Behavior Eating cagemate's fur, constantly. Eating until blood is drawn, very distressing.

[MoonLove]

Hello all

I currently have a difficult situation happening with my pigs.

I have two 2 year old sister pigs, and i have two 6 month old sister pigs, living together. They have always gotten along relatively well, after living together for 4 months.

The two younger ones have in the last month been targeting one of the older ones, by pulling on her fur and eating it. If the older one is drinking or eating or sleeping, they sit behind her and chew chew chew on her fur. They eat either from her back or her face. It is relentless. I have been noticing it more and more frequently and when she had a bleeding wound on her back (amongst the bald patches) i decided i had to seperate them. I have put a divide between them so they are still 'together' but can no longer chew on her fur.

The other older sister has a slightly bald patch on her back but ive never actually seen them eating her fur, but they obviously must.


This morning though i noticed that the other older sister was chewing on her fur as well. She just cannot escape being chewed on and i do not know why. Its very distressing and i imagine hugely distressing for her. Ive thought about simply taking her away from them all because i dont know why they are eating her fur. Im so unsure why this is happening.

Ive looked online and saw about barbering, friendly barbering going a bit too far etc, but this is excessive and EVERYTIME i glanced over at my guineas, they were eating her fur. They were relentless. Any help is so appreciated, thank you!

 

[CavyMama]

4 pigs in one cage is a lot. What size cage do you have? Make sure all the hideys have multiple openings. Also, how old are the pigs? Puberty can affect how pigs interact with each other.