Help! Wilbur's been at it again!

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Niki

Niki

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Oh Wilbur pig is driving me mad!
Susie will remember the problems i had with him bullying Wallace whenever he got a sniff of Huxley & Hamish. I sorted that out by putting a solid divider inbetween their hutches (it was mesh).

Well he's done it again today. I thought it would be lovely for them all to have a run around. I pig-proofed the gazebo where their hutches are and was installing a solid divider between the pairs.
However when i let Hamish & Huxley out they made a beeline for Wallace & Wilburs side (they were still in their hutch) so obviously this left their scent behind.
I got myself and the divider sorted and let Wallace & Wilbur out into their side. Wallace was fine; happily munching hay. Wilbur was strutting around squeaking and sniffing then all hell broke loose; he started chasing Wallace, with teeth chattering & squeaking, rearing up and opening his mouth, Wallace ran away at first then started to chatter and rear up himself, both bums were strutting. It was chaos-you know how quickly the move!
I dived in and separated 'them, I wrapped the pair of 'them in a towel together and bathed them together so they would both smell the same, then i cleaned their hutch (nice clean neutral smelling home) and touch wood they seem ok.
However, this now means they aren't going to be able to have a run around because of his anti-social behaviour! Does anyone have any ideas on what i can do? (apart from slapping an ASBO on him ;D) or Why he does it? (no one else is bothered)
I'd appreciate any advice anyone can offer
 
I think you are just going to have to plan your excercise times carefully so that the two pairs don't come in to contact. Some boars hate other pigs around them and Wilbur sounds like one of them! I have a few myself so I sympathise.

I think they will have to go into the exercise area in shifts - the W's first, then the H's!
 
starshine said:
I think you are just going to have to plan your excercise times carefully so that the two pairs don't come in to contact. Some boars hate other pigs around them and Wilbur sounds like one of them! I have a few myself so I sympathise.

I think they will have to go into the exercise area in shifts - the W's first, then the H's!
Click to expand...

That's a good idea in principle but won't i have the same problem? Won't the H's (luv that ;D) scent still be around?
This is what i did yesterday, the H's were out, dashed to the W's side before i could erect the divider properly (the W's were still in their hutch at this time).
It was only AFTER i'd got the divider sorted that i let the W's out (the H's were in their own side) but Wilbur could smell where the H's had been and that's what started the war on Wallace.
I've never experienced an "anti-social" boy before and am glad i'm not alone, if you know what i mean
Any ideas on how to eradicate their scent or will it disappear itself after a certain amount of time?
I don't think my nerves will take another bashing like yesterday ;D ;D
 
Give the run a spary with Trigene after the first pair have been in... incase it is a scent thing or try another run?

However it might not be scent. One of my piggys... Hugo, is a bit more bolshy if you move him into new territory, like in the run or during floortime. So although Bubba and Hugo have sorted out their pecking order in the cage, Hugo feels the need to just make sure he is still boss if the pair of them are moved.

My suspician is that your Wilbur may be the same. Now with Hugo he just enjoys giving Bubba cheek, bit of rumbling and strutting his stuff... he is not agressive in any other way, just pops after he has done his thing... and Bubba doesn't seem to care, he just gets out of his way and doesn't strut back.

Sounds like you handled it well, preventingit from going too far. Hope it can be sorted out... these silly boys!
 
That's a good point you've made Susie, i never thought about him re-instating his authority because the surroundings were new. I'll try the trigene before i attempt it again.
He's not been too bad in the hutch, he had a moment earlier, nose in the air sniffing at the mesh, got a bit bolshy with poor Wallace who hightailed it down the ladder ;D He resumed his position at the mesh, started his chattering again and began chewing! He's such an oddball bless him. If it does get where he won't stop i'm afraid i'll have to separate them permanantly - 1 on the top 1 on the bottom and let them out individually. :-\
 
Susie i think you were right!

I let them out separately today (as per Kates suggestion).

No probs wi' the H's and apart from a little bit of chuntering and chattering, mainly from Wallace :o :o all was well - hurrah!!

I think it definitely was a case of Wilbur re-inforcing his postition and Wallace retaliating and because the floor area is approx 11 ft x 6ft they could easily keep out of one anothers way and more importantly, were fine when i put them back into a nice clean hutch.

The advice given to me on this forum has been invaluable. Thanks! ;D ;D ;D
 
starshine said:
Glad they are sorted out Niki! I knew you'd crack them in the end!
Click to expand...

My thanks are to you and susie who offered me great advice, it's a huge weight off my mind i can tell you - i hate to see them argue ::)
 
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