Sweep And Honor

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jenniferanneharris

jenniferanneharris

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i attempted bonding but have seperated all ready for now after 15mins as they had a few scuffles ...he was constantly trying to mount her and she did not like that. Lots of teeth chatting and circling. No blood drawn but felt like i needed to seperate for a while to cool off....my nerves are frazzled lol. It was non stop unlike Honor and Haven. I think sweep and honor both want to be dominant....as i say all checked over and no blood or cuts....but they both were quite hyped up. I dunno what to do for best. Do i try again later in an hour or so? Or now tomorow? Did i do correct seperating them? I now feel i should have just let them....but was so worried they would bit as i saw some of sweeps hair loose ....but checked and he was fine...
 
After re reading the bonding guide i feel i separated too early :S....can i try again in an hour or so? or shall i leave it for today? I think i just panicked and forget everything i have read :(
 
I would try again tomorrow, but if they are both dominant, it may not work out in the end. Bonding is all about character compatibility; if that is not there, no trick in the book can work around that. You have a bit more leeway with cross gender bondings as you can do them as slowly or as quickly as needed whereas with boar-boar bondings you have to do them in one go.

But please don't push them too much with too many meetings too soon after each separation. That will only make things worse in my experience. Trying to work things out the slow way will take a lot of time and patience.

Boars that are meeting girls for the first time are bound to go overboard. It also depends on where Honor is in her oestrus cycle.
 
Okay thanks, i wont try again today then, i just feel awful i separated too early because i panicked and i wanna correct that. They are totally fine side by side, sweep is desperate to see Honor and sleeping by the bars. Honor is washing next to him...
I will also have veggies out as well as hay. I just wanted to bond as quickly as i could so i don't get too attached too sweep if it didn't work. They are both asleep in the open by the bars near each other in their cages..
 
As they are still very interested in each other, you still have got everything to play for and you know that their encounter wasn't a hostile one. ;)
 
Thanks, i have decided if they didnt work out anyway, i will just extend the cage so its slightly longer, as they are happy side by side. They are facinated....especially Sweep. I just think Honor is not used to having a cage mate who is fiesty.... Haven and Liberty were little birds in comparison to sweep... and Harmony was her grandma so always lived with her. Sooty is also bigger than Honor and she is used to little cage mates. Do you think his cataracts could hinder the intros at all @Wiebke ? Never had a piggie with it before.

But as mentioned will try again tomorrow, and will be braver lol
 
The cataracts won't get in the way at all. Piggies can be very friendly through bars, but meeting in the flesh is a completely different kettle of fish, especially when they are not sure how to handle a bolshy, bigger newcomer! It has taken me several weeks with some of my own sows to get there, but as long as they don't cross the line or they start taking a dislike to each other, you are fine.
 
Good luck tomorrow - you're so brave doing this all yourself! At least they're happy alongside each other, that's got to be a good sign!
 
It can be quite a shock when a sow meets a neutered boar for the first time. It took my girls a long time to get used to Barney who quite frankly was really annoying and I can see why they were angry at him. Let them live alongside each other for a bit and take it slowly.
 
Thanks everyone, they are fine through the bars together, Sweep is desperate to get in and see Honor and keeps chewing the bars like crazy trying to go and see her, he is also sleeping by the bars allot so he can see her,... i am worried he was going to hurt his teeth by keep chewing, so covered the bars with fleece for a while as i would hate for him to break a tooth. Will uncover again later so they can see each other, i just wanna give his teeth a rest bless him. Silly boy x
 
Well they have been together an Hour and a half and things much less intence than yesterday, the odd scuffle, but today its much more Honor being miss bossy. Sweep keeps getting chased and he seems to be backing down more. Both have been eating and even had the odd snooze. They have had 2 mini scuffles that last a few seconds and then he runs off, but all in all going well so far. They are both quite vocal so its been very chatty at times but all doing well. Honor and Sweep are now having a lie down/ sleep each bless them.


Both are lying flat out asleep...so cute

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they are soooo cute! glad to see they are getting along ... good luck!

It's also quite funny how Honor looks so much like my Betty (I am sure I have mentioned this before) and now seeing your new piggy sweep he has very similar marking to my Wilma..... we have piggy twins.

This is Wilma her 'ginger bit' is covered up by the rest of her fur.

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That sounds a lot more promising.

My Barney is the same with the grids and am worried about his teeth too. He has his own girls but it only takes Mrs Fuzzy or one of the rest of her herd to come and flaunt herself at the grids and he starts chewing and tugging.
 
Thanks, its been nearly 3 hours now and i am pleased. They are both still quite vocal - some chattering still, but nothing bad, the squabbles quickly subside ...usually Honor chases Sweep away. They are both sat about 30cm away from each other eating hay :)
 
Thanks, they have been together just over 4 hours now. They are still having calm and squeaky bickering moments....usually Honor going after Sweep, although he is holding his ground. I think they are both quite strong personalities.

Honor is the one who keeps going for Sweep, so i dunno if i should separate this evening or let it continue through out the night as they have had a few squabbles with some fur pulling? Its always Honor going for Sweep, the scuffle and he runs off. He has had a bit of fur pulled out, but no cuts or anything like that, but she keeps pulling his fur (she is a bit of a fur puller)...and now again they are sat eating like nothing has happened. @Wiebke @helen105281
 
It does sound like things are beginning to settle down, once Sweep learns that Honor is the trouser wearing piggie in the relationship things will calm down nicely. You have a few hours till nightfall yet so see how it goes, it's all very daunting for us slaves. In our house Ouzo is the bottom of the tree as his wifepigs Morgan & Tia always put him in his place, although he does still try his luck sometimes.. :D

Lisa & Ali.. x
 
If you are unsure you can separate again overnight, but I would think that they have bonded and sorted out the hierarchy question now. Keep them together afor as long possible and assess before you go to bed.

They still have to work through the small print over the next few days but I would think that the worst is over and that they will settle down together nicely!
 
Well they have been together for over 7 and a half hours now and they are both asleep again.
I think i will leave them be together tonight as they seem a bit more settled now..... They have two soft tunnels as they like sleeping "inside" something, so the tunnels have two ends and are big enough to turn round in also if needed, they have had them for a few hours now no problem, so will leave them in tonight. At least they are on my bedroom floor so if I needed to break anything up i am next to them, but after nearly 8 hours i think that is less likely now?

i need to go out for a few hours tomorrow morning, but they should be okay alone together shouldn't they for a few hours? (I need to do a vet trip with my dog and then go and check on my grandma and take her to lunch hopefully)

I am going to settle down myself for bed in half an hour or so probably, so will just leave them be. :) . If all is well over night/ tomorrow day time then i will give the cage a good clean the cage and put them in their c&c tomorrow afternoon/evening and re gain my bedroom floor if all seems okay etc :)

Honor is asleep next to the tunnel and Sweep is asleep inside that tunnel...(even though they have two tunnels) .
Will keep everyone updated anyway :)
I think i spoke too soon, Honor has just woken up and chased Sweep out the tunnel....silly moo. Bless him.
 
Well I'm going to bed now. Wish me luck with these two over night!
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Lets hope Honor gets off her high horse and leaves poor Sweep alone! :P
Wishing them a calm nights sleep- i hope :)
 
pretty calm over night...am pleased. A few squeaks but nothing bad. Am off to emergency vet with my dog in an hour so need to go out. I'm sure they will be fine left for an hour or two.
 
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