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Introductions Advice: Girls t.chattering and "neighing" w/o end

krystia

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Our girls had to be separated a while ago because they had issues. They were housed in side in a split cage, each with their own 2x3 (in what we hoped to be their combined 3x4). They have been living quite happily that way for many months. We are finally trying to reintroduce them but are not having much luck. The girls aren't rumblestrutting, mounting, or anything like we've encountered with introductions normally. Instead it's this constant "squeaking / neighing / chirping" sound like sounds like they're talking to each other accompanied with teeth chattering.

All the teeth chattering has been getting me nervous. It's sustained, most definitely, but they don't yawn or face each other with intent to attack. Instead it's uneasy teeth chattering whenever they're near each other and some "almost" nips (where the first tries to nip the second's behind, but the second does a 180 and teeth chatters) After these nips the second pig (usually the same one starts the trouble) makes a short burring noise. There have been several light nips and twice one of the girls has raised her paw as if to hit the other girl's head. Then they leave each other alone and wander away for a while before it all starts again.

Even when they're away from each other, they keep continuing this strange chirping / squeaking / neighing sound. It's been over an hour and it hasn't calmed down, so I am hesitant to leave them together. Is this normal or signs that they just don't get along?
 
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krystia

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All right. It's been two hours and they're still squeaking at each other. The teeth chattering has all but disappeared, although the occasional nipping and "stare-downs" continue. Also, there are occasional high-pitched squeaks that sound like fear to me. One pig is doing all the nipping and one all the high-pitched squeaks. They don't seem to be fighting at all, but they don't seem to like each other either. The area where we're introducing them is rather large (larger than their cage). I am worried that the violent teeth chattering will begin again when they're in a smaller area. Do my fears seem well-grounded?
 

akstrohm

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Teeth chattering and the rest of what you describe is normal. It might start up again once you put them in the cage, but as long as there's no blood, it's fine, even if it's hard to watch.

I'm a little confused by your post though--is this the first time they've been together since you separated them or have you been repeatedly separating and introducing them?

And how big is the cage you're planning on putting them in? What do you have in it?
 

TwitterPopcorn

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As long as they are not drawing blood leave them together. If you keep taking part and reintroducing them it will get hard and hard for them to get along and may never get along.
 

krystia

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We were planning on putting them together in a 3x4 cage to make sure that they got along. They were originally separated because of severe bullying and eventually constant fighting. This is the first time we have tried to introduce them since then. However, they have been living in side-by-side 2x3s in the meantime. Sorry about not being clear!

Unfortunately, one pig did start yawning and eventually it became a fight, so we made a judgment call and decided to keep the side-by-side cages for now. Thank you so much for your help!
 
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