How Intelligent Are Piggie Relationships

[Briony_S]

Just wondering how intelligent piggy relationships are. I know about hierarchy etc.. but can two pigs just get along with other or can they be "friends".

The reason I ask is I have two groups of two that don't seem "best mates" is this possibly bad pairings?

I have rupert (neutered ) and angelica. Rupert loves angelica he is forever runing round popcorning but angelica just gives his the cold shoulder. There is no snapping or even whining on her part she just plain ignores him. Does this mean she is not happy?

Also ive got mrs mouse a two year old very dominant girlie. She lives with sophie who she accepted as sophie was young. they get on fine sophie has accepted her place under mrs mouse and apart from the occasional rumble from mrs mouse when she is on heat there is no dominance. I never see them doing anything together they just seem to go about their business separately.

Would it benefit them to split them up and mix them in with my other pigs to find a better match or would they grieve thinking their "friend" had died?

I like to stand and observe from a distance but do wonder whether I project human feelings onto then that they don't have.

 

[AndreaJane]

Difficult to say. May be worth asking @Wiebke who has a lot of experience with piggy relationships but if there's no stress in either relationship I'd say they sound content and I'd leave be but that's just my opinion!

 

[Wiebke]

Piggy relationships are much more complex than you would think! Like with humans, they can take different forms, but that doesn't mean that they are not equally valid.

Please do not separate; both relationships are working from what you are saying. My pair of teddies function on a similar basis to Mrs Mouse and Sophie, but they are still very firmly bonded even though they don't do much together. This becomes insitantly obvious when they meet other piggies. Nesta, the underpiggy, takes her clues very much from Nerys, the very dominant top sow.

 

[karonus]

Our four have a complex relationship. Astro our boar is very involved in Twinkle who reciprocates and they mutually groom each other, Cosmos has a similiar relationship but to a lesser degree whereas Star when in season will wind him up and then dump him (run away) once he is wound up. Yet there are times when Star and Astro snuggle up together. Age also has an impact as Cosmos and Twinkle are both 2, Astro we think is getting on for 3 and Star is approaching 5.

 

[Sara412]

I worry about my pairings, Brodie and Rio muddle along (Brodie just lost his best mate Guiness) but aren't close - but no fighting.
Then I have a threesome, who take it in turns as to who likes who ! these are the ones I worry about as Whiskey is very timid and the other two pick on him occasionally - do I separate him and get him a new baby friend of his own, or let them muddle along?

 

[Wiebke]

I worry about my pairings, Brodie and Rio muddle along (Brodie just lost his best mate Guiness) but aren't close - but no fighting.
Then I have a threesome, who take it in turns as to who likes who ! these are the ones I worry about as Whiskey is very timid and the other two pick on him occasionally - do I separate him and get him a new baby friend of his own, or let them muddle along?

As long as there is no active and systematic bullying, Whiskey is probably quite happy with his two friends. You would have to find him a rather submissive, gentle boy, or there are very likely major problems once the baby hits the teenage stage and tries to take over. Better leave him where he is!

If you are in serious doubt, you can try a trial separation for a night. If Whiskey is suddenly perking up away from his mates, then I would consider boar dating. If he isn't, the trio is working.