Priscilla, Marmaduke, Guiness and Stella meet.

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paulag

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Now I'm happy that Stella and Guiness's scurfy skin was nothing more than them being allowed to get grubby on sawdust I decided to try preliminary intros.

It all went very well. Marmaduke thankfully was less excited than when he was first introduced to Priscilla, when he pop corned so violently I thought he might fit. He strutted around tge girls all puffed up and rumbling away. He had a couple of goes at mounting them but nothing too persistent.

There was a lot of vocalisations going on, but no teeth chattering at all, just a couple of those stand up and shake things from the girls. The girls were interested in each other with some bum sniffing and a little ear grooming so very good really. Priscilla even walked around a little - most movement I've seen from her that didn't involve food. Watching her walk I wonder if she might have some sort of hip problem which is why so is so uninclined to do so. However she can put her front feet on the cage side to be for dandelion so it doesn't entirely stop her.

Guiness seemed very take with Marmaduke and followed him around a lot - but not so taken that she didn't kick him on the nose a couple of times. Generally Stella seemed most stressed by the experience, but was having a little groom towards the end so not too much.

Had they been younger pigs I would have just clean dour the pen and stuck them all in together under supervision. But I'm going to take a little more care as the new girls are too old to get into a fight or be overly pestered by an over amorous boar. I think all of the girls are too old to come into season which will help.

A few days of floor time together will probably put my mind at rest.

Paula
 
I wouldn't bet on it, my Bette was over 4 and came into season just like a younger pig.

I do hope they get along fabulous all sounds very promising :)! xx
 
Well after another successful floor session we cleaned out the cage and put them in together. A bit of excitement at the new environment and lots of vocalisation, but no agression at all except the odd nip at Marmaduke when he's over attentive. At 5 foot it's not the largest cage for 4 piggies and I may think about finding a way to give them more space, but the 3 old ladies aren't greatly energetic and I think Marmaduke would rather have a hareem than the place to himself :)

Paula

Here they are - Stella is the ginger and white piggie, Guiness the smaller ginger and white with the darker face, Priscilla is the sheltie and Marmaduke the brown piggie

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WONDERFUL NEWS!!

Oh they're gorgeous, i do hope they have a long and happy life together xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

psssst Marmaduke don't hassle the girlies boy or you may not like the outcome rolleyes
 
Aawww they are very braw! I especially like Priscilla. Think our Chewie or Leo would be very taken with her^)
 
Aww they are stunning! Glad it worked out for you. :)
 
So chuffed that it has worked out well for your lovely quartet of girls!

Have you thought about adding a mezzanine floor to the cage? You could simply cable tie a roasting rack in as a base. I agree that Marmaduke wouldn't leave his girls for anything in world!
 
I may well try to put another level on, but it will need care as I can't risk any of the girls falling. Although chances are it would be Marmaduke as he obviously chose the looks rather than brains when virtues were being given out.

There was a bit of a standoff between Priscilla and the girls this morning. I think she's got fedup with finding someone else in her chosen cozy and was standing in the middle chattering her teeth whilst the others stayed firmly in their house/cozy. I considered taking her out for the day, but sometimes splitting them before pecking order is established can make matters worse so I'm hoping that they will be ok.

Paula
 
Hi
Sorry again it has taken me a while to reply to your post, spent all weekend at work, yet again. Gosh those girls look happy, i bet they cant believe their luck in having found this new home, they are beautiful pigs too, so glad it is working out x I would love to meet them one day as i am not too far away xx
 
paulag said:
I may well try to put another level on, but it will need care as I can't risk any of the girls falling. Although chances are it would be Marmaduke as he obviously chose the looks rather than brains when virtues were being given out.

There was a bit of a standoff between Priscilla and the girls this morning. I think she's got fedup with finding someone else in her chosen cozy and was standing in the middle chattering her teeth whilst the others stayed firmly in their house/cozy. I considered taking her out for the day, but sometimes splitting them before pecking order is established can make matters worse so I'm hoping that they will be ok.

Paula
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You have to leave them to it; they have to work it out amongst themselves if they are to become a group!

Teeth chattering is mild on the scale of aggression and just expresses Priscilla's feelings of frustration. It's about on the scale of a new flat mate using your bedroom while you're out. You're not going straight for his jugular, are you? However, it is the prerogative of top sow to choose her favourite things and she will use Priscilla's cosy just to make the point. Perfectly par for the course!

You can spot true aggression straight away, and there is no mistaking the completely different level of intensity of that, believe me!
 
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:) It's certainly been a very worthwhile experience - I know that I won't have them for long, but am hoping their final months/hopefully years willbe happy ones.

Paula
 
Wiebke said:
You have to leave them to it; they have to work it out amongst themselves if they are to become a group!

Teeth chattering is mild on the scale of aggression and just expresses Priscilla's feelings of frustration. It's about on the scale of a new flat mate using your bedroom while you're out. You're not going straight for his jugular, are you? However, it is the prerogative of top sow to choose her favourite things and she will use Priscilla's cosy just to make the point. Perfectly par for the course!

