Can piggies who have spent life as a single pig have problems communicating?

[AudioHeart]

Random question of the day.

I’ve noticed over the past few months of owning percy that hes desperate for friends but doesn’t quite get saying “helloâ€. Hes good with communicating to piggies (Harvey, Artie, the herd) when they’re in their hutches wheeking at one another (although he does teeth chatter quietly), but as soon as i put him in a run next to other piggies (even girlies) he starts teeth chattering very loudly....then popcorns.

Then Harvey, Artie/ herd eventually back off and settle down away from Percy, who then will run up and down the length of the adjoining runs trying to get their attention. Today after unsuccessfully trying to get Arties attention he flopped into his cosie looking so miserable with himself it made me so sad to see. Is there anything i can do to help him?

Harveys been a saint before Percy went for his neuter op. He would sit beside the run, and chatter/wheek happily away to Percy. Percy would look very relaxed next to Harvey, munching grass but teeth chattering loudly. ?/ When Harvey and Arite teeth chatter at one another, they nose off at the same time, or rumble strut, start showing signs of dominance behaviour. But Percys teeth chattering is different, he'll be laying down/ popcorning/ running around whilst hes chattering which is bizarre too see. He also teeth chatters when i bring out the veggie bag.

Hes such an intelligent piggie and i know he’ll love having a friend I'm just really worried that his communication problems will stop him having a friend for life.

Can pigs have problems with communicating with one another? Has any rescues/ people on here had the same problem too?

Is there anything i can do to help?

 

[flips]

We've had a few piggies that have come into rescue (Crawley) that have been alone or lived with a bunny, and as a result don't seem to know how to talk 'piggy'. I am fostering Biddy just now, and she came in after living with a rabbit in a budgie cage.
She became very animated at the sound of piggies and then being able to see them, but when I attempted a bonding with another female piggy, she just didn't know what she was supposed to do and it was unsuccessful (a full on launched attack from both sides was halted by the intervention of a plastic dustpan). So, I brought her home so that she could spend some time side by side with my piggies and hopefully pick up some piggy language. It seems to be helping and their is lots of friendly noseys through the bars now; and she's had lap time alongside my neutered boar, Joe, who in a very ungentlemanly manner, climbed over her so he could nick her parsley. rolleyes

The teeth chattering is something I've noticed with piggies who haven't had much interaction with people as much as piggies. Pootle also lived with a rabbit before coming into rescue and after he'd been here a few days, he started chattering when I brought food in. One of my new foster girls has started chattering at dinnertime too (they were unwanted/ ignored pets). I'm not sure whether it's just an anxious excitement? They want to rush up like the others but are still wary of me?

Pootle has been neutered now so will see how bonding goes with him soon. I hope he finds a lady he likes who will forgive him a few piggy faux pas.

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

Ive been wondering this about Bilbo. He does the chatter/popcorn thing to! Even when i put him with girlies he doesnt seem to know how to behave and comes to me. I hardly ever hear him week. He never weeks and my others only me wen hes wrapped up in bed with me (lol). Even when i tried to pair him with another boy again he didnt seem to know what to do while david was rumblestrutting like mad. Ive seen him rumblestrut at Terry a few times but he makes no noise he just struts! from what i know about him he was with a family with children who got bored of him and he was passed onto someone else who was scared of him (??) and gave him no attention apart from feeding him.

i'm considering getting him a baby boy to pair him with. he is a lovely boy. I'm gonna speak to the vet first tho with his heart problems I'm wondering if trying to pair him will stress him to much.

 

[Wiebke]

My only totally unsuccessful bonding was with a girl that used to live with a rabbit in a very small hutch. Unfortunately, the unspecialised rescue didn't inform me of that choice tidbit until I had come all the way (over an hour's drive) to pick her up.

Sadly, Olwen didn't know what to do when confronted with piggies and ended up attacking Dizzy within a couple of minites meeting her. In the end, I had to give her back to the rescue, who at least had found a piggy savvy person in the village to take her on.

If a piggy was separated very young and then has lived on its own or with a rabbit, behavioural problems can result - they have had no chance to learn how to socialise properly.

 

[flips]

Just wanted to add that Biddy has stopped some of the rabbit behaviour she was showing when she first came here. She spent the first 2 days digging up the fleece in the corners, scrabbling in the way a rabbit does. Then, I came in the next day to find that she had carefully torn pieces of newspaper from under the fleece and placed them in her bed to make a nest. She doesn't do that anymore and is behaving much more like a piggy so definitely progress.

Biddy would like to say hallooo to Percy-Roo.

 

[Christina]

Oreo was by herself from the age of 3 months until recently. I think after meeting Bugs things turned arond for her. I really think she thought she was a baby.

