Boars Behaving Badly II
Charles (Charley) has become a burrower. After watching him pull the fleece out I tried putting more clips on the fleece. Not only did he manage to pull the fleece out again, but he managed to put a hole in the fleece where the clip had been! I've never seen a piggy so determined to burrow under the fleece.
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karalianne
- Supporter in '12
I thought I would pop in to describe the brothers' behaviour, because it really is quite funny to watch and doesn't require any worry at all.
Background: Bubble & Squeak are nearly 20 months old and have lived together all their lives. I took them two months ago, from a family who had seven dogs and ten cats, plus four horses (one of which was giving birth any day) and a large fish tank. They were rehoming the brothers because they didn't feel they could devote enough time to them. I will discuss care elsewhere, since it's not really pertinent here except to note that they were living in a large pet store cage, about 3 feet long and 18 inches wide.
Squeak is the larger of the two, by about 100 grams, but that doesn't seem to matter much; they are very evenly matched.
What typically happens is someone starts rumblestrutting. Then they both start chattering their teeth and will come very close to smell each other's noses. One of them usually runs away and then comes back - this happens a few times. Then they do the nose competition, but since they are really the same size, nobody actually wins that contest. One of them will then take a little leap at the other, who responds by leaping back, they never actually connect and instead fly past each other and continue with whatever they were doing beforehand. I've also seen them yawn at each other, and nothing ever comes of it.
They have been doing this sort of thing since I brought them home, so it's not merely because Batman is now in their lives (I observe quarantine). They are also still doing it now, in their lovely new 3x3 C&C cage.
I will have to see if I can get some video of them doing their little displays, as it really is quite funny. A few days ago, Squeak was even pawing at the hay before he did the lunging bit!
** Speaking of... I know some of you give your boys stuffed toys to play with (as a manner of speaking). What recommendations have you for the materials, size, and so on? A friend suggested that maybe the brothers would stop pretending to go after each other if they had a "friend" or two.
Background: Bubble & Squeak are nearly 20 months old and have lived together all their lives. I took them two months ago, from a family who had seven dogs and ten cats, plus four horses (one of which was giving birth any day) and a large fish tank. They were rehoming the brothers because they didn't feel they could devote enough time to them. I will discuss care elsewhere, since it's not really pertinent here except to note that they were living in a large pet store cage, about 3 feet long and 18 inches wide.
Squeak is the larger of the two, by about 100 grams, but that doesn't seem to matter much; they are very evenly matched.
What typically happens is someone starts rumblestrutting. Then they both start chattering their teeth and will come very close to smell each other's noses. One of them usually runs away and then comes back - this happens a few times. Then they do the nose competition, but since they are really the same size, nobody actually wins that contest. One of them will then take a little leap at the other, who responds by leaping back, they never actually connect and instead fly past each other and continue with whatever they were doing beforehand. I've also seen them yawn at each other, and nothing ever comes of it.
They have been doing this sort of thing since I brought them home, so it's not merely because Batman is now in their lives (I observe quarantine). They are also still doing it now, in their lovely new 3x3 C&C cage.
I will have to see if I can get some video of them doing their little displays, as it really is quite funny. A few days ago, Squeak was even pawing at the hay before he did the lunging bit!
** Speaking of... I know some of you give your boys stuffed toys to play with (as a manner of speaking). What recommendations have you for the materials, size, and so on? A friend suggested that maybe the brothers would stop pretending to go after each other if they had a "friend" or two.
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eschimpf
- SweetPea
I have three very naughty boars, which is also kinda my fault. After Eve died I tired to bond all three together. I did floor time for hours and a buddy bath. Everything seemed ok, no fights, lots of humping and what not, so I put them all together. With in two days Reko and Mojo drew blood from each other. So I moved Reko into his own cage. Mojo and Romeo seemed to be doing fine.
I did a random weighing today because everyone seemed lighter. Since sunday EVERYONE has lost weight, ranging from 50 to 100gs! upon farther inspection I found two healing wounds on Reko, from the fight with Mojo and one good wound on Mojo, both of which are healing nicely but I do feel horrible because I didn't seem them at the time (its been about 5 days since the move).
Romeo has no wounds but just in case Mojo is bulling him away from food I have put a divider in the cage. Mojo on one side and Romeo on the other.
Sigh, I went from two cages when Eve was alive to 3 cages now. So much for happily ever after.
Sadly until I am recovered from my surgery tomorrow they are all in 2x2 and 2.5x2s. Life stinks when boys don't get along.
I did a random weighing today because everyone seemed lighter. Since sunday EVERYONE has lost weight, ranging from 50 to 100gs! upon farther inspection I found two healing wounds on Reko, from the fight with Mojo and one good wound on Mojo, both of which are healing nicely but I do feel horrible because I didn't seem them at the time (its been about 5 days since the move).
Romeo has no wounds but just in case Mojo is bulling him away from food I have put a divider in the cage. Mojo on one side and Romeo on the other.
Sigh, I went from two cages when Eve was alive to 3 cages now. So much for happily ever after.
Sadly until I am recovered from my surgery tomorrow they are all in 2x2 and 2.5x2s. Life stinks when boys don't get along.
Did intros today with my new pig, Wilbur, who is a year and three months, and Ned, a nearly three year old. It went well! Did the initial intro in the bathroom where neither has been with a big pile of veggies and hay and let them go to town. There was much stanking and humping and rumbling, but they haven't killed each other yet. Ned was surprisingly boarly; I thought he would be more mellow considering the crap he put up with from his previous roomie. Wilbur just wanted to eat his veggies, poor guy. He got into the boar-tude after a while, though. And then Ned would come over and chatter at ME, apparently asking me why I had brought him this pig that can't even be humped properly. Sheesh.
