Teeth chattering.

Amyrosexo

Amyrosexo

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Hello, two of my oldest pigs have recently started teeth chattering at each other and having little fights. I know what the chattering means but I was wondering if a bigger cage might help so they have more space from each other.
The cage they are in now is a double tier H112.50 x W152 x D61cm. But they are quite big pigs.
Any advice appreciated thankyou :)
 
I'm not sure if a slightly larger cage will work, maybe a whole area dedicated to them would almost guarantee peace. Do they fight over food or places to sleep? Sometimes they need a break from the cage environment.
I have read about fear bonding and tried this with Chinchillas if you put them in a very secure huge garden run or just in the garden fencing off any escape areas with no hides and some veg scattered far and wide they will be forced to work together as a team due to fear (you watching of course). Some people may not agree with fear bonding but I have found it to work and it's something you could try before a full blown fight breaks out. Daily I would reccommend a secure covered run outside where the enviornment is different and they are on the alert this will really help them overcome cage stress especially a large run. Hope this helps xx
 
If you go into the thread housing. It will tell you how much room you need for your piggies. If you have a upper level that doesn't count, it's only the floor level. Look at that forum & it will explain it better than me.
I certainly wouldn't advise Fear bonding how cruel.
 
Is it just the two piggies in that cage? Do they have two of everything? and separate houses?

Are they males or females? And finally what is their age?
 
@Kindness they have always been paired, they don’t fight over food or anything they have little nips but with most of the food I feed them by hand so they have the same,even when I spread around the cage they don’t fight they both choose a side. I think they have had little fights before with each other as I have found little bits of blood on one of them but it was nothing serious. I’m just wondering if a bigger environment would help. Thankyou for your advice.
 
Bigger cages will always help piggies that get a little stroppy with each other. How long have they been together?
 
sport_billy said:
Is it just the two piggies in that cage? Do they have two of everything? and separate houses?

Are they males or females? And finally what is their age?
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Yes it’s just the two of them, they have a hideaway space in the cage. They are males aged 10/11months.
 
sport_billy said:
Bigger cages will always help piggies that get a little stroppy with each other. How long have they been together?
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They have been together since birth, it’s just those two in a cage but it’s only recent they have started fighting like they have
 
Taken from one of our thread also

Teenage hormones. Both genders go through a hormonal stage between 4-14 months of age. This is more pronounced in boars and leads more often to fall-outs, but sows can suffer from strong seasons, which can derail a bond on occasion.
Here is our boar guide with much more detailed information on the different phases of the teenage months as well as lots of helpful tips: Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
I noticed blood on one of them but it was tiny I checked them both but I couldn’t see/feel anything.
It was terrible earlier I had to go in stop them chasing each other not the best idea but they stopped afterwards @sport_billy
 
It does sound like there is trouble brewing. Blood is not good, any sign of cuts on either?

If it escalates you may need to split. Keep a very close eye the next few days hoping it settles down.

Also advise houses with two entrances like sticks, it stops one getting cornered Wooden Playsticks Large | Pets At Home
 
@sport_billy i couldn’t find anything on either but it doesn’t help that one is long haired and gets very scared when Handeld but he’s got much better.

Splitting them is my very last option as they get very scared if I take one out of the cage to check them and the room is not huge for another cage. I have seen a homemade cage that is huge that I would happily build (I’ll add a photo) but I can build that quite big for them with lots of space for both of them.
 

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Boars need more space than sows. Is the cage size (LxW) 156 x 112? Sounds like there’s enough space if yes so may be a case of them being in their teenage years as mentioned already, and working out the hierarchy. All you can do is keep an eye on them. Do you have two of everything? Bowls, hideys etc? When handling or feeding do you tend to the dominant one first as well?
 
Amyrosexo said:
@Kindness they have always been paired, they don’t fight over food or anything they have little nips but with most of the food I feed them by hand so they have the same,even when I spread around the cage they don’t fight they both choose a side. I think they have had little fights before with each other as I have found little bits of blood on one of them but it was nothing serious. I’m just wondering if a bigger environment would help. Thankyou for your advice.
Click to expand...
The bigger the better if you can!
 
Amyrosexo said:
@sport_billy i couldn’t find anything on either but it doesn’t help that one is long haired and gets very scared when Handeld but he’s got much better.

Splitting them is my very last option as they get very scared if I take one out of the cage to check them and the room is not huge for another cage. I have seen a homemade cage that is huge that I would happily build (I’ll add a photo) but I can build that quite big for them with lots of space for both of them.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a perfect idea x
 
@Siikibam Their cage size is at the top but width is not that deep, I know Levels don’t count as space.
They are quite big piggies so I was wondering if it was getting a little small for them, I’ll keep an eye on them they’ve been good so far today.
 
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