You can spot true aggression straight away, and there is no mistaking the completely different level of intensity of that, believe me!
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Yes I agree - I just don't like leaving them alone without anyone to break it up. They are all such elderly ladies. but there are plenty of defendable hiding places in there.

I did an intro of a sow to an existing pair a few years back that was a complete nightmare - raised hackles and lunging the lot. It took me a good month to get them in together :)
 
My only failed intro was also with a sow to a bonded couple. But she attacked my girl within five minutes of meeting her and any later attempts of reconciliation failed.

However, yours are now well past the dangerous stage, so I would stop worrying! Older piggies can take care of themselves better in some ways than youngsters who go overboard. As long as protests are just vocal there are no problems - they are discussing the issues and will arrange themselves. But they basically have all agreed to be one group!

Four piggies is a completely different proposition to two plus one (which in my experience is the most tricky bonding).
 
Dammit - I just got home and someone had bitten Prissie on the nose - there's a couple of small marks and a larger one that has bled and dried on top. Everyone else is fine so I suspect she's tried to evict someone from a cosy and got bitten.

Oh no - I've just noticed that Guiness has a bitten ear. So the two alpha females have come to blows. Also just seen Guiness and Marmaduke standing off with teeth chattering over a cozy.

Not quite sure what to do. Don't want to split them too soon but I do usually draw the line at blood injuries.

Paula
 
I would remove all the cosy's/houses etc. for a while and see how they get on. Not sure if it would work but that would be my next step before splitting them.
 
All's relatively quiet at the moment - guiness and prissie are asleep so I'm going to leave them for a bit. But I will try that if they kick off again.

I have just received 4 identical fleece tunnels so it might be worth swapping them in as well.

But it's not a happy pen at present and they are all guinea pigs who have been through a lot - particularly Prissie.

Paula
 
I don't think there's enough space in the cage for the four of them to keep out of each others way vim going to try adding the second level tonight, but I won't leave them together if they continue to be stressed and aggressive with each other. Chris is working from home today so can watch them carefully.

Paula
 
I think that the tunnels are a good idea, also the cage change. Sorry about the upset. It always affects all members of a group when there is a major altercation between the top brass.
 
Dont know anyting about intros with piggies, but I do know from my experience with the chinchillas that space is a very important factor as is having more nests, hammocks or hideyholes than there are occupants.

Hope you get it sorted!
 
Wiebke said:
I think that the tunnels are a good idea, also the cage change. Sorry about the upset. It always affects all members of a group when there is a major altercation between the top brass.
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Poor Marmaduke got it last night - he's the chunkiest piggie I've ever owned pushing 1500g and she's tiny - but she flew through the air mouth open, hackles up.

Chris says everyone's asleep at present. I'm going to set up the second level tonight, but my gut feeling is they will need to be split.

Paula
 
All is quiet on the piggie front this evening - I am going to try to fit the upper level is evening.

Paula
 
Only just seen this thread, the two girls look to have settled in with you so well! they are all gorgeous, especially Marmaduke...I just adore him :))
Good luck with the cage extention tonight, I hope it all works out :) x
 
Fingers firmly crossed!

Piggies have their own minds, and we can chivvy them along only so far.
 
Still peaceful in the cage and Chris is working from home again today so they are still in together. I didn't manage to get the upper level on last night as I need some more bits to make the ramp safe but will happen later
Paula
 
Hopefully, the peace will keep, but having more space may help!
 
Sadly I've made the decision this evening to split them back into pairs. Although they were just about tolerating each other I just couldn't give them enough space to get far enough away to reduce stress levels enough.

If anyone was startled and ran into another pig then there would be trouble - I tried to pick up Marmaduke yesterday and he ran into Guiness who turned on him - he bit her ear and then bit me when I tried to separate them. I threw a towel over him to remove him and when I had him out I thought he was going to fit he behaved so strangely.

He can help himself bothering the girls either and then that starts trouble with everyone.

The girls are all elderly, Guiness has had her ear bitten twice and bum once as she's established dominance, Priscilla's nose bite is healing well but was quite deep and she doesn't like not being alpha female any more, Stella gets on best with all of them but really doesn't like Marmaduke.

I've ordered a 7 foot run which I was thinking of making a C&C with, but I think they'll still be stressed - I think they will tolerate each other in that on the lawn and they can have floor time together.

It's a shame, but not all piggies get on and we're risking someone getting really hurt. I'll just have to buy a larger cage for the new girls. But in a way they have more room in their old cage where they aren't hemmed in by other pigs.

Paula
 
I am sorry that things haven't worked out with your oldies, but you have made the right decision to call it off under the circumstances.

You will find that both couples on their own are much happier!

Piggies can very much have their own minds... Which can be exasperating, but they wouldn't be so special to us otherwise!
 
Everything was back to normal this morning. Priscilla and Marmaduke scrounging with their feet on the side and Stella and Guiness weeking for food. The last week everyone has just sat in their cozies and looked at me as they were too nervous to come out and maybe start trouble. There will be a reassessment of the rodent room tonight.

Paula
 
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