They've been moved into the big cage now, and are currently passed out asleep. Big day! Yay new friends!
They've been moved into the big cage now, and are currently passed out asleep. Big day! Yay new friends!
So, Chex was out in the kitchen, and between both my parents, they could not catch him. So they devised a plan:
DAD: *places lettuce in the middle of the floor* This will get him.
*stands on the left side of the table*
MOM: *stands to the right side of the table*
CHEX: *under the table-- walks to the edge. Sniffs the air and notices the lettuce*
(This when I walk into the room and see this hilarious setup.)
PARENTS: *wait expectantly*
CHEX: *hesitates*
DAD: *quietly, but super-serious* He knows it's a trap!
ME: XDDD
DAD: *places lettuce in the middle of the floor* This will get him.
*stands on the left side of the table*
MOM: *stands to the right side of the table*
CHEX: *under the table-- walks to the edge. Sniffs the air and notices the lettuce*
(This when I walk into the room and see this hilarious setup.)
PARENTS: *wait expectantly*
CHEX: *hesitates*
DAD: *quietly, but super-serious* He knows it's a trap!
ME: XDDD
Sidera, I really need another Chex video in my life.
I can almost imagine that story!
I can almost imagine that story!
Well, I thought that my boys had outgrown their boarly-boarness. Oh, how wrong I was.
Jeffery (3 years old) has been an unholy terror since we moved. Somehow, in spite of his persistent ear infection/head tilt, he has decided it's a good time to try to be Top Pig. This spot belongs to Riley (4 yrs) and his big butt. He's been following Riley around like an annoying little brother, "I'm not touching you... I'm not touching yooooou..." until every now and then Riley snaps and gives him a good ol' humpin. So then he'll go pick on Freddy (2 yrs) just for good measure.
I tried separating Jeff, and he and Riley just cried for each other until I put them back together.
Sigh.
Jeffery (3 years old) has been an unholy terror since we moved. Somehow, in spite of his persistent ear infection/head tilt, he has decided it's a good time to try to be Top Pig. This spot belongs to Riley (4 yrs) and his big butt. He's been following Riley around like an annoying little brother, "I'm not touching you... I'm not touching yooooou..." until every now and then Riley snaps and gives him a good ol' humpin. So then he'll go pick on Freddy (2 yrs) just for good measure.
I tried separating Jeff, and he and Riley just cried for each other until I put them back together.
Sigh.
-
eschimpf
- SweetPea
Sidera17, Hey its ok hun.
So after I separated Mojo and Romeo with just grids I noticed Mojo would NOT stop chewing the bars and running at them. He had an evil look to his eyes! It was horrible. So I ran down stairs and got some old Coro and clipped it to the divider grids. From the 3 hours I watched him he never ate, slept 2 minutes at a time and never drank. 5 minutes after putting on the coro he was sleeping deeply.
I don't think any of the boys will ever get along with any pig with a penis. Sigh. I also made the choice last week to not get any more pigs for 2 years. I want to live my life with 3 naughty boys until I am ready. In the last few months I have lost 3 guinea pigs and its really eating at me.
Oh the plus side, my already spoiled pigs will become SUPER spoiled pigs ;)
So after I separated Mojo and Romeo with just grids I noticed Mojo would NOT stop chewing the bars and running at them. He had an evil look to his eyes! It was horrible. So I ran down stairs and got some old Coro and clipped it to the divider grids. From the 3 hours I watched him he never ate, slept 2 minutes at a time and never drank. 5 minutes after putting on the coro he was sleeping deeply.
I don't think any of the boys will ever get along with any pig with a penis. Sigh. I also made the choice last week to not get any more pigs for 2 years. I want to live my life with 3 naughty boys until I am ready. In the last few months I have lost 3 guinea pigs and its really eating at me.
Oh the plus side, my already spoiled pigs will become SUPER spoiled pigs ;)
Ugh, the fighting continues.
Everyone is starting to lose a little weight. I switched the cage back from a 2x5 to a 3x4, and it made no difference. Yesterday I had to separate a flying ball of fur that was Jeff and Freddy.
Jeffery is usually the instigator. He's finally shaken that ear infection and is back to normal health-wise, but has become more and more aggressive over the past few weeks. He and Riley scuffle the most, which always ends with some rumbling and humping. But when I try to separate Jeff from the other two, he and Riley freak out, squeaking and gnawing on grids until they're back together.
It seems like giving Jeff his own space would take care of it, but they get so distressed when they're apart. Should I try taking out Freddy and seeing if that would help? I had been considering getting him a friend after I moved, but held off because adding another pig to the mix seemed like a bad idea.
Jeffery and Riley have been together for three years, and Freddy has been with them for two. They never had more than the occasional rumble-fest until I moved. Sigh.
Everyone is starting to lose a little weight. I switched the cage back from a 2x5 to a 3x4, and it made no difference. Yesterday I had to separate a flying ball of fur that was Jeff and Freddy.
Jeffery is usually the instigator. He's finally shaken that ear infection and is back to normal health-wise, but has become more and more aggressive over the past few weeks. He and Riley scuffle the most, which always ends with some rumbling and humping. But when I try to separate Jeff from the other two, he and Riley freak out, squeaking and gnawing on grids until they're back together.
It seems like giving Jeff his own space would take care of it, but they get so distressed when they're apart. Should I try taking out Freddy and seeing if that would help? I had been considering getting him a friend after I moved, but held off because adding another pig to the mix seemed like a bad idea.
Jeffery and Riley have been together for three years, and Freddy has been with them for two. They never had more than the occasional rumble-fest until I moved. Sigh.
SHOP AMAZON