Post Ovarian Cyst Spay - Excessive Rumbling

[adavies2]

Hi all,

Made a few posts recently about my pig Honey who had a hefty ovarian cyst removed. Recovery went well, reintroduction after one day in a recovery pen (didnt know it was going to cause a potential bond to break) went well. Honey has continued to be the leader, and all was happy in the cage.
However, Honey has started excessively rumbling again, there is no fighting of spraying of urine, only mounting and rumble strutting. She seems to only target Fig, and ignores the slightly younger pig, Juniper. Fig is not dominant at all, very passive and shy.

Honey also loves to popcorn after a good rumble. I was expecting the dominant behaviour to calm down after the spay, its been 11 days since the surgery which isn't long at all.
Does anyone have advice on what i should do or if I should be concerned?
I think its annoying me more than Fig because she just doesnt give it a break, as I am writing this, she is rumbling and its midnight. Rumble rumble popcorn rumble

Thanks all for your help, I have attached a photo of Honey when she isn't being a potato shaped tyrant

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,

Made a few posts recently about my pig Honey who had a hefty ovarian cyst removed. Recovery went well, reintroduction after one day in a recovery pen (didnt know it was going to cause a potential bond to break) went well. Honey has continued to be the leader, and all was happy in the cage.
However, Honey has started excessively rumbling again, there is no fighting of spraying of urine, only mounting and rumble strutting. She seems to only target Fig, and ignores the slightly younger pig, Juniper. Fig is not dominant at all, very passive and shy.

Honey also loves to popcorn after a good rumble. I was expecting the dominant behaviour to calm down after the spay, its been 11 days since the surgery which isn't long at all.
Does anyone have advice on what i should do or if I should be concerned?
I think its annoying me more than Fig because she just doesnt give it a break, as I am writing this, she is rumbling and its midnight. Rumble rumble popcorn rumble

Thanks all for your help, I have attached a photo of Honey when she isn't being a potato shaped tyrant

Hi

Please be patient. Honey is still feeling her op, her hormones are currently in flux and her position in the group is feeling still a bit unsure to her. It sounds like a bit of a testosterone spike and it should die down within a couple a of days.

Like with seasonal mounting the piggy receiving it is the next one down in the hierarchy as the one to potentially take over from Honey.

 

[wheek!guinea]

Hi there! It sounds like Honey is feeling really energetic now that she is recovering, which is actually a good sign even if it is a bit exhausting for you and Fig. Eleven days is still pretty early after a spay, and hormones can take a few weeks to settle down. Some pigs also take a little time to re-balance their social dynamics after a separation, even a short one.

Since there is no fighting, no chasing that causes stress, and no urine spraying, the rumbling and mounting are usually just dominance behavior. If Fig is handling it without panic or aggression, it is likely to calm down on its own. Keeping an eye on them is still important, but what you are describing sounds fairly normal.

If the behavior gets more intense, or if you notice hair loss, weight loss, or real conflict, then it may be worth checking with your vet to rule out leftover hormonal activity or discomfort. Otherwise a bit of patience should do the trick

Honey looks adorable in the photo. Hard to believe a potato shaped face can cause so much drama

 

[Merab]

Hi there! It sounds like Honey is feeling really energetic now that she is recovering, which is actually a good sign even if it is a bit exhausting for you and Fig. Eleven days is still pretty early after a spay, and hormones can take a few weeks to settle down. Some pigs also take a little time to re-balance their social dynamics after a separation, even a short one.

Since there is no fighting, no chasing that causes stress, and no urine spraying, the rumbling and mounting are usually just dominance behavior. If Fig is handling it without panic or aggression, it is likely to calm down on its own. Keeping an eye on them is still important, but what you are describing sounds fairly normal.

If the behavior gets more intense, or if you notice hair loss, weight loss, or real conflict, then it may be worth checking with your vet to rule out leftover hormonal activity or discomfort. Otherwise a bit of patience should do the trick

Honey looks adorable in the photo. Hard to believe a potato shaped face can cause so much drama

You are clearly a very caring person with a deep love of piggies, but can I just give you a gentle reminder that forum policy on health advice should be checked with our Health and Illness specialists.
This is to ensure that any advice complies with UK law.

Sharing your own experience is fine and the support you offer is welcome but please be careful about giving advice. Thanks

 

[wheek!guinea]

You are clearly a very caring person with a deep love of piggies, but can I just give you a gentle reminder that forum policy on health advice should be checked with our Health and Illness specialists.
This is to ensure that any advice complies with UK law.

Sharing your own experience is fine and the support you offer is welcome but please be careful about giving advice. Thanks

Hi Merab, thank you for the gentle reminder. I appreciate you pointing it out. I only meant to share my own experience and offer support, and I understand the need to follow forum policy and rely on the Health and Illness specialists for actual advice. I am in the US, so I sometimes forget the UK rules apply, but I will be more careful going forward. Thanks again for letting me know

 

[Merab]

Hi Merab, thank you for the gentle reminder. I appreciate you pointing it out. I only meant to share my own experience and offer support, and I understand the need to follow forum policy and rely on the Health and Illness specialists for actual advice. I am in the US, so I sometimes forget the UK rules apply, but I will be more careful going forward. Thanks again for letting me know

Thank you.
Please do carry on being so caring and supportive

 

[adavies2]

I really appreciate all of your support.
Honey is still rumbling a lot, and very rarely chases and mounts both Fig and Juniper.

What ive noticed is that she is really sensitive when it comes to her back, if you touch it, she will nip you. Shes not in pain and the vet couldn't find a problem, I imagine shes thinking a pig is trying to be dominant with her.

