Strange Behaviour?

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Polypea

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Hello

Well after getting myself into a state about bonding my 3 new arrivals with my established group of 3, all is well in piggy paradise!
Well I think so anyway! :^-

I have bonded 3 new youngsters with 3 adolescent/adult piggies, there is now 1 boar, Nugget, and 5 lady pigs, listed in order of age, Speedy, Betty, Ruby, Rose and Lovey.

Ruby, Rose and Lovey are the 3 newbies, Ruby is 4 months, Rose and Lovey are litter sisters and about 8-9 weeks old.
They have all been living together now for a week and there appears to be no problems at all.
The usual dominance behaviour amongst the sows which appears to be settling down and everyone seems to know their place within the group :)

Although one of the newbies, Lovey, has started displaying some strange behaviour. :{
She is sniffing, very intently, around the bums of the other pigs, especially the boar, Nugget.
Sometimes it is so intent that she seems to want to push her way underneath them, almost like she is trying to find somewhere to suckle! :{
Obviously this is not going down too well with the others, especially Nugget as he is getting the brunt of her attention and she is getting told off quite a bit. rolleyes

Does anyone know what this is all about? Is it normal behaviour? Is there anything I can do? :{

Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated :) Thanks
 
Hi

If anyone could shed some light as to what may be the reason for this little piggies behaviour i'd be really greatful!

It seems to be getting worse and Lovey is constantly following and sniffing/licking Nugget's bottom :{ Nugget, needless to say, is getting very fed up with this and I'm getting quite worried about what may happen :(
 
I've got no idea! mallethead Sorry. Good luck though!

Ooo, just got an idea. Maybe the sow is in season? Silly question, but just to be reassured, the boar is neutered right?
 
Hi, thanks :)

Yeah Nugget is neutered thank goodness!
The problem is Nugget is really getting harrassed by the little pig, she isn't doing it to any of the others now at all, just him!

Can they come into season so young? And could that make her do this? :{

Awful I know but I'm actually thinking about taking her out, Nugget is my first piggie and it's really bothering him and so it's really bothering me grrrr

I just don't know what to do! :{
 
when i bought my little one home she was only a few weeks old, she tried to suckle from billy, the only one she tried it with, now when she comes into season billy wont go near her (i think to him she is still a baby) even though she is now 5 months.

how long have the newbies been in with the oldies?

it will settle down mine took a couple of weeks.
 
Hi and thanks :)

The newbies have been in with the oldies for just over a week now so I suppose it could be a settling in thing :{

She just doesn't leave him alone, I sat watching them for ages last night and if I didn't know better I'd say her nose was actually stuck to his rear end! @)

I really do hope it settles down as Nugget is such a gorgeous man but very big and if he decided he'd really had enough I'm worried what may happen to little Lovey, she is a quarter of his size! ")
 
Obviously this isn't a long term solution, but can you ditract them every now and then with loads of fresh grass?

If it works you could give them grass a few times a day to give poor Nugget a break!

i have no idea why she's doing it btw, sorry...
 
Are there any health issues? Or teeth issues? Is she eating normally? Any antibiotics? The only time I've seen this happen is with one of my pigs when she had teeth issues and was on antibiotics. She was not able to eat well and the antibiotics messed with her gut... she was not pooping much and was not making the soft caecal pellets that pigs normally eat... from what I would tell, she was nuzzling up under the other piggie in an attempt to eat the caecal pellets from the other pig. I've read on guinealynx that this is an attempt to restore normal gut balance. I would take a look at her food intake and output. It could also be a heat issue, but I've never seen my pigs do this in heat... only under this one circumstance have I ever noticed it.
 
Hi

She is definitely eating ok, she doesn't appear to be having any probs with her teeth!

I have also noticed her collecting the little pellets from her own bottom so I am hoping it's not that she is unwell and needs 'Nuggets' pellets!

I have also noticed today that she seems to want to be with Nugget all the time, not just to sniff/lick his bottom, she is always where he is, even when he is sleeping! :) which is very sweet.

I will keep an eye on her though just to double check she is ok health wise!
 
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