Behavior Rumbling...

We have 2 girls around a year old. They seem to take turns rumbling, etc. Although I think Layla is the head honcho overall. Is the cage big enough? 2x5 minimum.

If you have hideys, take them out and replace them with fleece forests, grid tunnels, etc. Hiding places with 2 or more entrances so no one gets stuck.

Do you take them out for floortime? I notice that ours seem to bicker more if they spend too much time in their own cage. They seem to like a change of scenery. Make sure there is adequate light (not direct sunlight).

Multiple water bottles, pellet bowls, hay spots, etc. Several places to hide/sleep.

I don't know if girls go through the age related dominance issues as much as boys - but try some of this and see if any of it helps.

Going by the chart, I have the 10.5 square feet minimum for the bottom floor (for 3 girls it is 10.5 minimum and 13 preferred, which is 2x4 grids minimum and 2x5 grids preferred) and an additional 7.5 square feet for the second floor. I cannot expand the bottom floor, which is why the second floor is so large. And honestly, between the two, I think the additional 7.5 square feet on the top floor is more beneficial than an additional 2.5 square feet on the bottom floor would be. I know additional floors don't count toward total floor space, but it actually does give them more room to spread out. And yes, to all of the other questions (hideys, floor time, etc). The only thing I don't have is additional food bowls, but that is the one time that I never hear them rumble! Lol!!

I was just wondering if it was maybe them going through heat or something. When does that start?

I was just wondering if it was maybe them going through heat or something. When does that start?

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Sows go on heat every 16-18 days for about 1-2 days (It depends on the female).
During this time, they tend to rumble-strut and display dominant behavior. As suggested above, it would be a good idea to add hideys with multiple entrances and spread out their food and waterbottles.

Amy262 said:

Going by the chart, I have the 10.5 square feet minimum for the bottom floor (for 3 girls it is 10.5 minimum and 13 preferred, which is 2x4 grids minimum and 2x5 grids preferred) and an additional 7.5 square feet for the second floor. I cannot expand the bottom floor, which is why the second floor is so large. And honestly, between the two, I think the additional 7.5 square feet on the top floor is more beneficial than an additional 2.5 square feet on the bottom floor would be. I know additional floors don't count toward total floor space, but it actually does give them more room to spread out. And yes, to all of the other questions (hideys, floor time, etc). The only thing I don't have is additional food bowls, but that is the one time that I never hear them rumble! Lol!!

I was just wondering if it was maybe them going through heat or something. When does that start?

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You're right about the cage size, sorry. I was going off memory, but just now doublechecked.

I have 2 in a 2x5 and sometimes that even seems too small :crazyin my situation, and no upper level).

Mine seem to go in heat at different times, so it can seem like they are always rumbling sometimes. I don't know when it starts. But with 3, it's triple the fun :expressio.

I would maximize hiding places without taking away from zoomie/maneuvering space. Make sure all food/water is on the smaller level (but in different spots). Fleece forests, grid tunnels (covered) attached to the side of the cage, using a run-thru step with a ramp attached, bunk beds with bent grids. These all allow hiding and running without taking away from space. I know some of this is repeating, but just putting it altogether.

There are some great pictures in the gallery of various ideas. I've almost stopped using pigloos altogether, the girls are so much nicer to each other now that they're gone.lol

Ah! Rumbling - my apartment seems to be in a constant state of rumbling or wheeking. I've just started calling it sexy dancing - and making fun of them for it . Even my dad is in on that term, you can hear them rumbling from the living room and when he was visiting the apartment all I hear is "Sexy dancing is inappropriate for a pig your age!"

I'm expanding from 2x5 to 2x7 for three girls and am phasing out plastic pigloos once my Canadian Comforts hideys are in Definitely having kitchen area with different hay racks has only helped the situation. Callie is the worst for sexy dancing - she really just kind of spends a good solid day shaking her tush at anything that moves and then gets over it