Hello! Long time no see, school has had me busy.
two months ago I had to move apartments due to bad neighbors. (There were a couple shootings In my apartment complex) so the girls went from a 30 square feet rectangular cage in a somewhat busy room down to 27 square feet L shaped cage in a much more busy room. There might have been a little more rumbling and strutting since the move but nothing serious.
Two months ago (right before the move) I also took in 2 baby foster boys who will be going back in mid December. (That was a condition of the fostering) they are in a Midwest size cage in the kitchen, and are super well behaved albeit a little messy.
So for these past two months everything has been fine. Then last week my girls started rumbling. Luna had always been most dominant, and every once in a while someone else would do a little rumble but Luna would shut them up and maybe mount them for a sec.
For the past week Aurora (the special needs pig, a little tipsy from an ear infection long resolved but otherwise fine) has been rumbling at everything. She literally stood facing the wall rumbling at it and rocking back and forth for a good 5 minutes yesterday. When Aurora rumbles Luna and Nova rumble back, which results in a chase, and poor Aurora usually ends up running headfirst into something or one of her sisters. And if she smacks into one of her sisters that's a whole new chase.
Also whenever Aurora gets Nova going Nova (the youngest) keeps going for a good 10 minutes. Nova usually ends up trying to mount Luna, and that also results in a chase, which spooks Aurora, and usually ends when Aurora smacks into something or someone.
Stella, the former troublemaker, has wanted no part of this nonsense and usually jumps in the hay rack whenever this is happening, to the point that I put a potty pad in the side of it like a little balcony for her.
I do want to specify that there has not been any bloodshed. Besides Aurora running head first into tunnels and cage walls nobody has gotten hurt. They are well stocked on hay and water at all times.
I want to know what might have caused this. If it's because the cage got smaller why did it take 2 months for this to start? Could it be because of the boys in the next room over getting older? I don't want to do a buddy bath unless I have to since I don't wanna bathe them too often. What can/should I do to make my 4 girls (who had gotten along fine together for almost a year before this) to get along again?
TLDR: two months ago we moved and put two foster boys in the next room over, and last week my 4 sows started being very rumbley and aggressive.
two months ago I had to move apartments due to bad neighbors. (There were a couple shootings In my apartment complex) so the girls went from a 30 square feet rectangular cage in a somewhat busy room down to 27 square feet L shaped cage in a much more busy room. There might have been a little more rumbling and strutting since the move but nothing serious.
Two months ago (right before the move) I also took in 2 baby foster boys who will be going back in mid December. (That was a condition of the fostering) they are in a Midwest size cage in the kitchen, and are super well behaved albeit a little messy.
So for these past two months everything has been fine. Then last week my girls started rumbling. Luna had always been most dominant, and every once in a while someone else would do a little rumble but Luna would shut them up and maybe mount them for a sec.
For the past week Aurora (the special needs pig, a little tipsy from an ear infection long resolved but otherwise fine) has been rumbling at everything. She literally stood facing the wall rumbling at it and rocking back and forth for a good 5 minutes yesterday. When Aurora rumbles Luna and Nova rumble back, which results in a chase, and poor Aurora usually ends up running headfirst into something or one of her sisters. And if she smacks into one of her sisters that's a whole new chase.
Also whenever Aurora gets Nova going Nova (the youngest) keeps going for a good 10 minutes. Nova usually ends up trying to mount Luna, and that also results in a chase, which spooks Aurora, and usually ends when Aurora smacks into something or someone.
Stella, the former troublemaker, has wanted no part of this nonsense and usually jumps in the hay rack whenever this is happening, to the point that I put a potty pad in the side of it like a little balcony for her.
I do want to specify that there has not been any bloodshed. Besides Aurora running head first into tunnels and cage walls nobody has gotten hurt. They are well stocked on hay and water at all times.
I want to know what might have caused this. If it's because the cage got smaller why did it take 2 months for this to start? Could it be because of the boys in the next room over getting older? I don't want to do a buddy bath unless I have to since I don't wanna bathe them too often. What can/should I do to make my 4 girls (who had gotten along fine together for almost a year before this) to get along again?
TLDR: two months ago we moved and put two foster boys in the next room over, and last week my 4 sows started being very rumbley and aggressive.