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Post by jolovespiggies on Jul 31, 2015 18:47:08 GMT
It is amazing CH how many poos they do, we have always said on here that if we had £20 for every poo passed, we would all be very rich indeed LOL!!
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 31, 2015 20:25:55 GMT
If poos were pennies, lol I really need a garden I can fertilize with poos He'll go nuts once he's in with Lacy, but she'll put him in his place. There should be a lot of chasing and wheeking, but it does settle down after a while. I'm glad he finally got his neuter, and can get a sowfriend in a few weeks Welding gauntlets should do the job. Most people don't have them, and do have dustpans
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 1, 2015 1:32:15 GMT
Tonight's bonding session. Most interest seemed to be in the hay for the first 10 minutes. I did start recording around the 20 minute mark on my phone (still don't know how to make my webcam work properly for recording). Everything seemed to go much smoother than the first session, there was absolutely NO chattering and only some light rumble strutting from Rocky. Hard to hear the pigs but I hope my narration makes things understandable about what the pigs were doing. I'm reviewing it for upload to youtube. Please forgive the poor quality and my narration, I'm very stream of thought and a mechanic not an orator. My A/c unit is also very loud. As for space requirements...Well I own a 3 bedroom house. If one bedroom is going to be entirely for pigs nobody can say anything . I also apologize if it's a bit boring but if someone experienced would mind watching it to the end and letting me know if things are going well I would really appreciate it. As for my grunts and groans, I'm a diesel mechanic, and before that I was a butcher. My back and joints are pretty well boogered at this point. Right now Fred is running about his cage, squeeking happily, and has just laid down in a corner (he's OK just pooped out). Rocky is out and squeeking. Link to bonding video.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 1, 2015 17:25:43 GMT
Sorry love, it says "This video is private" It wouldn't let me see it.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Aug 2, 2015 7:32:03 GMT
Yes, I get the same massage about it being private so I think you need to change the settings to public before we can give you feedback on your grunts and groans!
It all sounds pretty positive though which is great news!
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 2, 2015 13:16:34 GMT
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 2, 2015 13:51:43 GMT
I had no trouble accessing the first link, but the second one says "No Video." I only watched the first 9 minutes of the video, but the bonding session looks fabulous. Not only was there a lot of give and take in the interactions, no obvious dominant pig bullying the other, but they worked together with the pigloos, both in one for a moment, without problems, inspecting the excellent flipping technique, etc. Neither pigloo has a back door, yet there was no attempt to trap one inside to be bullied, or any negative reactions I could see. If the rest of the video went that well, it was an excellent bonding session! Well done
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 2, 2015 15:54:14 GMT
I did another bonding session this morning. They both seemed to get along even better this time. I'm convinced Rocky is going to end up the Alpha, but at this rate I should be able to move them in together in short order.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 2, 2015 18:36:41 GMT
Sorry love, it is also telling me that there are no videos.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 3, 2015 15:51:34 GMT
Once they have succeeded in the first bonding session, you should put them together. While they are bonding, clean all the scent out of the cage(s) you're going to use, fresh bedding, rearrange items, etc., then put them together. If you don't, the bonding starts over again each time. That video showed two pigs getting along fabulously. The next step in to put them in the cage, and let them work out the details there. Once that is done, don't part them again, or you have to start all over again. I think they're going to do great together, especially if they have enough space
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 3, 2015 16:54:36 GMT
Once they have succeeded in the first bonding session, you should put them together. While they are bonding, clean all the scent out of the cage(s) you're going to use, fresh bedding, rearrange items, etc., then put them together. If you don't, the bonding starts over again each time. That video showed two pigs getting along fabulously. The next step in to put them in the cage, and let them work out the details there. Once that is done, don't part them again, or you have to start all over again. I think they're going to do great together, especially if they have enough space That is great news, it means I can build an even larger pig habitat! As far as cage cleanings go if I put both of them into a side cage at the same time while I clean the main habitat, will they have to bond all over again? Or will they remember each other for the minute or two it'd take to transfer them to a holding pen while their main is being cleaned? Edit: So I went and built a new pig habitat out of cube and cloroplast with 2x4s for the base. It's about 9x2.75' so approaching 25 sq ft. I put the pigs in a clean bonding pen while I was working on it and let them reacquaint from being in separate cages overnight (I didn't have a place for Rocky besides the quarantine cage). Once I had the cage assembled I put in completely clean bedding, washed the pigloos, changed the food out of the dishes, put in fresh hay, scattered pigloos and toys around. I then transferred the pigs one after another into the new cage. They mostly seem to be getting along and after some rumblestrutting, bum sniffing, tail chasing, and much investigation it appears both pigs have decided to lay down for a nap. Pictures!
