Silk and Clover are fighting? ? ?

Pigwhisperer

Pigwhisperer

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I have 2 female pigs who have lived happily together for 2 and 1/2 years.Clover started rumblestrutting a few months ago, presumably due to strong seasons as she does it every few weeks, not non-stop.

A few days ago Silk started rumbling too. Being the under-piggy it was quite amusing at first - she'd rumble at Clover until Clover challenged her (we call it a "nose-off" - Clover turning so they're nose to nose, at which point Silk immediately raises hers to concede dominance to Clover) and then Silk would go and rumble to herself in a corner.

But my husband just woke me to say he found them in a full-on fight "like ferrets"! They don't seem to have done any damage but it seems like constant aggression with them taking turns to be the moody one!
 
I've deconstructed the loft area to use two grids to separate them for now. I'm on early shift at work so that's all I can do 😔1870410E-38AA-4426-A9E2-4D10C4C3AA11.webp
 
Pigwhisperer said:
I have 2 female pigs who have lived happily together for 2 and 1/2 years.Clover started rumblestrutting a few months ago, presumably due to strong seasons as she does it every few weeks, not non-stop.

A few days ago Silk started rumbling too. Being the under-piggy it was quite amusing at first - she'd rumble at Clover until Clover challenged her (we call it a "nose-off" - Clover turning so they're nose to nose, at which point Silk immediately raises hers to concede dominance to Clover) and then Silk would go and rumble to herself in a corner.

But my husband just woke me to say he found them in a full-on fight "like ferrets"! They don't seem to have done any damage but it seems like constant aggression with them taking turns to be the moody one!
Click to expand...

Hi! Please have your girls checked for ovarian cysts. they are at a typical age for them to make an appearance.

This guide also contains information on ovarian cysts: Sow Behaviour
 
Thanks, I will get them to the vet asap - was at work today & out this eve.

Got home from work to find Clover had been rattling the dividing grids so hard all day she had actually dislodged the wires I had tied them tightly with at both sides. I read the guides, and it doesn't seem like they are doing any damage to each other beyond a possible nip - no broken skin or anything. So as Clover seemed in real danger of damaging her teeth if we kept them separate, we removed the divider. Silk rumbled a bit but we've seen no other signs of aggression since; they have both been pottering calmly around like nothing's happened. I'll get the vet to check Clover's teeth because of biting the bars but she's been munching away as normal since then.
 
Pigwhisperer said:
Thanks, I will get them to the vet asap - was at work today & out this eve.

Got home from work to find Clover had been rattling the dividing grids so hard all day she had actually dislodged the wires I had tied them tightly with at both sides. I read the guides, and it doesn't seem like they are doing any damage to each other beyond a possible nip - no broken skin or anything. So as Clover seemed in real danger of damaging her teeth if we kept them separate, we removed the divider. Silk rumbled a bit but we've seen no other signs of aggression since; they have both been pottering calmly around like nothing's happened. I'll get the vet to check Clover's teeth because of biting the bars but she's been munching away as normal since then.
Click to expand...

Please have your girls checked for ovarian cysts at the same time.
 
If you want to stop them from biting at the bars, cut a piece of cardboard to the size of the divider. Poke holes through it that align with the bars, then zip-tie the cardboard to the divider (don't over do it as it'll rip through; don't use twist ties as they'll nibble at those and being thin, sharp metal, that can hurt them, especially if they bite through and swallow some of it). They'll completely ignore it. They bite at dividers as they can tell there's something on the other side, and seemingly will bite at them indefinitely. However, by blocking their view, they should stop. I'd make the cardboard as high as the actual divider though, as they might stand up and nibble at any exposed bar, or will nibble at the cardboard if it's only as high as your coroplast, which is usually better to have on the outside and zip tie the cage sides to that instead.
 
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