Question About Timing Introductions

[KarenFC]

i am in the process of trying to bond 15 week old Smudge with 10 week old Willow. Smudge has been a single girl for about 5/6 weeks.
They are currently in separate cages next to each other. The dividing grid is covered in wire mesh so they can see and smell each other, but not nip at each other.
When I first put the cages wide by side they both went up to the divider chirping and sniffing. About 4 hrs later I went in to give Smudge some run time and she was teeth chattering, she continued to do so after I took her out of the room and continued to do her head toss if I tried to pet her. Which I am taking as she is not thrilled with having a new neighbor yet.
Both girls do continue to sit by the divider and chirp at each other sometimes Smudge will turn her back to Willow. Other times they happily ignore each other.
My main questions is about how long should I leave them as neighbors before trying to introduce them? I was thinking about a week - just so I have more time to spend on the first same space introduction, and to give them time to get used to each other’s smells- or should I wait longer ? Thanks
Karen, Smudge and Willow

 

[DM030819]

Try the bond whenever you have enough time to supervise. I usually try it first thing on Saturday morning, or late Friday evening so I have all weekend to supervise and watch them.

 

[KarenFC]

Try the bond whenever you have enough time to supervise. I usually try it first thing on Saturday morning, or late Friday evening so I have all weekend to supervise and watch them.

Thank you! My weeks are crazy which was why I was planning Saturday- but worry about waiting to long or not long enough - lol

 

[Betsy]

Have you tried swapping hideys over so that they have each others smells in their own personal space?

 

[*kate*]

I picked up Betty from the rescue at midday on the Sunday, came home and put her and Hettie together in the neutral paddling pool. After around 30 minutes of them being fine together, I put them in the enclosure.

And they have been great ever since!

 

[Mother Hubbard]

I'm bonding pigs today...both bathed and placed into a warm neutral enclosure so they don't get cold. All going well so far.
I've no experience of putting cages next to one another first before bonding mainly because I've had to quarantine a pig first, so no idea.
Good luck x

 

[KarenFC]

Have you tried swapping hideys over so that they have each others smells in their own personal space?

No I haven’t good idea I will try that - thank you!

 

[KarenFC]

I'm bonding pigs today...both bathed and placed into a warm neutral enclosure so they don't get cold. All going well so far.
I've no experience of putting cages next to one another first before bonding mainly because I've had to quarantine a pig first, so no idea.
Good luck x

Hope all goes well - I did quarantine first, and had read about placing cages together. We did that with our rabbits when we had 3 of them - they were not all neutered so one could not be bonded, but we put their pens next to each other so they weren’t “alone”

 

[PeanutAndMe]

Good luck bonding!
I'm still trying to bond my piggies

 

[DM030819]

If I know where they have come from I just get on with the bond whenever I have the time to dedicate to it. Otherwise I do it as soon as quarantine is over.

I felt odd last time as I had to wait nearlt 4 weeks as poor Podrick came with a lovely portion of lice so he had to finish his meds first.

 

[Betsy]

If I know where they have come from I just get on with the bond whenever I have the time to dedicate to it. Otherwise I do it as soon as quarantine is over.

I felt odd last time as I had to wait nearlt 4 weeks as poor Podrick came with a lovely portion of lice so he had to finish his meds first.

That was friendly of him @Jaycey!

 

[KarenFC]

If I know where they have come from I just get on with the bond whenever I have the time to dedicate to it. Otherwise I do it as soon as quarantine is over.

I felt odd last time as I had to wait nearlt 4 weeks as poor Podrick came with a lovely portion of lice so he had to finish his meds first.

Yikes! Luckily Willow was clears by a vet before she came home - just did the quarintine to be sure the stress didn’t trigger anytjing

 

[KarenFC]

Good luck bonding!
I'm still trying to bond my piggies

Thanks - hope things move along in the right direction for your piggies

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

Good luck with the bonding. Here is our detailed guide. Babies and sub-puberty youngsters are generall desperate for company and accept each other pretty easily. What you'll still get in the days after is the dominance phase that is integral to establishing a working group.
Please double check the gender before you start bonding.
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

 

[KarenFC]

Thanks - both have paperwork stating they are female and in good health and I have double checked them by comparing them to photos and pushing on the groin area as described and they do both appear to be female. I will read over the info you posted ( I may have read it in the forum on bonding - but it’s always good to re-read - I want to make sure I do my best in helping things to go smoothly )

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks - both have paperwork stating they are female and in good health and I have double checked them by comparing them to photos and pushing on the groin area as described and they do both appear to be female. I will read over the info you posted ( I may have read it in the forum on bonding - but it’s always good to re-read - I want to make sure I do my best in helping things to go smoothly )

We are just seeing to many cases of mis-sexed piggies right now and have seen people in authority fail too often. It is always so much better to be extra safe than sorry.

Best of luck! If they are happily interacting through the bars already, then the bonding is hopefully going without problems. The hardest bit is sitting by and not interfering!

 

[KarenFC]

So both girls are currently hanging out in the other’s house, both in our bathtub. They sniffed at each other, chatted a bit and are now just mellow. Willow seems to have claimed Smudge’s hides house and both have sat in there together. Thinking they may be ok in the cage without the divider - thoughts on this?

 

[KarenFC]

Sitting in the house together - facing opposite directions, but together. No real shows of dominance, other than Smudge jumped over Willow twice going into one of the houses and some of the purring/grumbling sounds as they are squished together in the “log” house. Keeping a close eye on the seeing it’s only been about 30 min.