New Pigs Home... Nips, Bites, Squeaks And Bossy Pigs. Normal?

[Fuzz Pigs]

Hello everyone,

I brought my three rescue piggies home a couple of days ago and they've started to settle. Since they're not hiding constantly now like when they first got home, they've started to show some behaviours that I'm a little concerned about.

The least concerning is one of my girls, Ursula will run at the other two if they walk into the same log cabin as her, shooing them out. She tends to spend most of her time in the same one (we have 3 total, one per pig). My thoughts are that this is normal territorial behaviour, especially as they've recently moved into their new home and that this is just them establishing their space and hierarchy. I'm not entirely sure however and would like your thoughts/opinions/experiences?

My second concern is that Ursula and the largest of my pigs, Maeve, have been what I assume to be nipping (It's not entirely clear as I've not seen the behaviour close up) my other girl Bracken which results in a squeal and her running away! It normally only happens when they are in a hidey together, so again I'm thinking that it might just be the initial, territory gaining and hierarchy forming now that they are in their new home. Having said that, it just happened outside of the hideys as I'm writing this! She was chased away that time too!

Generally, the girls will happily sit together eating and tolerate each other in the same space, like next to their hay cart. Also, I've not heard rumblestrutting or teeth chattering, so I'm not overly concerned that they are being aggressive at the moment, but I am worried that it might be the start of something more sinister! Or that little Bracken is being bullied :-(

Their cage is quite large as its a 2x6 grid C&C cage, which makes it about 220 x 70 cm, so I'm sure that the girls have adequate space and that this isn't causing them to bicker.

Any advice, thoughts, opinions, experiences or suggestions that might help would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks,

Louise x

 

[Fuzz Pigs]

**UPDATE** That's now twice in one day that Bracken has been chased by Ursula outside of the hideys. I'm really concerned that Bracken won't feel happy living with the other two girls

 

[VickiA]

Are these a bonded trio or are they a new trio? How old are they all?
A change in circumstances (new home) can affect the status quo and they may need to sort out the hierarchy again. Remove all hideys that do not have 2 exits. Use log arches/plastic stools instead. Make sure there is nowhere any pig can be trapped. Have one of everything per piggy and place bowls etc at least one pig's length apart.

 

[Fuzz Pigs]

Are these a bonded trio or are they a new trio? How old are they all?
A change in circumstances (new home) can affect the status quo and they may need to sort out the hierarchy again. Remove all hideys that do not have 2 exits. Use log arches/plastic stools instead. Make sure there is nowhere any pig can be trapped. Have one of everything per piggy and place bowls etc at least one pig's length apart.

They're all just under a year, about 10 months old. All three were housed together in a larger group at the rescue centre, then separated into a trio that Bracken wasn't a part of as we reserved Ursula, Maeve and one other. Unfortunately once separated, Ursula picked on the other girl and so we couldn't take those three home. After being reintroduced back into the group the girls at the rescue suggested one of the other girls to make up the trio and that is how we ended up with little Bracken.

Finished the evening routine of cage cleaning, food, hay and water change and gave them their veggies for the day and all girls getting along just fine again around the hay cart and veggies, all right next to one another. Not really sure what to make of the random outbursts of squealing and running away from Bracken.