Wheeking for other pig but trying to dominate?

[Piper&Kierstein]

Hi all! I've had the first and most odd experience that I've had within the month of owning my two females, Piper and Kierstein. I always kind of assumed Piper was the dominant but now I'm not sure. I was taking Kierstein out for lap time (she is the smallest) everything was normal Piper was minding her business. After Kierstein got a little antsy I put her back in the cage and got Piper out for lap time. I had just pulled her out and put her on my chest and out of nowhere Kierstein started wheeking like she was looking for Piper and Piper was wheeking back and wanted to go back in the cage. So, I put her back in and just thought maybe they just wanted to be close. Then to my surprise I saw Kierstein (smaller pig) trying to mount Piper then she did some low grumbling thing and started walking like uber slow. Piper really wasn't responding to it or trying to mount back but whenever Kierstein would smell her butt she would put her butt up to stop her from doing it and then I saw kierstein and piper like jumping in the air. Almost like popcorning? But I thought I was odd for them to be popcorning when trying to find dominance? Has this happened to anyone? And what is this!?

 

[tatals]

Hello!

Well, I'm still starting on this business, I've only had my boars for a month as well, but one thing I've learned is that you should always respect their hierarchy. If you think Piper is the dominant one, she should go for lap time first. From what I got from your post, you took Kierstein out first, so maybe that could be a problem?

I'm mentioning that because one day, for whatever silly reason, I took Shoyu, the younger one, out of their cage before Oreo, and it became ugly. I'm not sure this could be it, maybe just a huge coincidence, but that would be my first guess. Waiting for the wise ones to reply.

 

[Piper&Kierstein]

Hello!

Well, I'm still starting on this business, I've only had my boars for a month as well, but one thing I've learned is that you should always respect their hierarchy. If you think Piper is the dominant one, she should go for lap time first. From what I got from your post, you took Kierstein out first, so maybe that could be a problem?

I'm mentioning that because one day, for whatever silly reason, I took Shoyu, the younger one, out of their cage before Oreo, and it became ugly. I'm not sure this could be it, maybe just a huge coincidence, but that would be my first guess. Waiting for the wise ones to reply.

Yeah. I am not sure that is the issue because piper didnt start wheeking first Kierstein did. It was very strange. And since I've put her back in there they have been doing the usual dominant stuff. It hasn't gotten ugly or nothing mostly small nips, low grumbling, and this weird slow creepy walk lol . What really throws me off is they keep like popping in the air. It almost looks like popcorning but I cant imagine why they would be popcorning while trying to dominate each other lol.

 

[Betsy]

The wheeking you heard is called contact calling and they are just finding out where the other one is. The mounting and bum wiggling is probably because Kiersten was in season which happens every 14 days or so. When The Ever Beautiful Betsy was younger she turned into a right moody cow every 14 days and her personality completely changed. Now she is older (nearly 3) she has calmed down and is her usual lovely self nearly all the time.

 

[Freela]

Sows have reproductive cycles and when they are in season (about every 2 weeks) you may see dominance behaviors, like chasing and mounting, even from sows who aren't dominant. The squeaking for a friend is something I've experienced before, they are just trying to find their friend who is out of sight. In the wild that kind of behavior keeps them from getting lost in grass or brush. It's cute. When I had two baby pigs at the same time they would squeak for each other all the time... as they got older they stopped worrying that the other was lost or wasn't coming back, so enjoy it while it lasts!

 

[Piper&Kierstein]

Ah okay. I was worried that the dominating that kierstein was trying to do was going to turn them off of their friendship and I honestly didnt think they were that close but apparently they are closer than I thought.