Maybe female pig just won't get along
I adopted an adolescent (18 month) female pig as a third buddy for my two females, Millie and Pinball, in late October. Millie is of unknown age and Pinball is just over a year old.
According to her owner, the new pig, who I named Lucy, had lived alone most of her life so far and I don't think she was picked up much. I knew she would take awhile to adjust to her new home, but it hasn't gone well.
She constantly mounts both Millie and Pinball, which I chalked up initially to dominance, but it hasn't stopped. Pinball doesn't seem too freaked out and even will occasionally sniff Lucy out of interest, but poor Millie shrieks anytime Lucy tries to come near her and hides in the corner. For minutes afterward, she will shriek in distress when I even try to touch her. This has gone on for weeks.
I separate the three of them in their C&C cage when things get bad, Lucy on one side and Pinball and Millie on another (Millie's been bitten a few times, my guess is when she tried to snip back at Lucy) but after a week or so, I'll open up the cage to try again and nothing changes.
I don't think Lucy knows quite what to make of the other girls and is on edge when it comes to me — she has no interest in being picked up or petted and chatters her teeth at me when I try.
I think I just need to accept that she won't get along with the two of them. It's also possible that I introduced them too early.
I would make her a separate cage but I have limited room in my apartment. Adopting her out will likely be unsuccessful too. What should I do?
EDIT: Have properly sexed them, so no worries about that.
According to her owner, the new pig, who I named Lucy, had lived alone most of her life so far and I don't think she was picked up much. I knew she would take awhile to adjust to her new home, but it hasn't gone well.
She constantly mounts both Millie and Pinball, which I chalked up initially to dominance, but it hasn't stopped. Pinball doesn't seem too freaked out and even will occasionally sniff Lucy out of interest, but poor Millie shrieks anytime Lucy tries to come near her and hides in the corner. For minutes afterward, she will shriek in distress when I even try to touch her. This has gone on for weeks.
I separate the three of them in their C&C cage when things get bad, Lucy on one side and Pinball and Millie on another (Millie's been bitten a few times, my guess is when she tried to snip back at Lucy) but after a week or so, I'll open up the cage to try again and nothing changes.
I don't think Lucy knows quite what to make of the other girls and is on edge when it comes to me — she has no interest in being picked up or petted and chatters her teeth at me when I try.
I think I just need to accept that she won't get along with the two of them. It's also possible that I introduced them too early.
I would make her a separate cage but I have limited room in my apartment. Adopting her out will likely be unsuccessful too. What should I do?
EDIT: Have properly sexed them, so no worries about that.
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- And got the T-shirt
I'd totally separate them for a while, and then do proper introductions. Opening up the cage just means that any pig feels like her territory is being invaded by another pig -- they need to be put together in an area that has been thoroughly cleaned and smells nothing like any pig. See https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html for how to go about it.
It may help, when they've been together in a neutral area and you're ready to put them in a clean cage, to give them a buddy bath (all at the same time, not one after the other), and then put a tiny bit of vanilla on everyone's nose and tail. That way, they'll all smell the same, and it may take some of the competitive edge off.
How large is the cage?
It may help, when they've been together in a neutral area and you're ready to put them in a clean cage, to give them a buddy bath (all at the same time, not one after the other), and then put a tiny bit of vanilla on everyone's nose and tail. That way, they'll all smell the same, and it may take some of the competitive edge off.
How large is the cage?
Have you checked to make sure Lucy does not have a medical condition? Some hormonal issues (such as ovarian cysts) can cause excessive mounting in my experience.