Post by 3piggles on Aug 16, 2012 14:19:04 GMT
Just to update the newer members, I have three pigs, two sows who were rescued from a huge herd in terrible conditions at a back yard breeder, and my neutered boar, Morty, who is a huge (over 3 pounds) lovable oaf. Of the two sows, Momo is small, fast, pushy and demanding, while Mia is bigger, slower, sweet and lovable. The three were together for a while, but Momo bullied Mia so badly, biting her hindquarters and pulling out tufts of her hair, that I finally had to separate Momo. A year of looking through the grid at Morty and Mia, and a lot of special attention from me, seemed to mellow Momo a lot. They went back in one cage this past spring, and so far, have been doing fairly well.
However, Momo still bullies Mia, even if not the the former extent. It also seems to be worse when I'm in the room doing things, but not paying attention to the pigs. I've noticed Momo bullies Mia out of all the cuddle cups and house, but doesn't use them herself. She lies at the top of the hay loft ramp, but doesn't eat the hay, etc. So I got to thinking...What if she sees herself as the monarch of all she can see, not just her cage but the whole room, and if she doesn't get the respect she feels she deserves from me, she takes it out on the only pig she can physically bully???
The last bullying incident was over a week ago. Since then I greet her first when I enter the room, calling out "where's my Momo?" I put my hand in the cage for her to sniff and accept, and give her the first treat. When I work around the room she always watches me, so now I talk to her and just tell her what I'm doing. So far, so good. Normally there would be at least an incident or two per day, and there have been no incidents since I started treating Momo as queen of the whole piggy room. I don't know that the results will last, but for people with overly dominant pigs, it might be a way to change their behavior for the better.
However, Momo still bullies Mia, even if not the the former extent. It also seems to be worse when I'm in the room doing things, but not paying attention to the pigs. I've noticed Momo bullies Mia out of all the cuddle cups and house, but doesn't use them herself. She lies at the top of the hay loft ramp, but doesn't eat the hay, etc. So I got to thinking...What if she sees herself as the monarch of all she can see, not just her cage but the whole room, and if she doesn't get the respect she feels she deserves from me, she takes it out on the only pig she can physically bully???
The last bullying incident was over a week ago. Since then I greet her first when I enter the room, calling out "where's my Momo?" I put my hand in the cage for her to sniff and accept, and give her the first treat. When I work around the room she always watches me, so now I talk to her and just tell her what I'm doing. So far, so good. Normally there would be at least an incident or two per day, and there have been no incidents since I started treating Momo as queen of the whole piggy room. I don't know that the results will last, but for people with overly dominant pigs, it might be a way to change their behavior for the better.
