intros -- let them check one another out through cage walls first?

**PhoenixFeather** · #1 12-01-07, 05:27 pm

Is it a good idea before doing formal intros to put the piggies to be introduced in adjoining cages or at least where they can see and smell one another, but not reach one another? (AFTER Quarantine, of course!) Or is it best for them first to see/smell/meet the other piggy in an environment where they can interact as they choose (with us watching of course for any problems). I have read the intros page on cavyspirit.com which seems to imply that they notice one another for the first time during the introductions process. But it's not explicit, so I'm not sure.

Thanks in advance!

**thewibs** · #2 12-01-07, 06:13 pm

I introduced my pigs today on the couch, and it went pretty smooth. Chester (the older one) only tried to mount Tycho a few times, but after that they just sat next to each other. I watched them on the couch for about an hour and they seemed to get along just fine, no fighting or anything. I don't know much, but I'd say just follow what they have at http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Introductions and it should be fine.

One question about my introduction though. Chester started dragging his butt along the ground and white pastey stuff started coming out. I've never seen it come from him before. I found a site that said it is due to compaction, and I cleaned out the area it was coming from. Is it just compaction?

**clotho** · #3 12-01-07, 06:21 pm

Phoenix whenever I have done intros, I have always introduced the piggies in a neutral area in my living room. Once they get along ok there, I clean the cage out completely, and put them in it together. We watch them the whole time to make sure there will be no fights. I am not a fan of having them near each other but not together and then gradually putting them together, especially with males. I know others may have different thoughts on the subject, but I've always found, put them together from the start in a neutral area, then move them to the cleaned cage, works well for me.

thewibs - Chester is marking his territory. That's why he drags his butt on the ground. It's normal boar activity when there are other males around. The issue you are referring to is IMPACTION which occurs when the muscles in your boar get weak and they cannot expel their poos properly anymore. They can get blocked up and you have to clean it out manually for them. This usually happens in older boars. You really should be cleaning your boys out once a week anyways. I use mineral oil and Qtips and make sure they're cleaned out each week. That will help avoid any impaction issues. It's a nasty, smelly job, but someone's gotta do it!

**Wheek Weak** · #4 12-01-07, 06:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewibs

One question about my introduction though. Chester started dragging his butt along the ground and white pastey stuff started coming out. I've never seen it come from him before. I found a site that said it is due to compaction, and I cleaned out the area it was coming from. Is it just compaction?

Was it sticky and dried hard? If so, it's called boar glue (I don't know what the official or scientific term is). All of our boys have always made a mess on the fleece with it. It's like Elmer's glue and doesn't wash out.

Hopefully, someone will be able to explain more about what it is, and why our little men pigs do it! From what I understand, it's similar to semen (or is semen) that they leave about to mark their territory.

**Wheek Weak** · #5 12-01-07, 06:33 pm

Oops...clotho beat me to the post!!

Thanks for the info, clotho!

**PhoenixFeather** · #6 12-01-07, 07:01 pm

Thanks for the replies, thewibs and clotho.

We don't even have the second piggy yet, and we are waiting until after Xmas so as not to further complicate travel planning. But I'm very nervous about introductions!

Wheak Wheak thanks for the info on boar glue!

(And, I have to say, all this talk of impaction does make me wish Frisky really was a girl, as we had originally been told!)

**thewibs** · #7 12-01-07, 07:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by clotho

You really should be cleaning your boys out once a week anyways. I use mineral oil and Qtips and make sure they're cleaned out each week. That will help avoid any impaction issues. It's a nasty, smelly job, but someone's gotta do it!

When I cleaned him out, he didn't like it AT ALL, which is reasonable. What is the best way to hold them while doing this? And how deep is the q-tip supposed to go to fully clean them out?

**Wheek Weak** · #8 12-01-07, 08:13 pm

All of our boys have done it. We always check, but we've never had a boar with impaction problems. Probably because we bed on fleece.

I don't know if it's related to impaction, or not. I just know that our boys leave white, sticky, dried glue type spots on the fleece.

Please don't blame your little Frisky just because he's a male...he can't help it. Our boys have left the gluey spots on the fleece whether they've been around any other pigs, or not.

The girls, on the other hand, can make their own very special, disgusting, gross, nauseating, up-chucking, smelly, gut-wrenching (have I made my point?) messes to be cleaned up! And they look at me with those adorable, cute, innocent little eyes, just like the boys, while I clean up the mess, play with them, love on them, and spoil them rotten!!

In other words, boy or girl, they're ALL bad...and we love 'em to pieces!!

**PhoenixFeather** · #9 12-01-07, 08:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wheek Weak

Please don't blame your little Frisky just because he's a male...he can't help it. Our boys have left the gluey spots on the fleece whether they've been around any other pigs, or not.

Oh, we still love him to pieces. And I'm not concerned about the gluey stuff. I'm just concerned about the potential for impaction issues down the line, which don't seem to be a concern with the girls. But I'm sure they all have their issues!

**Wheek Weak** · #10 12-01-07, 08:41 pm

Oh yes, the girls can definately have their own problems!

As I said, the boys have never had an impaction problem, but we have had a female with an unexpected pregnancy (thanks to the pet store that sold her to the parents of the children who wanted a toy), and ovarian cysts that put us through a $230.00-plus, heart-wrenching, nerve-wracking surgery (both the pregnancy and surgery putting her life at risk).

We have another female with sludge problems, so we have to be very careful with her diet.

We were also concerned about the problems with males when we started to rescue. But, we quickly learned that males, or females, it didn't matter...they both have the same amount of problems (albeit: different types of problems).

**Kerry** · #11 12-01-07, 09:54 pm

Pheonix, mine are in side by side cages right now. The only reason is because I haven't got a cage built for them to share yet. My reasoning in putting them side by side is that, from what I've read, they're happier even if they can just see/smell/hear another piggie! I have to say they both seem much more active today than I usually find them! Maybe it's just because they're in a more central location in the house now or maybe it's because they aren't alone, I don't know but I'm glad they seem to like it. If I had the big cage ready now I would probably have skipped the side by side part and just done proper intros today.

I was wondering though if I could let them meet during floor/cuddle time even though they aren't sharing a cage yet or would that just cause hiarchy confusion every time? I guess that would depend on how they got along in the first place though? So confusing trying to figure out how to make sure these little gals are happy as possible!! LOL

**clotho** · #12 12-01-07, 10:54 pm

Phoenix oh I see you are just doing research ahead of time. Good idea! I would take a smelly butt over worrying over a spay operation due to ovarian cysts any day by the way!!!!

thewibs I find the best way to clean my boys out is to have someone else hold them. We flip them to their back with their back end touching the floor and then I have both hands free to open the sac up and clean it out with Qtips. I dip the Qtips in mineral oil ahead of time so I have them ready, sitting on a newspaper. You will see how far you can go into the sac when you get it all the way open. I run the Qtip around the edges and clean them out really good. Sometimes they get shavings stuck in there that have to come out!!!

Kerry, if it were me, I would not put them together and take them apart over and over. From everything I've read, they just have to keep figuring out dominance over and over again when you do that.

**Kerry** · #13 12-02-07, 12:23 am

That's what I figured Clotho. Guess I'll just be patient! Not easy when I see them trying so hard to get to each other! Think I'll work on repairing and closing up the fireplace they're going in front of tomorrow so at least that'll be done and ready for when we build the stand and cage. Not to mention I can hear the wind blowing down the chimney from the storm! Not good for our heating bills! Yikes!

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