The Wheaky Beans herd

Espresso! Congratulations on your new husboar, you look very lovely together. I hope Aperol is settling in nicely Wheakybeans and you can enjoy the weather a little today :luv:
 
I can’t believe this has just happened but after four days together, Espresso and Aperol have just had a fight. When I initially bonded them, there was lots of humping and chasing but they seemed to get along well with him being submissive to her, eating together etc. However, today he started cornering her in their cage, both chattering and he tried to attack her multiple times. I eventually separated them before it escalated into biting (he tried but missed!). It’s clear she wants to be dominant but she’s not very good at it. As soon as she felt threatened, she has hackles up and chatters at him then they start squaring off because he sees a weakness in her leadership. Is there anything else I can try or is this a failed bond? I’ve got them in separate cages for tonight but can’t believe they’ve fallen out. I don’t think she’ll be willing to submit to him either as she’s older. Absolutely gutted.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I would give all nerves a break to settle down and start from scratch in a few days.
It's a shame this has happened.
How much space have they got?
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6 x 2 CC cage so plenty of space. I’ve contacted the rescue to see what they suggest too. It’s so hard to know what to do especially when you think you’ve had success only for it to fail (again).
 
thewheakybeans said:
6 x 2 CC cage so plenty of space. I’ve contacted the rescue to see what they suggest too. It’s so hard to know what to do especially when you think you’ve had success only for it to fail (again).
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Aww noo - dont worry there will be a piggy for Espresso, there’s a pig for every pig!:wub: My Freddie went through a lot of piggies so I know how hard it is being an owner and just wanting it to go well, it is so disheartening and difficult to watch isn’t it?! Sending so many well wishes and hope it resolves soon
 
Edam said:
Aww noo - dont worry there will be a piggy for Espresso, there’s a pig for every pig!:wub: My Freddie went through a lot of piggies so I know how hard it is being an owner and just wanting it to go well, it is so disheartening and difficult to watch isn’t it?! Sending so many well wishes and hope it resolves soon
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Just to add as well:

In a positive light - Freddie going through so many pigs really taught me a lot about his character, nature and how he acts in different scenarios, and I now read his body language so much better than other piggies and know/understand what he is feeling a lot more. So going through this might just bring you closer to Espresso - silver linings!
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
Oh that's a kiss spot? Interesting, here it's a crown and is supposed to mean that the guinea might be a bit bossy, but probably there's no proof of that - just an old wives tale.
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Oh I only just saw this! I dont think kiss spot is an actual name for it…. Just something I call my Freddie’s ‘crown’ as I always give him kisses there when he’s snuggling into me! Freddie is definitely the boss of me so maybe some truth there!
 
thewheakybeans said:
I can’t believe this has just happened but after four days together, Espresso and Aperol have just had a fight. When I initially bonded them, there was lots of humping and chasing but they seemed to get along well with him being submissive to her, eating together etc. However, today he started cornering her in their cage, both chattering and he tried to attack her multiple times. I eventually separated them before it escalated into biting (he tried but missed!). It’s clear she wants to be dominant but she’s not very good at it. As soon as she felt threatened, she has hackles up and chatters at him then they start squaring off because he sees a weakness in her leadership. Is there anything else I can try or is this a failed bond? I’ve got them in separate cages for tonight but can’t believe they’ve fallen out. I don’t think she’ll be willing to submit to him either as she’s older. Absolutely gutted.
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Oh I’m so sorry to read this - it sounded like it was going so well! Have you decided what you’re going to do?
 
Janey said:
Oh I’m so sorry to read this - it sounded like it was going so well! Have you decided what you’re going to do?
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I’m not sure…the rescue has suggested I try again but then everything I’ve read on here suggests piggies hold grudges and I’m skeptical it’ll work because Espresso wants to be leader but then easily feels threatened by him so it could just end up in fighting and her being bullied again! It concerns me this happened after four full days together because if I was to attempt again, what happens if this occurs while I’m asleep or at work…she could be badly hurt or cornered without me knowing. Then again, I can’t keep repeating the 3 hour round trip to the rescue for another cage mate not to mention the days spent off work trying to bond them!
 
Ramia said:
Can you keep them side by side permanently? My boys are happy that way.
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They’d only get a 2 x 3 CC each if I did this but I’ve been advised by the rescue to try bonding again first. I can’t believe it happened after 4 full days together and my worry is if it were to happen again overnight or while I’m at work, that one of them could end up badly hurt (and probably Espresso because she’s a lot smaller!).
 
thewheakybeans said:
They’d only get a 2 x 3 CC each if I did this but I’ve been advised by the rescue to try bonding again first. I can’t believe it happened after 4 full days together and my worry is if it were to happen again overnight or while I’m at work, that one of them could end up badly hurt (and probably Espresso because she’s a lot smaller!).
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It makes sense, and injury could lead to an abscess and other horrible consequences for either or both of them.
 
I wonder if being neutered makes a difference to their place in the hierarchy. It might be making it less easy to predict where Espresso first in. She was spayed to save her life and she is in every sense a lovely piggy. Perhaps she would get on better with a young female piggy?
 
Truffolo said:
I wonder if being neutered makes a difference to their place in the hierarchy. It might be making it less easy to predict where Espresso first in. She was spayed to save her life and she is in every sense a lovely piggy. Perhaps she would get on better with a young female piggy?
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She was always the least dominant of my previous girl trio then stepped up once Cino had died and Macchiato got unwell. The problem is she easily feels threatened so on the one hand, she wants to be the boss but on the other, she doesn’t have the confidence or assertiveness to back it up. She does also have arthritis in her spine so I’m concerned the constant chasing and humping may be tiring her out too! I have a day off work tomorrow so I think I’m going to try again. I just hope if it’s a failed bond that it shows immediately as I think I’d be too anxious to leave them unsupervised this time.
 
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