 

[AudioHeart]

We've had a few piggies that have come into rescue (Crawley) that have been alone or lived with a bunny, and as a result don't seem to know how to talk 'piggy'. I am fostering Biddy just now, and she came in after living with a rabbit in a budgie cage.
She became very animated at the sound of piggies and then being able to see them, but when I attempted a bonding with another female piggy, she just didn't know what she was supposed to do and it was unsuccessful (a full on launched attack from both sides was halted by the intervention of a plastic dustpan). So, I brought her home so that she could spend some time side by side with my piggies and hopefully pick up some piggy language. It seems to be helping and their is lots of friendly noseys through the bars now; and she's had lap time alongside my neutered boar, Joe, who in a very ungentlemanly manner, climbed over her so he could nick her parsley. rolleyes

The teeth chattering is something I've noticed with piggies who haven't had much interaction with people as much as piggies. Pootle also lived with a rabbit before coming into rescue and after he'd been here a few days, he started chattering when I brought food in. One of my new foster girls has started chattering at dinnertime too (they were unwanted/ ignored pets). I'm not sure whether it's just an anxious excitement? They want to rush up like the others but are still wary of me?
Pootle has been neutered now so will see how bonding goes with him soon. I hope he finds a lady he likes who will forgive him a few piggy faux pas.

Awwww Biddy poor baby, living in a budgie cage with a bun (how did they fit in?) its awful people keeping them in small cages i guess though if your not educated in animal walefare and wellbeing..hmmm.....Percy grew up in a hamster cage. Poor baby. : (
Percy was okay with the boys for the first few hours of bonding, but then he just attacked when the boys were laying down in hindsight i think he was a mixture of nervous, excited and unsure what the boys were!
I’ll keep him side by side in the run with the girls, he seems much more ‘hyper’ and teeth chattery with my boys whereas with the girls i have noticed him curled up pressed against the mesh with maise on the other side copying Percy. Thank you : )I’m glad Biddy is improving, its lovely to hear that after a long time on their own they can learn piggie talk again.
I think it anxious excitetness, well thats what I'm getting from Percy anyways! Hes so excited by wary at the same time. I think the best approach I'm going to have with Percy is taking it slowly, its been one life changing year for him and i think it might be best if i take it slowly now hes settled.
I hope Pootle finds the perfect match for him, and let me know how it goes too!

Ive been wondering this about Bilbo. He does the chatter/popcorn thing to! Even when i put him with girlies he doesnt seem to know how to behave and comes to me. I hardly ever hear him week. He never weeks and my others only me wen hes wrapped up in bed with me (lol). Even when i tried to pair him with another boy again he didnt seem to know what to do while david was rumblestrutting like mad. Ive seen him rumblestrut at Terry a few times but he makes no noise he just struts! from what i know about him he was with a family with children who got bored of him and he was passed onto someone else who was scared of him (??) and gave him no attention apart from feeding him.

i'm considering getting him a baby boy to pair him with. he is a lovely boy. I'm gonna speak to the vet first tho with his heart problems I'm wondering if trying to pair him will stress him to much.

Oh! Bilbo, i hope you find the best solution for him, perhaps he could spend so time living next to your other two boys so he can still chat and hear them? It’s such a difficult time, well I’m finding, as I see my other two boys playing and cuddling up and I want that for Percy too!

My only totally unsuccessful bonding was with a girl that used to live with a rabbit in a very small hutch. Unfortunately, the unspecialised rescue didn't inform me of that choice tidbit until I had come all the way (over an hour's drive) to pick her up.

Sadly, Olwen didn't know what to do when confronted with piggies and ended up attacking Dizzy within a couple of minites meeting her. In the end, I had to give her back to the rescue, who at least had found a piggy savvy person in the village to take her on.

If a piggy was separated very young and then has lived on its own or with a rabbit, behavioural problems can result - they have had no chance to learn how to socialise properly.

Oh Wiebke! I’m so sorry to hear about Olwen : ( There seems to be a lot of piggies out there who’ve lived on their own or with a rabbit. Its sad to hear really.
I think we’re going to have to start from the beginning with Percy and take little steps at a time.

Just wanted to add that Biddy has stopped some of the rabbit behaviour she was showing when she first came here. She spent the first 2 days digging up the fleece in the corners, scrabbling in the way a rabbit does. Then, I came in the next day to find that she had carefully torn pieces of newspaper from under the fleece and placed them in her bed to make a nest. She doesn't do that anymore and is behaving much more like a piggy so definitely progress.

Biddy would like to say hallooo to Percy-Roo.

Oh! I never realised they could mimic (well i do know) rabbit behaviour, I’m so pleased beautiful Biddy has become more pig like! It most be wonderful to see the change in her.
I’ve been rewarding percy today with parsley whenever he greets nicely! Whether it be a wheek or no wheek at all, so any nice behaviour means parsley! mmm

Oreo was by herself from the age of 3 months until recently. I think after meeting Bugs things turned arond for her. I really think she thought she was a baby.

Ahhhh I’m glad Oreo has a happy ending, she must be loving life now she has Bugs and you! 