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Is Lottie bullying Grace?

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kayjay

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Why when Lottie and Grace have a two layer C&C cage have they decided to both sit in the ramp area which is one grid halved up by a ramp?! Lottie sits on top of the ramp and Grace sits under it. They are happy to explore the cage for food, hay and water and rarely hide in their log roll, but still squeeze into a space not big enough for one pig never mind two!

However, I do have a sneeking suspicion that Lottie places herself on the ramp to stop Grace going up, a bit of subtle bullying. If that's the case do I just let them get on with it? There's food, hay and water on both levels so she doesn't need to access the upper level. When Grace tries to go past Lottie there's a bit of a purring conversation going on before Grace retreats back under the ramp or downstairs.
 
Hi Kathryn,
The same happened between the H's when they had a 2 storey hutch, Hamish in the bottom, Huxley in the top but Huxley would come down for veg, Hamish rarely ventured upstairs & i too wasn't worried because they had food, water & hay on both levels.
However, as you know, when the hutch was one level Huxley chased poor Hamish all over & prevented him from being himself.
I can only go by my boys behaviour but to me it sounds like Lottie is the dominant piggy & she's letting Grace know that, Grace being younger isn't challenging her so retreats back down the ramp.

I don't know if girls behave like boys ie when Grace grows up she will challenge Lottie or she'll just accept her place but i'm sure someone on here will know

Niki :)
 
My two girls are funny in that they seem to take it in turns being the dominant one but both have behaved in the way that you have described. As long as Grace is getting food, water etc and doesn't appear distressed by it, I would leave them be and just keep an eye on it. Lottie, as the dominant pig, has just decided that the upper level is only for her! With mine, if one is being a bit of a stroppy madam, the other just walks away, not bothered at all and finds somewhere else to eat/sleep. If Grace is happy to be the under pig then you probably won't have a problem....

However - When I introduced Trixie to my girls, despite a positive start, they both did start to bully her. Whilst their behaviour wasn't particularly aggressive (it was just things like not letting her past/chasing her etc), I made the decision to separate them and put them in a 'side by side' set up because it was obvious that Trixie was really distressed by their behaviour towards her. Trixie is now so much happier having a nice big area to herself but still able to socialise through the partition! In fact all 3 spend loads of time at the partition sniffing/sleeping etc. It just all goes wrong if they are actually in the same cage! :D
 
Thanks Niki and Sabrina, I'll keep an eye on them, Lottie is still being a diva and Grace spends most of her time under the ramp but does come out to eat etc. Today I put their veg in and Lottie was chasing Grace off but Grace jumped past and nicked a bit of Lottie's greens from out under her so she's not too intimidated yet!
 
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