Hey Guys,
I'm having trouble with my girls and introducing some new pigs.
I've had Noodle for over 4 years now.. and recently her cagemate sadly passed away.
They had both been housed with 'Little Pig' a rough and ready, adoptee piggy for the last 6 months.
Little Pig has always been nippy and snappy.. with everyone... me included. Because she was abused in her last home.
Her and Noodle have never got on properly, they are always squealing and when they nip each other they are really nasty. But whenever we seperate them they whine and chew the bars to be put back together. I dont get it.
Well after the passing of Brody we decided to get 2 new piggys. That way the numbers would even out.
One of the new piggys.. Hershey.. is lovely. She is very calm and responsive and a really sweet tempered pig.
I put her with Noodle and LP and straight away they tried to dominate her.. normal... but they were so rough and bitey that it just didnt seem like the normal establishing pecking order routines that Id seen my other pigs do before so I had to seperate them.
Ive tried several times now, placing them all in neutral territory, and even Noodle, who normally is very friendly, is really nasty towards her and chases her around the cage to bite her. She literally pins her in the corner.
As for the other new piggy... she is all black.. we have yet to name her.. but she is also VERY bitey and snappy.
She has bitten me twice and drawn blood and I only brought her home tonight!
(We have had Hershey for a few days)
Noodle absolutely hates her and has bitten her badly a few times already.
LittlePig on the other hand has completely bonded with her... she is showing mothering behaviour already and is grooming her and squeals if we take her away. Its just a shame they dont like to be picked up or stroked much without biting and trying to run away.
So basically.. I now have Hershey in one cage and the other 3 in another. But the 3 are all bickering now!
I know it's still new, and it is a huge adjustment for all of them getting thrown in with strange pigs so quickly, and I'm hoping they will settle down, as the worst thing that can happen is they all have to go into seperate cages.
I know that Noodle is still grieving for Brody, as am I, and she hasnt seemed happy since Brody went away.
I really hoped that these new pigs would bring her a bit of friendship bak, as LP has always been so hostile. But now it seems Noodle is just as hostile as she is. I think with her it may be a mixture of grumpy old age and territory.. I would place her on her own but I just know she wouldnt be happy that way either.
Is there anything I can do to make these 3 mean piggys get on with each other and me?
I'm going to see if I can get a larger cage for them all tomorrow... but will the size make any difference?
Thanks so much,
Ri, Noodle, Hershey, Little Pig and Blak piggy....
I'm having trouble with my girls and introducing some new pigs.
I've had Noodle for over 4 years now.. and recently her cagemate sadly passed away.
They had both been housed with 'Little Pig' a rough and ready, adoptee piggy for the last 6 months.
Little Pig has always been nippy and snappy.. with everyone... me included. Because she was abused in her last home.
Her and Noodle have never got on properly, they are always squealing and when they nip each other they are really nasty. But whenever we seperate them they whine and chew the bars to be put back together. I dont get it.
Well after the passing of Brody we decided to get 2 new piggys. That way the numbers would even out.
One of the new piggys.. Hershey.. is lovely. She is very calm and responsive and a really sweet tempered pig.
I put her with Noodle and LP and straight away they tried to dominate her.. normal... but they were so rough and bitey that it just didnt seem like the normal establishing pecking order routines that Id seen my other pigs do before so I had to seperate them.
Ive tried several times now, placing them all in neutral territory, and even Noodle, who normally is very friendly, is really nasty towards her and chases her around the cage to bite her. She literally pins her in the corner.
As for the other new piggy... she is all black.. we have yet to name her.. but she is also VERY bitey and snappy.
She has bitten me twice and drawn blood and I only brought her home tonight!
(We have had Hershey for a few days)
Noodle absolutely hates her and has bitten her badly a few times already.
LittlePig on the other hand has completely bonded with her... she is showing mothering behaviour already and is grooming her and squeals if we take her away. Its just a shame they dont like to be picked up or stroked much without biting and trying to run away.
So basically.. I now have Hershey in one cage and the other 3 in another. But the 3 are all bickering now!
I know it's still new, and it is a huge adjustment for all of them getting thrown in with strange pigs so quickly, and I'm hoping they will settle down, as the worst thing that can happen is they all have to go into seperate cages.
I know that Noodle is still grieving for Brody, as am I, and she hasnt seemed happy since Brody went away.
I really hoped that these new pigs would bring her a bit of friendship bak, as LP has always been so hostile. But now it seems Noodle is just as hostile as she is. I think with her it may be a mixture of grumpy old age and territory.. I would place her on her own but I just know she wouldnt be happy that way either.
Is there anything I can do to make these 3 mean piggys get on with each other and me?
I'm going to see if I can get a larger cage for them all tomorrow... but will the size make any difference?
Thanks so much,
Ri, Noodle, Hershey, Little Pig and Blak piggy....
