New Pigs - Fighting

[SandraVE]

It´s been about 6 hours since I opened the divider, and they´ve been fighting all day basically. They do take time out to eat when they are not chasing and chattering. Right now Moki has chased Lady J up into the hay rack. I think that is the only place she feels safe. Is this going to far now? Should I put the divider back up? It is so frustrating, more so for the pigs, especially Lady J. It looks like Moki has a scratch wound beween her front toes. Not bleeding though. I cleaned it out with bactine. What should one clean scratches or wounds with? Hydrogen peroxide? Boy can little Lady J jump high, and she sure runs fast to get away from Bully Moki. Should I put the divider back up at night?

Thanks.

[Lynx]

I´m not going to give you any advice (never had to deal with this). Sure hope your girls calm down. I sometimes think this kind of behavior is tougher on us than it ever could be on them.

You´re there. Guess it depends on how brave you are. I would make sure the hay rack was quite comfortable.

[SandraVE]

I didn´t put the divider up last night as things had calmed down some. When Lady J is threatened she will get away by jumping up in the hay rack. I do keep the hay rack filled so she can also eat while she´s up there laying in the hay.

Things are much better, and maybe Moki will learn not to be such a bully. She really needs Lady J to be her friend, as I believe she misses Cocoa. Could the chasing without the teeth chattering actually be playing?

I took the towels out I had put in the cage yesterday, and will switch back to the carefresh. Towels just smell too yucky in such a short time. I guess that is a benefit with carefresh. I think I will sew up some small towels to go under their huts and under the hay rack to keep the carefresh cleaner longer. With 2 big cages now, that´s 2 bags of Carefresh a week.

[pigpal]

Hang in there Sandra and try not to intervene. It sounds as if they are finally getting somewhere with their discussions. The teeth chattering and chasing is all part of working out their relationship. I sincerely doubt it´s "playing", though I can see how you would hope it might be! Things will likely settle soon, as long as Lady J continues to run away and/or back down rather than challenge Moki.

I know this must be very hard for you, but they´re guinea pigs and this how they often deal with new relationships. It would be nice if they could sit down and have a civilized airing of their concerns and reservations about each other instead!

Hydrogen peroxide can be rather harsh, I like to use hibitane and put a very little triple antibiotic ointment on scratches and small bites. Is bactine something like hibitane?

[SandraVE]

Thanks Pigpal and Bats. Both girls have finally settled down and have pretty much accepted each other. When my husband came in this morning, both girls were in the same hut together, sitting there peacefully. They will also happily share a leaf of romaine and eat from the same hay rack together. Oh, sweet harmony!!!

You were definitely right about not putting the divider back up.

[pigpal]

I´m so glad to hear they´re getting along better now. I the peace continues, life´s too short for such discord.

[pigpal]

Sandra, did you have any further thoughts on adding Lady J´s babies to the mix, or is that more than you want to deal with?

[SandraVE]

I am somewhat apprehensive about putting 4 pigs in a 2 x 5 C&C cage. Also, I don´t have the extra time right now to devote to extra cage cleaning, and I am somewhat of a perfectionist in that I must clean up pretty much everyday. Maybe one extra female would be better for all the sows. 3 in a cage that size is better than 4. I will have to wait for a single female youngster instead of taking Lady J´s babies. I keep checking Ladyveg´s site for new piggies all the time. Rachel, if you get a new little female in that hasn´t bonded with another, keep me in mind.