Sudden Fall Out Between Sows, 2 vs 1

[Kithri]

Hey all,

So my pigs are acting odd. I have three females, all approximately 4.5 years old. We had four but lost one (whom we may think was the dominant pig) back in April. The remaining three have been perfectly fine up until the past couple weeks or so. One of them (the one who was the initial companion of the one who died) has been acting quite aggressive toward the other two, constantly mounting them and chasing them around. There's also been quite a bit of teeth chattering amongst all three. No one seems to be eating or drinking any less, and there's no signs of things like nasal discharge, eye discharge, pain anywhere, etc. Eleanor and Lucy are fine when we take Marigold away, but as soon as she's back in the cage, they're all arguing again. Separating for the night and letting them interact through the bars seemed to help, except Marigold seemed a bit downcast, and they were back at it when they were all together again.

Could it just be them falling out, or is it more likely a medical issue? We would rather avoid getting a fourth pig, especially if it means having two separate herds, but of course, we'll do whatever's necessary. (Re-homing is not gonna happen.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[dannif_piggies]

After all this time I highly doubt it's a permanent fall out. Excessive humping/rumbling/chattering in females can lead to questions to do with hormones. As your girls' age, I would highly suggest taking her to the vet to see if she is suffereing with ovarian cysts. I personally wouldn't separate them unless there is blood drawn, and often the chasing looks much worse than it is. There's a very high percentage of female guinea pigs that get ovarian cysts. Some will never be noticed, others can cause health concerns. Does Marigold have any "pear" shaped look about her, this can sometimes indicate ovarian cysts, but once again I'd highly recommended taking her to the vets and they can give you a proper diagnosis.

 

[dannif_piggies]

I also don't think you need to worry about permanent fall outs, or rehoming or getting another piggy at all right now. And as mentioned above, I personally wouldn't keep separating the girls, and back together again. Marigold dealing with potential hormonal issues, is going to be stressful enough, without being taken away from her companions and back again. Hope this helps

 

[Wiebke]

Hey all,

So my pigs are acting odd. I have three females, all approximately 4.5 years old. We had four but lost one (whom we may think was the dominant pig) back in April. The remaining three have been perfectly fine up until the past couple weeks or so. One of them (the one who was the initial companion of the one who died) has been acting quite aggressive toward the other two, constantly mounting them and chasing them around. There's also been quite a bit of teeth chattering amongst all three. No one seems to be eating or drinking any less, and there's no signs of things like nasal discharge, eye discharge, pain anywhere, etc. Eleanor and Lucy are fine when we take Marigold away, but as soon as she's back in the cage, they're all arguing again. Separating for the night and letting them interact through the bars seemed to help, except Marigold seemed a bit downcast, and they were back at it when they were all together again.

Could it just be them falling out, or is it more likely a medical issue? We would rather avoid getting a fourth pig, especially if it means having two separate herds, but of course, we'll do whatever's necessary. (Re-homing is not gonna happen.)

Thanks in advance!

Hi! Sows can fall out, often all of a sudden.

Most commonly it is caused by ovarian cysts, which are very common in older sows or a medical separation. The behaviour you are reporting is typical for that.

Please read the below guides and see a vet!
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Bonds In Trouble

 

[Kithri]

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

My husband took Marigold to the vet, and it does look like she has ovarian cysts. However, he didn't want to pursue any tests yet since she'll have to be sedated, and he wants me there, too, in case anything were to go wrong. So we'll make an appointment to get a definitive test, and then she'll likely have surgery up in Nashville.