What is going on?

[Cuddles With Cavies]

For a little while now I’ve been hearing Lumi screaming but I’ve never been sure why. After a bit of investigative work, I found that Lumi waits to get into a hide of one of my other pigs sometimes for 15 - 20mins. They turn round and snap at her to go away and she screams. However she doesn’t move away. She waits there until they finally move out of the house.

I don’t know what happening here. Is Lumi being bullied by my other two? Is she just dramatic? Do I need to be worried about this? I get anxious because all I hear all day is Lumi screaming.

I have 3 pigs, a neutered boar and two sows, in a 2x9 C&C. They have 4 hides between the 3 of them. This only seems to happen over hides. I haven’t seen them bickering over food, water or toys and I haven’t seen any chasing, fighting or rumble strutting either.

 

[My Piggies]

Hi,

This doesn't sound like bullying to me - just normal dominance behaviour. The squealing you're hearing is submissive, and the fact that you aren't seeing any chasing or rumble strutting is a very good sign.

If you have a 2x9 C&C, would it be possible to add a couple more hides? You can also try having hides with two entrances.

Members with more experience will be along shortly

 

[Cuddles With Cavies]

Hi,

This doesn't sound like bullying to me - just normal dominance behaviour. The squealing you're hearing is submissive, and the fact that you aren't seeing any chasing or rumble strutting is a very good sign.

If you have a 2x9 C&C, would it be possible to add a couple more hides? You can also try having hides with two entrances.

Members with more experience will be along shortly

Thanks I’ll add some more hides. All the hides they currently have do have two entrances too.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks I’ll add some more hides. All the hides they currently have do have two entrances too.

Try the garage system but lining up your 2 exit hides like a row of backyard garages in parallel in the middle of the cage and see whether that helps.

This has done the trick for one of my groups where no longer having squabbles over a favourite hut/tunnels has really calmed down the situation; there was just a row of the same log tunnels side to side.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I wonder if she just wants to share one with another member of her group