Twitching - Problem Or Popcorning? Young Boat

[Domwe30]

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone can advise me on behaviour I'm seeing from one of my boars...

I have 2 x approx 4/5 month old boars - Hoobly & Wotsit. Hoobly twitches a lot to the point where he goes on his side occasionally and almost kicks his back legs out. This is typically only when being nursed/petted but I have noticed it very occasionally in his pen. It's almost seizure like.

They have a lot of free roaming space and 'toys' and bomb around popcorning and making mooching noises. He eats his food, hay, freshfood etc fine and drinks plenty of water. There's no scratching / hair pulling (I was worried it could be mites?) and skins looks clear & he doesnt twitch when I've checked his ears. He never squeaks/squawks when this happens but he is the quieter one vocally (though definitely the naughty one chewing everything in sight!)

Sometimes he sits fine for cuddles & does like to stretch on his side when he yawns & chills on me. But then he suddenly goes a bit mental and its like he popcorns around but sometimes jerks and twitches quite excessively to the point where he rolls on his side slightly and continues twitching. This is getting more frequent. Wotsit sits squeaking away nestled under my chin but Hoobs just bombs all over the place throwing towels around & eating my dressing gown!

I'm getting worried...

Sorry for the long post I just thought the more detail the better. I've had pigs all my life but my last two died at 6 & 6.5 years recently so I dont know if this just baby popcorning - as its been so long since I've had young uns - or if I'm right to worry that it's odd?

Thank you for any input / advice.

 

[Domwe30]

Ermmmm...that would be boar...I dont have boats. Stupid auto correct Cant see how to change thread title

 

[Adelle]

I dont have much experience with baby guineas as mines are all adopted adults, although my youngest was 4 months when i got her. She popcorned (and still does at 11 months) ALOT, but was always when mobile i.e upright and moving forward (or in circles!). She would get the hicups often, and would get a bit nervous and jumpy as she didnt understand- now she just sits with a grumpy face on until they pass! does your baby seem unresponsive when having these episodes... If you went to touch him would he feel it and respond? Does his eyes focus and follow any points of interest around him? Does he react to any stimuli at all? If not then i would be worried about these episodes and would have him see the vet. If he is normally responsive during them then its still worth a vet trip as theres so many levels of intensity of seizures that they dont follow "typical" patterns.

Maybe post a video if you can?

Its never does any harm to have them checked when we are worried- if your anything like me, u cannot settle until u have them checked.. Even if its just to confirm what u where already thinking!

Hopefully its just a little quirk an nothing serious

 

[Domwe30]

Thanks so much Adelle, really appreciate your response.

There's no lack of responsiveness from him when it happens, it's almost like he just wants me to stop touching him - which I do! Then he tends to settle for a bit so I don't know if he's just telling me to off whilst he gets used to me! His eyes stay fine, he doesn't 'slow down' or twitch slowly - its just a lot of jerking and kicking back legs. He reacts to my touch and doesn't seem panicked (heart not racing at all) and then he carries on jumping around and investigating / nibbling at everything on me. Its more like manic fidgeting, but it's the slight roll onto his side that worries me.

You are right, I will not settle until I know he's ok and whether it's just a quirk or something that needs managing.

Thanks again, I'll update once he's seen the vet in case the outcome is useful for anyone else (I'm very lucky to have a very good vet who has piggies as pets herself so I'm sure she'll be give me some good advice).

 

[Adelle]

You are welcome! Just a thought.. One of my girls nibbles on my clothes and gets agitated when she needs a pee. But the thing that struck me when reading your post, is that my young pig kicks her legs, makes a racket and gets agitated.. When her hair is touched against the grain i.e if u run your fingers up her back instead of down it and following the hair direction. Her hair is very thick so i need to seperate and brush backwards when blow drying it and she really doesnt like it! Is he long haired?

 

[AbiS]

Are you touching his back half/bum when he does it? Most piggies don't like being touched that far back and so will kicked out as a way of telling you to get off.

 

[Gimz]

my long haired piggies don't just jerk their nose up when they have had enough of being stroked. They do this whole neck and head flick and shake thing, combined with a small body bucking movement. It's a bit like a mini popcorn or a half body fur shake like when they have an itch they can't get to. I just read this as they are getting annoyed with attention and leave them be to chill out. They soon stop then. If I continue petting them they tend to do two or three of these strange flick body shake things in succession. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with needing a wee, just wanting to be left be. My short haired piggies do the nose push up thing when they have had enough, like most other piggies.

If your piggie is only doing this in petting then I wouldn't worry, but if it is also in the cage or continuing on after you have stopped petting then I would get a vet to check them out for sure.