Two Males In Divided C&c Cage

[JB1979]

We have a male boar 3-4 years old whose male friend passed away 6 months ago. We have tried bonding with about 5 other pigs from adoption centres but all failed for various reasons. He had become very lethargic very rarely moving unless for food - all our attempts at making his life more exiting failed (food maze - large outdoor run - he usually just sat and looked at it as if to say what's this then!)

In the end we found another single male pig of the same age and i decided just to get him for company and seperate our 3*6 C&C cage so they are adjacent so at least they both had company. However, they are now both trying to chew through the bars to get at each other - so now i have moved them both out of sight of each other and that has calmed things down.

It did get our original piggy moving and provide stimulation, but maybe not in the way I wanted.

I may try again today and see how it goes, and notice there is lots of usual advice on here about potentially bonding them which I wish I had come across before (I know it may not work hence the hope of keeping them separate but within sight). I had read though that initially living side by side may help - but I don't want to do that if it will stress them out too much. Any thoughts?

 

[Piggy mum]

When my three pigs fell out I had to separate one of them away from the other two using a divider like you described. They bit the dividing bars for maybe a day but then it stopped. I found if you ignore them they will soon stop! Maybe they’re biting at the bars as they want to try being together?!
You could try bonding, but see how they go seperately maybe.

My boys still have the divider in, but once a week I put the two that get on ok together for floor time and they seem to enjoy it that way, and the lone pig enjoys his own space I think.

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, welcome to the forum!

Am tagging in @Wiebke for you she is very good at bonding and may be able to suggest some ideas for you

Could you add your location to your profile as it helps us tailor any advice if ever needed to your geographical location

Welcome again
Lee

 

[Wiebke]

We have a male boar 3-4 years old whose male friend passed away 6 months ago. We have tried bonding with about 5 other pigs from adoption centres but all failed for various reasons. He had become very lethargic very rarely moving unless for food - all our attempts at making his life more exiting failed (food maze - large outdoor run - he usually just sat and looked at it as if to say what's this then!)

In the end we found another single male pig of the same age and i decided just to get him for company and seperate our 3*6 C&C cage so they are adjacent so at least they both had company. However, they are now both trying to chew through the bars to get at each other - so now i have moved them both out of sight of each other and that has calmed things down.

It did get our original piggy moving and provide stimulation, but maybe not in the way I wanted.

I may try again today and see how it goes, and notice there is lots of usual advice on here about potentially bonding them which I wish I had come across before (I know it may not work hence the hope of keeping them separate but within sight). I had read though that initially living side by side may help - but I don't want to do that if it will stress them out too much. Any thoughts?

Hi and welcome

Great for your trying so hard to make your boy happy again!

How long have your boys been next to each other? bar chewing is normal when piggies have new neighbours they would like to meet (whether that is friendly or not is a different matter). Even my neutered boars do it at first; it genrally settles down once they know how they stand with each other.

Please take the time to read this guide here. Even if the bonding doesn't come off, having next door company through the bars provides enough stimulation and interaction to stave off depression.
I currently have got a friend's 8 year old widow living alongside my own piggies because she became depressed, but she is too confrontational to live with others. However, she is no longer depressed and was very happy to come back here again after a holiday at her original mum's while we were away.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

When your piggy is becoming withdrawn and listless, please always make sure that there is not an underlying helath problem going on. The stress of the loss and loneliness can both lower the immune system.

 

[JB1979]

Thank you both.

They are now separated completely at other sides of the room but can still get occasional sight of each other (one cage on table one on floor). They both do go through occasions of trying to escape the cage, wheeking loudly at each other, but do seem to have settled down a little bit inbetween outbursts. Ideally though want to get the cages next to each other on the table for convenience without it winding them both up too much so any advice grateful for. Have updated location as well (Leeds, England).

Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you both.

They are now separated completely at other sides of the room but can still get occasional sight of each other (one cage on table one on floor). They both do go through occasions of trying to escape the cage, wheeking loudly at each other, but do seem to have settled down a little bit inbetween outbursts. Ideally though want to get the cages next to each other on the table for convenience without it winding them both up too much so any advice grateful for. Have updated location as well (Leeds, England).

Thanks

Please put them next to each other and sit out the initial excitement, which is perfectly normal! It'll die down within a couple of days.

 

[JB1979]

Thank you Wiebke,

I'll try again tonight putting them adjacent and see how it goes. I realise now I have a few spare C&C parts so can make two cages with a an actual inch or two in-between so they cant try nose off in between the bars. I may also put a solid divider between them in the night so they are not too stressed until I'm sure it has calmed down a bit.

Thanks again.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you Wiebke,

I'll try again tonight putting them adjacent and see how it goes. I realise now I have a few spare C&C parts so can make two cages with a an actual inch or two in-between so they cant try nose off in between the bars. I may also put a solid divider between them in the night so they are not too stressed until I'm sure it has calmed down a bit.

Thanks again.

Nosing off is an important part of meeting other piggies. I get it all the time when a new piggy arrives and has their first free roaming time on the ground floor where it can say hello to the other groups and pairs. Don't be afraid; they won't do each other harm!
I get this behaviour all the time in a getting to know and settling in pen in next door or in the corner of a group enclosure pre-bonding.

I would just recommend to tie any separating bars with cable ties at the bottom and the top so they can't be rattled and worked loose.

 

[JB1979]

Thank you again Wiebke - I'll do as you mention and let them have the ability to 'nose off'. One last question, hopefully, our original piggy has lots of beds/fleeces/hideaways etc some that are stored away as he wasn't interested in them. Can the new piggy use these provided they are washed? Or should I invest in new hideys etc

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you again Wiebke - I'll do as you mention and let them have the ability to 'nose off'. One last question, hopefully, our original piggy has lots of beds/fleeces/hideaways etc some that are stored away as he wasn't interested in them. Can the new piggy use these provided they are washed? Or should I invest in new hideys etc

No, he can have used stuff.