Learning To Wheek?

[hattie.r]

My girls are happy and relaxed-they purr and lie flat out on me during laptime, chatter away to each other and popcorn whilst running laps of their cage (even at 4 in the morning!) but as of yet they don't 'wheek'. I have a routine with them and they anticipate their morning veggies by running up to the front of the cage, but there hasn't been any wheeking. Is it a learnt behaviour or will they just figure it out-do they learn to wheek? Is it a sign of not being happy? Could it be to do with the fact that their breeder only fed/interacted with them once a day whereas they get constant interaction and lots of little veggie scraps throughout the day?

 

[Wiebke]

They may or may not discover wheeking. Not every piggy is a big wheeker. Several non-wheekers of mine have eventually picked it up from their friends, so it is learned behaviour; but none of them has every been what you might call a big wheeker. They are not any less happy whether they wheek or not, so don't worry about it!

 

[Freela]

It does seem to vary between individuals, and I think it is a somewhat learned behavior. Out of my two pigs now, it's funny because Linney is very quiet while sitting on our laps, but is the one who wheeks for snacks and for playtime. Sundae 'chats' constantly when you pat her, but she only really wheeks for food when Linney is under the weather and isn't wheeking it (I guess she figures if Linney isn't doing it, someone had been get with the program!) I can also tell easily who is wheeking because they have very different voices- Linney is very shrill, whereas Sundae always seems to be slightly raspy (I think she was a chainsmoker in a former life! LOL!)

 

[theoretikos]

My boys never wheeked until they met Uno and he started wheeking for veggies. (REALLY LOUD)

 

[Jess]

Out of mine you have Rambo and Patch who are my main wheekers of the group, followed by a Lucky then Maple... And if her royal highness Pecan decides she will but not often. Rory doesn't squeak as such he makes noises like he's constantly exploring I suppose.... If that makes sense...

I also getting chattered at if I don't bring the food fast enough ( queue - Rambo, Patch and Lucky)