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Maybe a health issue not sure...

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mccracd

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Hi, this is my first post on this foum, I've had my two piggies for just over 3 years and up to now they've been great, spoiled rotten with veggies everyday (2" carrot, 1" cucumber, lettuce and occasionally Apple and celery too) and exercised every night on the living room floor.

Only recently our bigger female cookie has been twitching when you stroke her back, I mean twitching and then biting down on the nearest thing to her, be that you finger or whatever she sees first. There are no sores on her back, no scratches or bites from Sally and no flaky skin indicating mites. Has anyone else experienced this? She eats and plays etc fine, no change in her behaviour only now I can't stroke her anywhere behind her shoulder blades without her twitching and chomping! The other pig Sally exhibits none of this behaviour at all she only purrs quietly as normal, there's been no change in feeding, exercising or socialising recently.

Edit: just to add I have had piggies in the past, all have lived to a grand old age and I've never seen this before!
 
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Difficult to say what is the cause, but I would keep off her back for the time being. However, as that is a new behaviour in a piggy you have had for some time, it may be worth seeing a vet, as a very strong reaction like that doesn't happen out of the blue. My first guess would be mites - they are not always as obvious as you may think.
 
I have seen this behaviour before and would also say mites are the most likely cause, even tho she has no flakey skin,etc. They are probably not bothering her too much until the area is touched and she has a very itchy reaction. The biting down is a reflex reaction as piggies chew as well as scratch when bothered by mites. As said above I would take her to the vets as if it is mites it *** get worse without treatment.
 
Thanks people! I'll avoid the vet and get her bathed in mite shampoo, she hates being bathed (They all do) but if it reduces the effect then I know I've done something right. It only seems to happen if I stroke against the fur I've noticed and she just purrs if I stroke normally "with the fur" so maybe it's not as big a problem as I thought.
 
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