Introduced New Boar To My Girls.

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Kate187

Kate187

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So on Friday I picked up my beautiful new neutered boar from Honeybunnies (recommended on here). Just wanted to check that what I'm seeing is normal.

So after a day of neutral area bonding sessions yesterday, they spent last night in the same cage but with a wire wall between them. Today I have put them all together in the cage.

Wierdly my submissive sow (Katniss) is now taking the dominant role and being super mean and bossy to the others. Luckily he is really chilled and submissive and isn't fighting back. My other girl Primrose and the new boy get on fine but Katniss is still bossing everyone around. They will all sit quietly for a while then suddenly she will chase one of them around the cage nipping at their bums. A little teeth chattering still although this has settled down a fair bit. The 2 of them seem scared of her now; the poor little guy occasionally goes to say hello and gets told off. No one is being kept away from food/water/shelter by Katniss. I have 2 food bowls and 3 hidey areas.

Just wondering when this may settle down as I can't keep him separate with another and I already love the little guy. The fosterer from the rescue iss happy to have him back if things don't work out but Id hate it to come to that. Don't know if I'm just overly worried as its my first time doing bonding.
 
Kate187 said:
So on Friday I picked up my beautiful new neutered boar from Honeybunnies (recommended on here). Just wanted to check that what I'm seeing is normal.

So after a day of neutral area bonding sessions yesterday, they spent last night in the same cage but with a wire wall between them. Today I have put them all together in the cage.

Wierdly my submissive sow (Katniss) is now taking the dominant role and being super mean and bossy to the others. Luckily he is really chilled and submissive and isn't fighting back. My other girl Primrose and the new boy get on fine but Katniss is still bossing everyone around. They will all sit quietly for a while then suddenly she will chase one of them around the cage nipping at their bums. A little teeth chattering still although this has settled down a fair bit. The 2 of them seem scared of her now; the poor little guy occasionally goes to say hello and gets told off. No one is being kept away from food/water/shelter by Katniss. I have 2 food bowls and 3 hidey areas.

Just wondering when this may settle down as I can't keep him separate with another and I already love the little guy. The fosterer from the rescue iss happy to have him back if things don't work out but Id hate it to come to that. Don't know if I'm just overly worried as its my first time doing bonding.
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Your top lady's position is not under thread, so she can take things easy whereas Katniss is obviously feeling pushed.
I would recommend to separate overnight with the grids in between and to give them several supervised hours in the bonding pen tomorrow.

All bondings depend on acceptance and working out a hierarchy. Each bonding has their own dynamics according to the personalities involved. You can never predict whether it is going to work out or not.

All the best!

Please have a read of this guide here to understand what is going on: Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics
 
In between chasing they are fine, and Katniss and the lad are now settled together in one of the hideys. They are wierd and complicated little creatures. The bonding behaviours link says the dominance behaviours can last a few weeks so I guess it's a waiting game.
 
Kate187 said:
In between chasing they are fine, and Katniss and the lad are now settled together in one of the hideys. They are wierd and complicated little creatures. The bonding behaviours link says the dominance behaviours can last a few weeks so I guess it's a waiting game.
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It sounds actually like the very worst is over! Acceptance has happened, so the rest is now just working out the fine print over the next two weeks. You will see repeats, but not quite as heated and increasingly few and minor over the next few days. Unless you have a few hours left to watch to see how they settle in their cage, leave them in the bonding pen overnight.

Dominance travels down the hierarchy, so when the new group hierarchy is established, the worst always comes from the piggy ranked straight above, as that is going to make sure it is not bypassed.

That is why the group leaders often look rather chilled out - they have accepted the newbie, but their position is not in question. Cross gender bonding fails if there is no initial acceptance or if the hierarchy can't be worked out. Most often, acceptance by the leader means that a piggy is voted "IN", but it still has to find its place and that the new balance still has to be worked out.

However, many bonding you have under you belt, it is always a tense time unless acceptance and the worst of the dominance is over.
 
That makes sense. Prim has been top pig for 2 years and she's been completely fine with the whole thing while Katniss has gone bonkers! There's been no chasing for about an hour now and they can be near each other. Will monitor and keep you updated, thanks for replying: this whole thing is nervewracking!
 
Kate187 said:
That makes sense. Prim has been top pig for 2 years and she's been completely fine with the whole thing while Katniss has gone bonkers! There's been no chasing for about an hour now and they can be near each other. Will monitor and keep you updated, thanks for replying: this whole thing is nervewracking!
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It sounds about par for the course, but you are over the very worst now; the hierarchy has been established and Katniss is OK with it.
 
Much calmer today, although he did somehow escape the cage in the wee hours which led to a fun hunt for him before work (he didn't get far). I'm confident enough name him now- here is Finn, look how handsome he is!

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He is a handsome boy indeed! And hopefully a happy one, despite his adventure! I love the name!

Glad that things are settling down with the girls now!
 
Wow he is very very handsome! He has very kind eyes as well, looks like he is a very friendly, sweet boy.

Glad things settled ok for you. Such complex little creatures are'nt they? In some respects I am very glad I am not a Guinea pig, it sounds like a lot hard work making new friends!
 
Thanks everyone! Bonding is still going well. The odd bit of dramatic squealing from Finn but they are eating together, following each other around at play time and quite often cuddling up in the houses.

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Kate187 said:
Thanks everyone! Bonding is still going well. The odd bit of dramatic squealing from Finn but they are eating together, following each other around at play time and quite often cuddling up in the houses.

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Dramatic squealing is submission squealing; nothing painful about it! It's just the reaction to another higher ranked pig throwing their weight around in order to reinforce the hierarchy.
 
Wiebke said:
Dramatic squealing is submission squealing; nothing painful about it! It's just the reaction to another higher ranked pig throwing their weight around in order to reinforce the hierarchy.
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I'd guessed that from reading around on here. My silly dramatic boy.
 
Just thought I'd update as I often read old threads and wish I knew how it turned out!

Well my 2 girls and my rescued boy get on like a house on fire. The have a nice big C&C cage so they can get their alone time but they are happy to cuddle up, eat together and play. Couldn't be happier and I love the interactions I see between the 3 of them.20161231_215826-1.webphIMG-20161226-WA0007.webp
 
Awww what a lovely trio of beauties. So glad that Finn has been accepted. They look very happy on your lap.
 
flowerfairy said:
Awww what a lovely trio of beauties. So glad that Finn has been accepted. They look very happy on your lap.
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They are spoilt rotten.

Also, Prim thinks she's a parrot as whenever we have lap time she crawls up and sits either on my shoulder or under my chin..
 
Aww, Finn you hairy beauty :luv:
And I love that you have a parrot piggy, too.
 
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