What does the butt and noise making mean?

[luv2care1987]

So I have a really weird question for you all. What does it mean when one of my sows keeps shaking her bottom while making a purring-like noise? Millie has been doing this since the day we bought her. She was in season and still continues with this behavior. She gets along with my other two sows now that they have gotten older but this behavior seems weird since my other two do not do this. She is eating great and plays with her sisters but I'm not sure what she is trying to say with the bottom shaking and purring-like noise. Millie is my all grey piggy in my photo below. Does anyone else have a sow that shows this type of behavior? If so, what does it mean? Should I be concerned and take her to the vet?

 

[Betsy]

It is called rumblestrutting and is mild dominance behaviour. Christian does it all the time. Dennis not so much. Have not seen my girlies do it though but that's probably cos Christian does his sexy bum wiggle enough for all 5 of them anyway!

 

[Reenie]

It's funny how some of them do this more than others. @Betsy is right, it's rumblestrutting. Boys do it most, but so do some girls. My Chicco seldom walks straight lol.

 

[Wiebke]

So I have a really weird question for you all. What does it mean when one of my sows keeps shaking her bottom while making a purring-like noise? Millie has been doing this since the day we bought her. She was in season and still continues with this behavior. She gets along with my other two sows now that they have gotten older but this behavior seems weird since my other two do not do this. She is eating great and plays with her sisters but I'm not sure what she is trying to say with the bottom shaking and purring-like noise. Millie is my all grey piggy in my photo below. Does anyone else have a sow that shows this type of behavior? If so, what does it mean? Should I be concerned and take her to the vet?View attachment 89111

Rumblestrutting is mild dominance behaviour you see in both genders. With sows it is generally restricted to bonding/hierarchy establishment and to sows coming into season while with boars you can often see it on a daily basis; they also use rumblestrutting to woo the sows and to establish a hierarchy amongst themselves - even through the bars in different cages.

You will find these guides here helpful as they explain typical social interactive behaviours:
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

These guides are also part of our very helpful and interesting new owners' guide collection, which addresses all the areas which we get the most often asked questions from new owners about. Here is the link: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

You can access our much more extensive guide collection on a wide range of subjects via our shortcut on the top bar, by the way.

 

[Betsy]

As mentioned earlier, Christian is always doing his sexy bum wiggle. He does it to the girls to say "Hi look what a big handsome lad I am, do you fancy me?" and he does it to Dennis to say "I look what a big handsome lad I am, don't mess with me!" Nobody takes a blind bit of notice of course but that doesn't stop him from trying!

 

[Freela]

It's a behavior that both sexes use to show dominance. Some pigs feel the need to constantly remind other pigs that they're the boss!

 

[Betsy]

It's a behavior that both sexes use to show dominance. Some pigs feel the need to constantly remind other pigs that they're the boss!

Christian likes to think he's the boss but that's Velvet's job and always has been!

 

[luv2care1987]

Thank you all for helping me figure out what Ms. Millie is trying to tell us. She is definitely my dominant piggy. Lily and Nellie just ignore her for the most part. When Millie starts with mounting either girl, that is when the fun starts. They chase each other all over their cage and popcorn like crazy to get away from her. They have definitely grown to each other. Lily and Nellie was caught snuggling next to each other while I was at work by my husband. He said it was the cutest thing he has ever seen. I'm just bummed that I had missed it.

 

[Betsy]

You'll find them snuggling up sooner or later. Here are Velvet, Meg and Betsy snuggling close.



And Dennis and Christian