Either way, there is no fighting or distress. Ive only seen pee spraying twice and that was when Honey was being frustratingly dominant, just constant. All are eating and sharing food and the living space, all get excited and popcorn still.

They are funny little creatures, so small yet so sassy.

 

[adavies2]

I have an update and would really appreciate some advice.

Honey was spayed on the 7th November, so its almost been a month, and the dominant behaviour has hit a new high and its giving me a lot of anxiety.
There is no fighting, no teeth chattering or any injuries, however, Honey is incredibly rumbly and is constantly chasing and trying to mount my 2 other pigs. There is a little pee spraying, and this evening I witnessed Fig and Honey rumbling at eachother (it sounded strangely cool as they were in sync with eachother).

Its been 2 weeks now of this behaviour and this evening has been the worst.
They are all still eating together, sleeping near eachother, popcorning when I get hay or salad and oinking when they have cuddles.

Should I be concerned? Or is this normal after a spay? Honey was the leader before the spay, so I imagine that tensions are high and they might have a restructure in their hierarchy?

Just want some peace and quiet lol and not have to worry about permanently separating them as I dont have the space.
Fig is a very vocal pig so sometimes it sounds like shes in distress when being chased and mounted. Again, fig is otherwise intact, healthy and eating.

Thanks for help

 

[Merab]

Sorry I can’t advise as I don’t have the knowledge but I do hold you in my thoughts
Hugs

 

[Wiebke]

I have an update and would really appreciate some advice.

Honey was spayed on the 7th November, so its almost been a month, and the dominant behaviour has hit a new high and its giving me a lot of anxiety.
There is no fighting, no teeth chattering or any injuries, however, Honey is incredibly rumbly and is constantly chasing and trying to mount my 2 other pigs. There is a little pee spraying, and this evening I witnessed Fig and Honey rumbling at eachother (it sounded strangely cool as they were in sync with eachother).

Its been 2 weeks now of this behaviour and this evening has been the worst.
They are all still eating together, sleeping near eachother, popcorning when I get hay or salad and oinking when they have cuddles.

Should I be concerned? Or is this normal after a spay? Honey was the leader before the spay, so I imagine that tensions are high and they might have a restructure in their hierarchy?

Just want some peace and quiet lol and not have to worry about permanently separating them as I dont have the space.
Fig is a very vocal pig so sometimes it sounds like shes in distress when being chased and mounted. Again, fig is otherwise intact, healthy and eating.

Thanks for help

Hi

My 'Two Fat Ladies', Big Iola and Hafren were both fairly dominant spayed widows when they - somewhat surprisingly - bonded over a joined outlook to life but they had a very rumbly relationship with both of them doing the rumbling and the occasional peeing and mounting at the other.
Leadership between them seemed constantly go from one to the other but it was all good natured and they truly were best of friends and partners in crime when it came to breaking into any hay or pellet bags... Hafren was devastated when Iola passed away.

Please don't worry. Rumbly spayed sows are not quite common but they happen occasionally. The other sows will pick up on it when they have a stronger season but it is not going to destabilise the bond.


They have food and we haven't! - Iola (ca. 2011/12-2018) and Hafren (2011-2019)

I hope that this helps you?

 

[adavies2]

Thank you so much for sharing that, I love the picture, they are forever beautiful.
They seem to have calmed somewhat, Honey managed to mount Fig and then did it another 6/7 times, and with each successful mount Fig would give in quicker and quicker.

I think they are probably just establishing a new hierarchy post-surgery. Honey is formidable, proving you dont need ovaries to be top pig.

A blurry image but the best I can get of the elusive Fig and potato tyrant Honey.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for sharing that, I love the picture, they are forever beautiful.
They seem to have calmed somewhat, Honey managed to mount Fig and then did it another 6/7 times, and with each successful mount Fig would give in quicker and quicker.

I think they are probably just establishing a new hierarchy post-surgery. Honey is formidable, proving you dont need ovaries to be top pig.

A blurry image but the best I can get of the elusive Fig and potato tyrant Honey.

It sounds rather like a hierarchy sort-out/dominance thing to me. Please don't worry. Once Honey is feeling secure and fine in herself, things should calm down again to a good degree.

Iola and Hafren were very evenly matched but they seemed to rather enjoy their mutual rumbling sessions, which they kept going the whole time they were together as a sow pair. I saw them once or twice even go as far as adding a little lady-like popcorn at the end of a rumbling bout.

 

[adavies2]

It sounds rather like a hierarchy sort-out/dominance thing to me. Please don't worry. Once Honey is feeling secure and fine in herself, things should calm down again to a good degree.

Iola and Hafren were very evenly matched but they seemed to rather enjoy their mutual rumbling sessions, which they kept going the whole time they were together as a sow pair. I saw them once or twice even go as far as adding a little lady-like popcorn at the end of a rumbling bout.
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Thats amazing haha Honey does really menacing popcorns after a good rumble. Its very vare to see Juniper or Fig rumble. Fig (the black abyssinian) is very talkative and shy, so when she rumbles its a sight to see. Honey rumbles like its going out of fashion haha

Thank you for sharing sweet pictures of lola and Hafren. They look like sweet and happy pigs. I have included some photos of my pigs

 

[Wiebke]

You have some very beautiful girls.

Instead of worrying, try to enjoy their antics. They are not in any danger of falling out.

 

[adavies2]

You have some very beautiful girls.

Instead of worrying, try to enjoy their antics. They are not in any danger of falling out.

Thank you! They are the most beautiful little piggies and I love them so much.
I'm an anxious dad haha finding this forum has been a wonderful for me. Any pig anxiety is usually calmed by the friendly people on here