I will also be uploading a short (~30 seconds) video of some behavior from Rocky I'm not sure on. He's making a high pitched wheek, charging about the cage AWAY from Fred and tossing his hair about. Is this normal, aggressive, dominant, or simply "Lemme alone!"?
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 4, 2015 16:01:26 GMT
Also, Rocky has become very strong smelling the past few days. He didn't smell much when I adopted him, it seems to have come on after I started bonding him and Fred.
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Post by Bean on Aug 4, 2015 17:45:15 GMT
Boars do have rather a distinctive scent when they're marking territory or sorting out dominance, so I think that's to be expected. When they're rumble strutting they sort of (sorry, gross...) open their bottoms a bit where there are scent glands - you'll sometimes see them sort of wipe their bums on the ground after. It really does honk if you're close! I expect as they sort out who's in charge, that'll die down. And they look great together, they really do - you've done a fantastic job with the intros and are giving them the space they need and will love. Will keep everything crossed that continues!
Just saw the video link - those are happy pigs! The running around in a sort of galloping motion shows a pig who is just enjoying being where he is and exploring - there's nothing at all to worry about there!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 4, 2015 20:10:02 GMT
Great cage and happy pigs. Bean is right in with the scent marking. It can get pretty gross! They only need to rebond if they've been separated from each other. I always take my whole herd to the vet or to do nails, etc., so they smell the same and don't pester the poor pig that was separated.
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 4, 2015 20:34:46 GMT
Can I pet them one at a time as long as I stay in the same room? Or do I need to pull both out at once? Something of a challenge because Rocky doesn't mind being picked up but he's definitely a scout piggy, whereas Fred is really squirmy until he's in my lap. I can't even imagine trying to have both out at the same time to do cleanings/nail clippings, it's hard enough to hold onto one pig at a time doing that!
Edit: I took a shipping box from Amazon and cut 4 entrances in it offset from each other, one in each side. Guess which item has become the most popular thing in the cage.
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Post by Bean on Aug 5, 2015 11:38:10 GMT
I can certainly guess! Cardboard boxes are always the biggest hit here too and if you can get one the right size to have numerous doorways, they're in heaven! Sometimes I keep the boxes the right way up, cutting a couple of access points, and fill them with hay and some forage from the garden (the buns love this too) and it keeps them busy for yonks - hooray for cardboard!
I can't see there'd be a problem with petting one at a time. Just try it and see how it goes, but especially if you're staying near the cage and get one out and then the other (so they both have a similar change in scent after being somewhere slightly different) I can't see it causing a fuss. And certainly once they're settled with each other, I wouldn't expect it to cause a problem. Mine only get bothered if once gets returned clearly smelling of a vegetable they haven't been given - they wait to be picked up for their turn, getting agitated if it doesn't happen right away!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 5, 2015 14:17:53 GMT
You only need to take them all together, if they are going someplace where their scent will be changed, vet, bath, etc. You and the room where they live are familiar scents, so part of their shared environment. If you want to take them both out, or even have an easier time taking out of the cage, try using a conveyance of some kind, a cuddle cup, cardboard box, basket, etc. Often it's having hands coming at them that scares them, as that's how predators would approach them. Just letting them get in the conveyance on their own, or gently herding them that way with your hand, can make a lot of difference to them.
Cardboard boxes and paper bags are proven winners, especially cardboard boxes. I even use some smaller cardboard boxes with pads inside, as beds for them.
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Post by cogearhead on Aug 6, 2015 0:20:59 GMT
That's good to know, pretty much everything that gets done to them (lap time, nail trimmings, boar cleanings, etc) gets done in the room their cage is in. Now it's just a matter of time until they settle down and become good friends, they tolerate each other at the moment but I've yet to see any aggression, even during feeding time. Thank you all so much for the advice!
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Post by Bean on Aug 6, 2015 8:48:29 GMT
You might find boar cleanings are not needed if they're on fleece. Hope so as they're not pleasant for anyone!
That's fantastic that you've not seen any aggression at all, so pleased for you and hope it continues.
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 6, 2015 19:58:51 GMT
Definitely keeping all digits crossed for them to continue to get along so well
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