[Gpdd] Care--I think my piggie is menopausal!

[Debbieganley]

Potter was the queen-pin of our house for 2 years, an only pig & very happy about it.  Then I brought Molly home from Humane in May & thought we'd have problems with Potter adjusting to a friend & room-mate.  She did fine.  Molly's babies were born on 8/2/04 & I thought Potter would have a fit about all the extra company in "her" house--nope, she was also fine.

Lately, however, Potter has gotten snitty--bites me, chews on my shirt whenever I pick her up  & chases Molly & Emma (our remaining baby--the other 3 have new homes) around the house (big enough--a 2x4 C&C)--I've had to seperate her from the other girls & house her in our travel pen overnight, since I can't trust her to behave herself overnight.  I had the vet check her out--her teeth, ears & tummy are fine--Dr Hughes said she may just not be  growing old gracefully.  Potter is probably about 4 years old now--hard to tell, since she was a rescue pig, so she could be older.  

I'm in the process of ordering another C&C house from cavy cages for Potter--I hate to seperate her from the other girls, other than floor time (they seem to get along ok on neutral territory) but this seems to be the only option--Potter seems to be happier when she's living alone, & Molly & Emma certainly are happier when Potter isn't chasing them & chattering.    

Has anyone else had this problem with older pigs?  We had the problem of housing 2 females together when we had gerbils--they lived together fine for 2 years, then one tried to kill the  other all of a sudden, so we had to seperate them.  Ryann & Lexie lived to be gerbil-old-age (3 1/2 years each) when housed alone.    

Thanks!  Deb, Potter, Molly & Emma