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Should I Be Worried? New Boar

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LohBee

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Day 3 for our new boars and one of them is just hiding the whole time except if he's chased by the other, which has happened a fair bit. He's staying in one corner.

I got them out today (mainly to check on him) and he had a bit of a pooey bum but when held he seemed alert and quite curious. I cleaned him up and put him in the run, he did explore a bit. I put them both in the run and he stayed in a paper bag with hay in. I checked after and he had done some poos which looked ok, maybe slightly pale but I wouldn't really know for sure.

I've not seen him eat or drink much but again not sure. The other one is eating and drinking in view of us.

Is this usual new piggy behaviour or should I be concerned?
 
it is not at all unusual behaviour for a timid piggy during the dominance phase.

Please make sure that there are no hideys with only one exit until things have settled down (which may yet take a few days (including paper bags without a "back door"cut for a fast escape).

Feed small portions of veg and pellets in separate bowls, so your timid boy is getting more of a chance to eat. Place the bowls well apart with the second just by where your timid boy is hinding. Chasing the underpiggy around, hogging the hideys and the food is typical dominance behaviour. make sure that there is easily accessible hay not far away from him.

it may help to give your boy confidence if you peg a towel or blanket over the cage or at least part of it, so he can feel protected.

Here are tips on how to settle in nervous piggies:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
 
Thanks for the reassurance Wiebke, I pegged a fleece over half the cage so hopefully that will help him. As soon as I did that the other bolder one started racing around - a sign of approval right?

They have separate bowls but the bold one is eating all the veg. Timid fella has lots of hay, he's burying himself in it at the moment.
 
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