[Gpdd] [MISC] Hellos to Julie & Sandy

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Dear Allison, Well then, you may know all this but I will repeat for 
newcomers.  Bonding is best started in a neutral place, I have a walk-in 
shower, and I put a huge salad in the middle. The piggies should be hungry. 
There will be lots of activity; rumblestrutting, jockeying for position, 
teeth chattering,  nose and butt touching, even mild fighting, mounting etc. 
One has to become the kingpin, the other, acceptance as the second member of 
the pair.  Let them go through all this, sit very close, don't leave for a 
minute, but dont talk or distract them, they have to work through this, your 
only role is the setup and then rescue if necessary. If a real fight breaks 
out, not a skirmish, immediately throw a thick towel over them, console 
anyone who is upset. Then put them back in their cages, side by side, and 
try again, even many times, unless huge fights break out immediately every 
time.  With Sammy (who was just a tiny mote) and Manny, a great hairy 
monster in comparison, all the above happened except no real fight, the end 
was when Manny mounted Sammy ( who disappeared) for just a second,  then Sam 
went around and incredibly, mounted Manny  (a mouse on elephant moment), 
both events a millisecond with no other "activity"  After that they 
companionably turned to the salad which they had noticed before. I think 
they got the necessary parts over with quickly so they could eat. This was 
the very "easy scenario" there are middle ones, and ones that never resolve. 
If you are successful, then the happy couple must move into a suitably large 
cage, 2 need a lot more room than one, and to prevent bullying, there should 
be 2 of everything in the cage down to 2 water bottles, pigloos, food dish, 
hay piles, everything.  Lotsa luck with your pair  Sandy and Shipwreck Sam