Leave them for the night?

[DocDolittle]

I just reintroduced my two boys, wiping everything down to be scentless, gave them a buddy bath, rearranged their toys, etc. Well, so far, in the past three or four hours they've mounted, chased, rumblestrutted, and had a 'nose-off', and I understand that these are all unaggressive dominance behaviors, correct? Well, I'm going to be down their for about four more hours, and my question is, if they don't get into a huge fight and their isn't any biting, should I leave them be for the night? before this I had them partitioned because they fought, but I tried the buddy bath, and they're better now. Are they fine to leave alone?

 

[Amanda]

This sounds exactly like my story!

 

[dagwellismypigy]

yeah they will be fine.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

how do you know if they will get along? If they are going to fight will they fight immediately? Also, I have two girls that have been together for a month or so and I just recently got another one. I have kept the newer one in the same cage but put a divider in because the two oldest chatter teeth at each other and when the third one is around, it seems to get worse. Are introduction procedures different when you have more pigs? Should I give them all a buddy bath at the same time? I would rather not put them through the stress of it, but I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[DocDolittle]

The thing about the buddy bath is that the stress forces them to bond together. I used the buddy bath on my two boys and it worked out perectly. Normally, if the pigs are going to fight, they fight right away. Try to introduce them in the morning or early afternoon so that you can be with them near the cage all day.

 

[Amanda]

From what I am told, the stress of a buddy bath is what bonds them together. It worked great for my two boys who seemed hopeless in the beginning. They have been together a week now with no fights. Give it a try, can't hurt anything.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

I think that one of my girls might be pregnant though...won't that be bad for her? Can that make her more aggressive if she is pregnant? And if so, would it just be better to leave her by herself until after she has the babies?

 

[DocDolittle]

How pregnant is she? If she's close to bursting(so sophisticatedly said, eh?) then I would definitely hold it off and if she's getting too stressed I would separate them just until after the birth. Try not to bathe her if she is pregnant. How do you know she's pregnant?

 

[Love_my_piggies]

I'm not entirely sure yet. I was checking around and talked to the shelter that I adopted her from and they said they would be 'extremely surprised' if she was pregnant but then she was only there for two weeks...so its possible. She has that pear shape and her sides are somewhat firm. I am not sure. But if she was pregnant I think she would be pretty close to term by now. I posted a picture on another thread and quite a few said she looked pretty pregnant to them. I have all girls and I've never had a pregnant one so its all new to me. I'll post a picture of her....

 

[DocDolittle]

She does have the pear shape. If you put your hear to her stomach do you hear chittering? If she's late in her pregnancy you can see, hear, and feel the babies moving around.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

well she is sleeping right now and I don't want to wake any of the princesses...I'll check in the morning. I can't tell if I feel them...she makes a squealing noise when I try to feel around in that area and I don't want to hurt her. If she were fat, would she still have that much of a pear shape?

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Introducing a pregant piggie and a non-pregnant piggie wouldn't really be any different than introducing two sows. Pregnancy does present more stress to them but if they have good personalities you can try introducing them to each other. You just have to watch for signs of fighting between them. I read that introducing before she has the babies is better than after because she will be more protective of the young ones.

I would not however, give them a "buddy bath" especially if you suspect your one sow is pregnant. You don't want to create more stress from a bath. Two of my girls have butt baths every so often when they need it and they really freak out.

Doc-did you try leaving your boars together overnight yet?

 

[DocDolittle]

Yes, they've already been together for a week now. And I believe that her first two pigs were acting aggressively towards the pregnant pig and she's worried.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

Doc, I'm glad that it all worked out with your piggies! Yeah, I've had all of my girls in one cage, but had to put the divider up because the two oldest (including the pregnant one) are aggressive towards each other. It may not have anything to do with her being pregnant, but just the fact that they need to decide who is going to be more dominant. I'm just worried that they will fight. I am going to take everything out of the cage and clean everything completely. I tried putting them all together in the bathtub, with a towel on the bottom, and they seemed fine until I put the third girl in and then they all went crazy and the two oldest started chattering teeth and rumblestrutting (is that what its called?) I was going to do the same today...at what point do I separate them and should I just put them all three together at once? I wish they would just all get along!


Thanks everyone for all of your advice, I really do appreciate it!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

The teeth chattering and rumblestrutting are all normal behaviors. This page has what you need to know about introductions and it lists all the behaviors to watch for.
https://cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm#Introductions

I am going to quote 2 things directly from the social life page from Cavy Spirit as I am seeing this more and more being posted that people are afraid to leave their pigs together because they are afraid they will fight. You don't know if they will fight unless you give them time.

Have patience, take your time, always on neutral territory, and don't give up too soon. Brief words of wisdom for introducing guinea pigs.

When to separate them? Serious blood is drawn or a wound is inflicted. Some nipping or minor biting can be quite normal. Even little tufts of hair in the mouth can be normal.

Just please take the time to really read the social life page as it has so much great information.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

yeah, I have read that page several times now and today I cleaned their cage and accessories completely then I put all three of them in the bathtub with a towel. The first time I did this, yesterday, I think I over-reacted and took them out because they were jumping at each other. Today, I put some lettuce in with them and that seemed to break the ice for awhile. They did a lot of chattering and were very noisey....I think they got tired and eventually they just all sat together. I put them in their newly cleaned cage and they seem to be very happy and if they bother each other, they have room to run away if needed. I'll be up for a few more hours so I'll see how they are until bedtime...I'm keeping my fingers crossed.


Thank you again foryour advice!

 

[DocDolittle]

*Fingers crossed* Congrats on the success! I agree with Chattycoco, I was terrified of normal guinea pig behavior the first time I put them in the cage, but I left them the second time and now they get along fine!

 

[fawnmarie]

I haven't gotten to the 'buddy bath' point, but not sure what to do. My two boys live in separate cages, but have floor time and outside time together. We pen off the front around their cages and let them out.

The little one, about 4-5 months is constantly rumbling, mounting and stealing food out of the one-year old's mouth. They don't out and out fight, but there is some noise and strutting and mounting, and a lot of chasing and knocking off of the little one. Not constantly, but every couple of minutes or so, the little one starts something. Are they safe together?

Usually they spend about an hour or two a day together. I leave their cages side by side so they can see, smell and talk together all the time.

Should I assume the "bickering" is normal and let them have unlimited time together. Right now, they are supervised. Should I try the buddy bath? Is the little one going to ever STOP trying to "hump" the other one?

 

[Ly&Pigs]

If they haven't fought during floor time then that means they get along ok. The rumbling, mounting, and even stealing food is normal as well as the chasing. That all happened big time when I introduced CoCo and Chatty to Charity. Chatty still at times chases Charity around trying to mount her.

I would take them out for floortime, fix a cage for the both of them to live in with fresh bedding and then clean everything (pigloos, dishes, bottles, etc) then put them in together. Once they get the situation figured out on who will be alpha male they will be ok.

 

[Love_my_piggies]

Just thought I'd update you...all three of my girls have been together now since Saturday. They are getting along sooo well! I remodeled their cage and they are just happy as can be. I'm soooo glad!


Thanks again for your support everyone!