Introducing Two Boars - Didn't Turn Out How We'd Hoped

Cinnabuns Legacy

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:54 pm


I agree that it sounds normal. I would only be worried as others have said if blood is drawn, or if they aren't eating. The intro's we've done with only one exception included humping and rumbling, sometimes excessive humping but things all mellowed out. When I tried to introduce Magellan to James and Alistair, there was no bloodshed, but they refused to eat when in the same cage together and they just wouldn't eat, not even their favorite greens and I tried everything I'd heard including a buddy bath; I tried twice before realizing it wasn't going to work. The intro you described sounds relatively tame all things considered.

I assume you've read the Boars Behaving Badly threads? They're a wonderful source of information on intro's and normal (as well as not so normal) boar behavior. I also recommend the Cavy Spirit social life page if you haven't read it yet.

https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46468

http://cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Additional

flutterbye

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:55 pm


Thank you so much to each and every one of you who took the time to post here and offer useful advice, support, encouragement and reassurance to me, this site is amazing.

Feyling - I think you're right, but yesterday BamBam truly had had enough. I think the overnight stay apart made Dougal re-evaluate whether he wanted company or not, because I tried again this afternoon after all the support from here and the second intro has been completely different.

Whilst he's still been asserting his authority when BamBam tries rumbling, he's not been continuously humping him non-stop to the point where BamBam can't breathe.

BamBam is still being whiny about the situation but he's not as stressed out as he was yesterday, I'm assuming the whining will die down as the days pass by?

Today we have: Rumbles, chatters, occasional humping (from behind this time, not on the face which is most degrading!), bum sniffing, and an occasional warning 'nip' (which doesn't land anywhere, but let's the other know enough's enough, e.g. when Dougal thought he'd go get some hay from BamBam's hay rack).

They're both back in the main cage, and when they've filled they're bellies and stopped messing around are making a point of finding each other to snuggle up next to for a snooze - I seem to have answered my own question as to why it was so good to have them together rather than side by side cages - the snuggles!

I will update in a few days, hopefully all will remain peaceful except for the occasional squabble whilst they sort themselves out, but I will rest easy tonight knowing they're both reasonably content but primarily safe, and happy that I didn't give up after yesterday's ordeal.

I will take all the advice given here and read back on it when required, thank you all once again :)

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caruba
Supporter in '10

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:57 pm


Very cool! This is so nice to hear!

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clairey

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:45 pm


Yay! Well done. I imagine pigs can be happy living as neighbours, and the occasional few prefer it, but it's always nice to have someone to annoy and romp with and whose food you can steal.

I'm not trying to be the bringer of doom here, but it is likely that BamBam's boarly hormones will kick in occasionally and trigger another humping/chattering outbreak while they decide yet again who the boss is. Don't worry about it.

Now, I think we needs piccies of the happy duo!

liland

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:01 pm


That sounds great!

My boys are still sorting things out, a week on, but they are really loving each other, and there's been no humping in days.

I hope your pigs continue to do well with each other :)

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codyNpatches
Supporter in '09 - '10

Post   » Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:06 pm


(that and the fact that I'm allergic and get 'piggy rash' if they snuggle to my face/neck means that I must really be a bit of a slave to still love them soooo much he he :)

I know piggies and hay can cause rashes just on their own, but have you treated for potential mites?

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Halva
Supporter in '10

Post   » Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:10 pm


What great news.

I had a fairly traumatic experience trying to introduce my new boy Jasper to two extremely sassy sows. I can understand why you were a bit freaked out. It eventually turned out fine but it did take nerves of steel!

Feylin's Boars Behaving Badly thread is very useful, especially the bit about making sure there is nowhere in the cage where one pig can get trapped by another. Make sure there is two of everything (food bowls, water bottles etc) so no one can get territorial and prevent the other from eating, drinking or hiding!

Here's hoping they stay friends.

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Perpetual Pig Slave

Post   » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:33 pm


ditto on what Halva said.

I don't have much experience with hard intros, but what little conflict I did have was caused by being trapped in a pigloo. They only have one way in and one way out.

Most of the rumbling and screaming was stopped when I replaced the pigloos with footstools. Those have 4 entrances/exits so the evictee could run away and not feel like they had to fight their way out.

Mottle Tuft

Post   » Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:08 pm


My two sows fought terrible at first. One had to go to the vet twice because of it. They worked it out and eventually were fine together. I learned a lot and when introducing the third we had a place sectioned of for her in the cage. They could see and smell each other but not fight. They also had lots of floor time together and when she started living with them permanently it was a pretty smooth transition. Good luck!

flutterbye

Post   » Sat May 01, 2010 6:39 am


codyNpatches - Yes when I first got piggy rash I did think 'mites?', I also thought bf's aftershave, new shampoo, etc. etc. ha ha. We did treat them as babies JIC anyway, but my piggy rash is proper hives when they rub too hard against me - 15mins or so after putting them down it eases & disappears. Just my luck! Ha!

Halva & PPS - Yes I agree with you both, when I tried the first intro there were two hiday houses set up - these were promptly removed when Dougal chased BamBam into one & BamBam had nowhere to run. In the main cage I have a large fiddlesticks tunnel & a towel draped over one corner so they think they're hiding but still have the whole area to get away from each other.

Update: Thankfully no bloodshed, but these two are certainly not loving each other. Dougal spends all day brrring at BamBam, even though BamBam's not challenging 'as much', if BamBam's lying having a sleep Dougal will come over and brrrr at him to get up and go away!

BamBam's still whinging about the whole thing, he sees Dougal coming over to him & trots away whinging... I wish this would stop as it's a huuuuuge guilt trip on me!

My main concern at the moment is that BamBam's not himself - he's not wheeking for his veggies (which he has ALWAYS done, whenever he sees me, for hours before it's actually veggie time!). He's having to spend his day sheepishly trotting about his cage with Dougal bothering him all the time.

I had a word with them both last night (neither seemed to be paying much attention), and told them that if BamBam didn't start wheeking for is veggies again by this time next week, we'll have to go to plan B (side by side cages). I did say in an earlier post that the individual happiness of each pig is important to me, and I'm not getting that 'contentment' vibe from either of them at the moment. I know it's early days (today is 5th day together) but I would have hoped for harmony to have prevailed by now - wishful thinking?!

Mottle Tuft

Post   » Sat May 01, 2010 8:10 am


I know it's early days (today is 5th day together) but I would have hoped for harmony to have prevailed by now - wishful thinking?!

It took mine awhile to get along, maybe over a month. There was a lot of chasing, and nipping. After awhile I realized they had stopped. It was really hard for a awhile but once they accepted each other things got a lot better. This was females though so it could be different.

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clairey

Post   » Sat May 01, 2010 8:13 am


Is Dougal wheeking for veggies? There seems to be a designated primary wheeker per cage generally. It could be that Dougal has inherited wheeking rights through being the alpha.

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