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Unusual Behaviour After Lap Time

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HannahPiggie

HannahPiggie

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My Martin pig likes to cuddle during lap time. He is easy to handle. Over the past 6 months or so I have noticed that often when I put him back into his cage after lap time he makes movements that I have no idea how to interpret. He wiggles his body very slowly, moving his head side to side, very low down so that it almost looks like he's rubbing his nose in the bedding, with his eyes half shut. And at the same time he moves his bum side to side, often rubbing it against a tube or his house. Like I said, this usually happens after lap time, but I have seen him do it for no visible reason. His brother has never done this. Any idea what he's doing? If it helps, he is about 16 months old.
 
From what you describe it sounds very much like he is 'rumble strutting' which is a piggy's way of saying 'bog off' basically. Whether he is doing this to you or to his brother I do not know. It could be him trying to re-affirm his position with his brother quickly after lap time, so they know where they both stand. I'm no expert on behaviour.
 
"Rumble-strutting", if that is what he is doing, is a male piggie's mating dance! Does he make a churring, rumbling noise when he does it? He will rumble-strut when there is a female around. He is basically saying "Look what a handsome fellow I am"! Females do it as well when they are in season. They often popcorn at the same time. Being in season seems to make them happy! It can also be a mild dominance display.
 
Thanks for the replies. The bum wiggling is like the rumble strutting that I remember he did with his brother when they were babies. But he used to make noises when he did that. With this, he is silent while he does it. And although he and his brother have adjacent cages and sit next to each other at night with just bars in between, they are separated due to a bad fight. Would he still rumble strut on his own? Bizarre! :)
 
7squeakers. said:
"Rumble-strutting", if that is what he is doing, is a male piggie's mating dance! Does he make a churring, rumbling noise when he does it? He will rumble-strut when there is a female around. He is basically saying "Look what a handsome fellow I am"! Females do it as well when they are in season. They often popcorn at the same time. Being in season seems to make them happy! It can also be a mild dominance display.
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I take that back, as it is a form of dominance behaviour. I was having a blank moment.
 
It is also a dominance behaviour, as 7squeakers stated so please be wary.
 
Funny to watch until they start taking chunks of each other :yikes:
 
Probably because he has been away from his brother for a while, so he feels as though he needs to re-assert his dominance! My two do it sometimes!
 
Ah okay, so even though they don't share a cage, because he can smell his brother next door that makes him want to show he is top pig. I wonder if that means a reunion may not go well. I was hoping they may have grown out of their bickering & I might try reintroducing them this summer. Will let you know what happens! Thanks for the help :)
 
When does the 'teenage' stage usually end? When they were 3 months old (exactly a year ago) the humping, rumble strutting etc. developed into full on hair standing on end and lunging at each other with raised heads. That was when I dived in and separated them. At first I gave them an hour apart & then tried them back together. But within 20 mins they were lunging again. So since then they have each had their own large cage. But every night they sit right next to each other and go to sleep with just the bars in between. Saga frequently naws at he bars that separate him from Martin. But I am never sure whether that means 'I like you and want to be with you' or 'I'd like to get in there and show you who's boss' hahaha!
 
Usually just after they turn a year old. So yours should be past having hormonal strops now! I'd say it's worth trying introducing them again, but be ready to separate them incase they start fighting again. Introduce them somewhere neither have been before, and make sure they have plenty of space to get away from one another! Lots of hay and veggies help, too!
This thread helped me when I introduced my two boys :)
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
 
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