I'm a new owner and my new piggies (2 boys) are doing dominance behaviors and I’m just curious about a few things, all the behavior is completely normal and harmless, so no worries there. I’ve noticed that poppy seems to be scared of literally everything and sesame is more laid back and curious. But poppy seems to want to be the dominant one. I’ve seen him rumble strutting, doing the hump thing and chasing sesame often. But sesame will go in “his igloo” while poppy is scared to go into “sesames” barn. But they do sleep together as well. Where I’m going with this is- who do you think is the more dominant pig? Also. I currently only have one water bottle but two of everything else. I’ve noticed them arguing about the bottle because they both want it at the same time, should I put the another one in? I kind of like the idea of poppy (the scared one) having to go across the cage to get to the bottle though. I feel it’s good for him. Idk sorry for rambling.
Questions on dominance?
- Thread starter Lucy26
- Start date
Guess I’m just wondering about the dominance because I would’ve thought the more daring one would be dominant. Also I see poppy popcorning after displaying a dominance behavior sesame, is it still a dominance behavior or is he just super happy about feeling like boss xD
Hi!
Leadership in the hierarchy and being the more outgoing piggy do not necessarily coincide. One is a personality trait while the other is a status.
With boars, you need to have everything in twos, ideally at different ends of the cage with unblockable access to hay in the middle or two different locations you have hay. Don't leave any bowls hanging round in between meals as they can be got possessive over, too, not just bottles. Your piggies need to eat as much hay as possible (over 80% of the daily food intake), which you incidentally encourage by that.
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Leadership in the hierarchy and being the more outgoing piggy do not necessarily coincide. One is a personality trait while the other is a status.
With boars, you need to have everything in twos, ideally at different ends of the cage with unblockable access to hay in the middle or two different locations you have hay. Don't leave any bowls hanging round in between meals as they can be got possessive over, too, not just bottles. Your piggies need to eat as much hay as possible (over 80% of the daily food intake), which you incidentally encourage by that.
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
I did actually read that guide already but thank you. So you’re saying even though they’re only a couple months old, that I should still take the pellets away after they have some?