Alpha Pig Personality Clashes With Humans...

[Tewdric]

My OH is having a problem with one of my boys. Telford is the dominant pig in my current pair (Brunel being my younger pig he chose as a friend when he went boar dating). However whilst Telford will happily visit me, come when he's called, chatter away to me, eat out of my hands etc. normal pig behaviour, he rumble struts at my OH and won't take any food from him. Even when offered the ultimate bribe of parsley he won't take if from my husband, even through the bars of the hutch or run, and will wait for him to move away before he'll eat it.

Young Brunel on the other hand really isn't fussy, and will happily take treats from both of us.....

This happened with my previous pair too. Mycroft (the alpha pig RIP.) would rumble away at my hubby and for years wouldn't take any treats from him..... It was only in his last year that he eventually decided to take treats from him and stop rumbling at him whenever he went past or sat by the run when they were out on the lawn.

Has anyone else had pigs that have behaved like this?

 

[sport_billy]

I have never heard of this at all @Wiebke any ideas?

 

[Chief Guinea Pig]

Piggies know who their mummy is, clearly!
I hope your Telford will start to like your OH, I'm sure he feels a little rejected by him.

 

[Wiebke]

Some guinea pigs can have very pronounced preferences in which humans they like.

 

[Tewdric]

Piggies know who their mummy is, clearly!
I hope your Telford will start to like your OH, I'm sure he feels a little rejected by him.

I'm sure/hope Telford will come round to him eventually. At least there's no teeth chattering going on!

Just wondered if it was a 'boy' thing having had two pairs where this has happened now. I've had four pairs of males since I've been with the OH. There was nothing like this with the first two pairings.....

 

[Goth Mummy]

Wow, thats interesting but I have never heard of such a thing! Mine only wheek for me though, they dont wheek for my husband or the kids.

 

[piggyme234]

My Nico (RIP) loved my husband, he would squeak for him and take food from him but he would always hide from me and was always quiet. I think it was because I was the nasty human with the nail clippers and bum wipes. Charlotte on the other hand is a lovely people pig, but she is a mummys girl. She will never pee on me unless she really has to go but she will pee on my husband without a second thought.