!'

Maybe keep them together a bit longer. Have you a run where they can have more room to run aroun out of each others' way?

xx Kelly xx