Urgent: Should I Separate?

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Shannon R

Shannon R

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I introduced the new guinea pig to my current pig. I did everything right as suggested on this forum.

They are currently in a very large cage (after neutral introductions for 3-4 hours this morning). The new guinea pig chases around Marbles(current pig) a lot. He also nips at him, almost like he is trying to pull hair, Marbles sometimes just sits there and lets him do it. I am not sure if this chasing is normal or not. I am worried about marbles becoming stressed out.

Any thoughts would really really help.

There is double everything in the cage. I have really done everything by the book.

The rescue pig is from a pretty bad cruelty case where there were multiple pigs living together not being taken care of.
 
As long as blood has not been drawn they may still be working out their hierarchy.
This often looks awful to us, but is their own special way of deciding who will be top pig.
It is still very early days.
How were they in the neutral bonding pen?
If it seems to be getting out of hand you could always move them back to the neutral space for a while.

As long as both pigs are eating drinking and pooing, and no one is getting seriously injured, you just need to ride this phase out.
 
Their neutral bonding pen was iffy at best. They eventually calmed down and were napping next to each other and seemed okay for a bit so we decided to put them in their clean, washed out cage.

I noticed a small scratch on Marbles back but nothing too serious.

It is so stressful to watch...it looks like he is pulling is hair out. Is there a way to upload a video here?
 
I just recently bonded my two boars and will admit it's been a struggle to watch. However if there is no blood I wouldn't separate. As said above it is likely they are just establishing their hierarchy and the fact they have laid down together is a good sign- even if it was for a short while. Moving them to a new area has no likely made the more dominant boar be a bit more dominant because he's saying that he's still boss despite the new change. I saw the same with mine when they put them in their newly clean cage. In fact you can take a look at my thread 1 to 2 if you'd like to see what I observed with my two.
 
Thanks Jesse, I feel a bit better. Here is the video


Marbles is just sitting in the corner letting the new guy sniff him. The new pig sat next to him and ate hay and they just laid there, although marbles wasn't moving so maybe if he had this would have been mayhem. Makes me so sad that he chases Marbles around the cage too, its almost like he is playing but Marbles doesn't like it.

After losing a guinea a few weeks ago, I am so worried about Marbles getting too stressed and getting sick/not eating :(
 
@Wiebke is best with piggy behavior so she'll know whether to separate. I know that nibbling ears and fur is an invitation from the dominant piggy to join him and that nipping should be expected but the video does seem to show one piggy lunging at the other so I'm not sure - hence y I tagged her because I dont want to tell you to separate and it's not neccessary :)
 
Shannon R said:
I understand. The new piggy sometimes popcorns while chasing the other one, its so odd. And now they are just laying down napping.
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If that is the case then I wouldn't separate. If it wasn't going to work Id expect them to be constantly running after each other or nipping etc. :)
 
Napping. I'm so confused >_< I also think instead of nipping he is trying to bit his hair? but he isn't doing it forcefully, not sure if this is a dominance thing. I am not sure what to do tonight as I won't be able to watch them as closely. They are still running around the cage a lot.

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Do you know anyone that could help me out tonight @Jesse's pigs ? The new pig is still chasing the other around, nipping at him :( I'm scared if I don't separate them for the night that they will get into a brawl and I won't be around to stop it. But I also don't want to ruin what little they have done so far.
 
I think I am going to have to put a divider between then tonight unfortunately and start over in the morning. Every time Marbles moves the new pig(Beanie) chases him so Marbles just sits in a corner, not able to get to his food or water. @Wiebke I hope I am doing the right thing. And he is actually pulling Marbles hair out but Marbles is so submissive he just sits there. But then other times they just lay there and nap. So frustrating, especially after just losing a guinea :(
 
Sorry I was asleep by then and didn't see that you mentioned me. I would start the bonding again as if for the first time. Possibly do it on the lawn or in a hallway. Supply a huge pile of food and leave them for most of the day. I hear that making them smell the same can help. Maybe put some hand cream on your hands so that when you pick them up they both smell of the cream. I would leave them a good number of hours together before putting them back in their cage. If there is no biting when not in the cage I would say that you just need to let them get on with what they're doing and not to separate. I'm sorry it's so stressful
 
Sorry just logged on the forum...

It does sound like he was being overally dominant. how are they with the divider between them? Are they lying next to each other by the bars? Any sign of aggression then?
 
Thanks guys. They are absolutely fine with the divider next to them, talking, nose sniffing, occasional mild teeth chatter. I found keeping them together on floor time hard because the new guy would just wonder all around the floor and not stay on the three large blankets we had down. Any advice?

It was the pulling out the hair that really made me separate them last night, Marbles would just lay there and let him do it. Weird part is the new pig didnt really do it in an aggressive way. Would just go up and smell him and look friendly and then start pulling his hair out.

There cage is quiet large, 4 by 4 of the white cube shelves, is that okay?
 
Sorry, I am currently not well. How is your submissive boy after the separation. If he has noticeably perked up, then he is obviously not happy with his new mate, if they are both at the bars, it is worth giving it another try. Please please be aware that you have to start the bonding back in square one.
 
Thanks Wiebke and sorry to hear you are unwell. I gave it another try this morning and it just doesn't seem to be working. Lots of launching from the new pig with nipping on the back end of Marbles, teeth chatting, still the weird hair pulling. I don't think it'll work :( Has anyone ever had experience introducing two pigs that initially did not get along but after living along side each other with a divider for months, were introduced again and got along? I am not sure whether to keep him and try this or give him to my mom who is happy to take him. Marbles needs a friend but I don't think I can have three pigs as I am in medical school and travel quite a bit with my pigs. Any suggestions on how to find another pig for Marbles? I don't want to keep adopting and then having to try and find good homes for them when it doesn't work out :(
 
Shannon R said:
Thanks Wiebke and sorry to hear you are unwell. I gave it another try this morning and it just doesn't seem to be working. Lots of launching from the new pig with nipping on the back end of Marbles, teeth chatting, still the weird hair pulling. I don't think it'll work :( Has anyone ever had experience introducing two pigs that initially did not get along but after living along side each other with a divider for months, were introduced again and got along? I am not sure whether to keep him and try this or give him to my mom who is happy to take him. Marbles needs a friend but I don't think I can have three pigs as I am in medical school and travel quite a bit with my pigs. Any suggestions on how to find another pig for Marbles? I don't want to keep adopting and then having to try and find good homes for them when it doesn't work out :(
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To be honest, it rarely works out. Piggies rarely change their minds when they have taken an often instant dislike to a piggy. Even if you get them to live together, problems have a habit of resurfacing.

Can you get to one of these good standard rescues? There are unfortunately very few Canadian ones and none in your province. The closest ones seem to be in Montreal. Guinea Lynx :: Canadian Rescue Organizations
 
Hi Wiebke, thanks for your honesty. I have looked at those rescues for a new friend for my pig but a lot of them come in pairs already. I will keep my eyes open though, it would be really helpful to know the pigs personality prior to getting him. I will either keep the new pig separately or give him to my mom who I know will take good care of him like I would.
 
Shannon R said:
Hi Wiebke, thanks for your honesty. I have looked at those rescues for a new friend for my pig but a lot of them come in pairs already. I will keep my eyes open though, it would be really helpful to know the pigs personality prior to getting him. I will either keep the new pig separately or give him to my mom who I know will take good care of him like I would.
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Many rescues have single piggies for bonding with bereaved, single or fallen out piggies, but they are not necessarily advertised on the website. It is always worth contacting a rescue and see whether they come back to you. ;)
 
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