Interesting behavior by one piggy when the other is out of the cage for lap time...

[h.h.lovecraft]

So I have a pair of 10 week old sisters, Hexi and Witchfinder. Witchfinder is most certainly the dominant piggy, as she is always rumblestrutting everywhere and Hexi seems to back down first whenever there is a confrontation.

Recently, whenever I get Hexi out of the cage, Witchfinder starts to squeak. It ranges from softer inquisitive squeaks, to very loud squeaks and it does stop when I put Hexi back. Witchfinder sometimes even starts to zoom around the cage while squeaking or bite the cage bars and generally seems very "excited." Hexi also seems to get excited by the squeaking. She was never a big lap piggy, but she especially doesn't sit still when Witchfinder is doing her thing. I know it's not a cage problem though as Witchfinder will also behave like this in their massive run. Plus I don't hold Hexi far from the cage to begin with so I'm sure Witchfinder can still sense she is present to a degree. I will sometimes hold Hexi up to the side of the cage as a "look your sister is still here" in case she is looking for her as I know that can be the case, but Witchfinder usually just rumbles at her from the other side of the cage and bites the bars.

I could understand this more if they were obviously really close and loved being together, but they don't. Witchfinder always forces Hexi out of hideys, she rumblestruts at her all the time, and they will fight and lunge (but not bite) at each other at stressors like being in their carrier to go to the vet or if they get very spooked and run into the same hidey. With all of that said, they do seem to tolerate each other most of the time and it never escalates to anything horrible. I am not concerned about their bond so far given everything I have read about dominance behavior on here.

If I had to guess and put my human emotions on it based on how they act, Witchfinder would be saying "HEY HEY BRING MY SISTER BACK SO I CAN BULLY HER MORE!" or "HEY HEY WHAT IS HEXI GETTING THAT I AM NOT CURRENTLY GETTING I SHOULD GET IT FIRST!" but maybe I'm being too cynical

Witchfinder loves lap time and Hexi will not squeak when Witchfinder is out, so it's definitely only a Witchfinder behavior. Would love to hear what everyone has to say. Thanks!

 

[weepweeps]

Hello I have two boars. Percy is the boss and Pepper is the under pig (at the moment). Sometimes when I have had to get Pepper out first Percy will do the loud squeaking. He’s not usually a vocal piggy. So this is very unusual for him. I get the same feeling as you that he is shouting “hey I’m the boss handle me first”. But I could be wrong.

It doesn’t happen often though as I always handle the boss first.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I think there is a protocol that you should actually handle the top pig first, I’m sure I’ve read it somewhere, particularly with boars. So you give food, handle and put back into cage first the dominant piggie first.

 

[weepweeps]

Yes. There is a protocol of handling the boss first. It’s just if Pepper needed to have medication. Then I wouldn’t need to get Percy out. They are funny characters aren’t they?

 

[h.h.lovecraft]

I think there is a protocol that you should actually handle the top pig first, I’m sure I’ve read it somewhere, particularly with boars. So you give food, handle and put back into cage first the dominant piggie first.

Interesting! I just had to get both of them out for meds and a treat. I took out dominant piggy, Witchfinder, first and Hexi second. Witchfinder didn't immediately start to squeak, but she did start in the middle of giving Hexi her stuff. I managed to quiet her with an extra pellet, but she still started doing it even though I got her out first.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Interesting! I just had to get both of them out for meds and a treat. I took out dominant piggy, Witchfinder, first and Hexi second. Witchfinder didn't immediately start to squeak, but she did start in the middle of giving Hexi her stuff. I managed to quiet her with an extra pellet, but she still started doing it even though I got her out first.

They are funny aren’t they, quite complicated little characters to read. My two boars used to vie for attention, they where quite well matched so we never really knew who was the boss, one was a bit of a humper and the other stole food and was quite greedy but they got on like a house in fire and accepted each other’s differences really well

 

[Siikibam]

I wouldn’t take out just the one if she’s looking for her. Perhaps Witchfinder could sit on the sofa. Or they both could. Just because she chases her out of hides and nips at her doesn’t mean they aren’t close. We have to be careful not to put our human expectations on them. My boys are well bonded but haven’t shared a hide very often - maybe once or twice when they were scared. They’ve rarely fallen asleep next to each other in the hay tray. But they get on and I do think the top pig misses underpig when he’s not there. But I don’t separate them for long anyway. If I took one out for lap time, they’d both come out.

I also think if Hexi isn’t a lap pig and doesn’t seem to enjoy cuddles then don’t have them. By your side on the sofa is good too