Can anyone shed some light?

[jenniferatra]

I am really upset and worried about little Seti. On Thursday I gave him a bath (which was long overdue) and I was so gentle and careful with them, during both washing and drying.

Anyway it is now Sunday and he is still acting so differently. He will not kiss, or shake hands, eat treats from me or accept any fresh veggies from me, even when I bought his absolute fave broccoli and braeburn apples.

He scented my T-Shirt the other day, not sure if this was a signal of dominance, upset or what and he went to the loo on me too, he has never done that. When I pick him up he sort of 'screams', he won't sit, won't be hugged nothing if it involves me.

I don't know If he no longer trusts me or what. I am so upset as he is my treasure, I love him and it pains me to be rejected by him.

Please offer any advice, is this long term? What can I do to coerce him? What have I done wrong? Why did he scent me? etc

Thank you so much for reading this.

Jenny

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Hi Jenny, I am sorry you are so worried about Seti.

Is he eating anything on his own? Is he behaving normally and just reacting like this when someone is close by, or is he acting very oddly all the time?

 

[jenniferatra]

He is eating hay and nuggets and he is drinking fine, it is only when I 'interfere' or offer anything to him. I live alone so I don't know if it is just me or other humans too. He is staying in his house more than normal, but his toilet functions are fine and he seems happy when left to his own devices.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Ok, I have an idea now of what you mean. Is he acting this way when you are standing/moving around nearby, or only when you handle him?

I wouldn't expect a pig to react this way after being bathed, it can normally be attributed to something else e.g. a skin condition, but then bathing usually soothes rather than aggravate anything like that! I've certainly not come across such a reaction before.

 

[Angeladeedah]

That is quite strange - I seem to grow a stronger bond with my girls after a bath. Daisy, particularly, is friendler and will let me touch her more.

 

[loulx]

Hmmm... Well if I take the assumption that there's nothing physically wrong with him then here's what I think -

My mum's boy Starbuck is a lovely gentle cuddly man, or at least he was until he started getting impacted. As she has to (gently) clean him and make sure he is healthy in 'that area' all lot of the time, he has come to see her as less of a comforter these days. Whenever we get him out he screams even though we're being extra careful but as soon as we're out of the environment where he gets de-impacted he's absolutely fine again... It sounds a bit like what you're going through...

If you're piggy is physically fit and healthy then it might be just a case of re-bonding with him... when I had to force-syringe feed Porthos when he was a baby he mistrusted me for a good couple of months until he stopped associating me with bringing bad medicine.

I don't know why your boy would have been so frightened if it all went fine when you bathed him, but as upsetting as it is to have to re-build the trust, it is completely achieveable and you already have a foundation to work on. Be patient with him and he'll come around. Don't think of it as rejection... sounds like he's scared but he's not sure what he's scared of so work with it like you would a really timid pig and he'll remember that his mummy loves him.

ps... what did you bath him with? If you used a product and it was scented maybe he really didn't like the smell?

 

[jenniferatra]

With Seti he has always been very gentle and timid, he only reacts when I go to ick him up or feed him from my hands.

I have checked his skin and nails and he has no illness that I can spot at all, he is not itching and is eating and drinking fine.

I washed him with baby shampoo, which isnt heavily scented, but maybe he doesn't like it. I will keep hugging him, getting him out and acting 'normal' with him until he comes round.

Thanks

Jenny

 

[jenniferatra]

Just to let you all know that I seem to be winning Seti around. He is still not being 'normal' with me, but he allowing me to handle him again and give him treats and of course his advent calendar!

I think it was maybe a trust issue as recently I have bathed him, cut his nails and cleaned his rectum of smegma, maybe he thought of me as annoying or a threat!