Very skittish herd boss

[WheekHearted]

My 4 sows have lived together peacefully for a few months now. They are fine with each other but the most dominant pig is by far my most skittish.

The other 3 really enjoy being held. But the boss well she is very resistant and will cry loudly when being held.

I have been bribing her with treats and now she runs up to take them from my hand. Progress but what is my next step now that we’ve established food?

My 4:

 

[Piggies&buns]

Will she let you give her a quick head stroke while she is in the cage?
Its important to also bear in mind that taking food from your hand may be as far as it goes so definitely take your time with her!

 

[dhill_cb7]

Right there with you mate. My two boys are extremely skittish. However, I click my mouth and the boys know foods a coming.

Try hand feeding longer foods. I can rub their bridge on their nose if they are eating cilantro, lettuce, dill or celery. However, beyond that my boys dislike and stroking, petting, leaving the cage or even lap time infortunately.

Good luck and hope you can progress but your boss sow may never be like your other 3.

 

[WheekHearted]

It’s interesting to me because the lower ranked three will allow me to do that. To pat or gently stroke their head and neck.

If it helps here’s the order of my rank

Galadriel (white)
Arwen (brown)
Eowyn (black) and Tauriel (reddish brown)

I have trouble figuring out the rank of the last 2. I just know neither of them raise their head up at Galadriel and when they do that with Arwen they both end up dropping their head to her.

Arwen and Galadriel are sisters I shopped and didn’t adopt them Shane of me but eowyn and Tauriel both are adopted. Those two are by far the sweetest toward me.

Important opinions here - there is a 5th baby highly energetic and healthy that I’m considering seeing about adopting. Adding her to my herd. She’s a few months old and all my girls are around the 1 year Mark.

 

[Piggies&buns]

It’s about their characters so she may always be more skittish.

Regarding the 5th baby, all you can do is try to bond them and see what happens but have a back up plan for living arrangements and a new companion/splitting your herd so nobody is alone, if things don’t work out

 

[WheekHearted]

Eowyn has chased and mounted Taurial earlier today and she just squeaked at her in submission so I think that rank has been solved for me.

Eowyn is 3rd rank