[Gpdd] behavior: Bossy pigs

[mlwilliams2]

Hi Sandy,

I absolutely agree.  Sows do have hormonal periods of time and on a regular 
basis.  Sam is *definitely* the boss in this house.  But, she and Tabitha 
both display this hormonal behavior at times.  Thankfully, it's not at the 
same time.

It usually goes like this:  One of them starts the rumble, rumble rumble 
behavior. They will literally stalk the other one around the cage, 
attempting to mount them or getting right in the other's face and rumbling 
or sniffing their back end. The other one, meanwhile, takes great offense at 
this and when nose to nose, will  do this little muttering, talking thing. 
Almost as if talking under their breath.  It is a unique sort of talking. 
Not  the usual one.  As for sneaking up on her back end Sam will reach out 
behind her and do the Kung Fu Piggy kick which makes Tabitha run off 
squeaking.  Tabitha will just fuss about it and run over to the corner and 
back into it, so thatSam can't access that particular region.  I'm so glad 
Earl can see all of this and relate it to me because I so enjoy knowing of 
their antics.

Which reminds me.  The other day, I had them out in the living room with us, 
on the floor, in their big play pen.  I went to make their nightly bowl of 
fresh veggies, which they await with relish.  They know the routine.  When 
Mommy has *that* bowl in her hand, she is going to get our treats.  When we 
hear the bags in the fridge, it's a sure thing!  Wheek, wheek!  Well, I had 
made them a bowl of goodies and was approaching their cage with it. Both 
were popping around and expressing their delight.  I bent over and sat it 
down and went to sit back down. After a few seconds, I heard Tabitha making 
this pitiful little wheeking, questioning sound that began to get louder and 
more demanding.  I asked Earl what was wrong with her, for goodness sake.  I 
just gave them a bowl full of veggies.  he looked over and started laughing. 
I had set the bowl on the outside of the pen and both were sitting there, 
little noses pressed up against the bars, staring at the bowl.  Tabitha was 
letting me know she did not find this amusing at all.  I felt awful!  I 
tried to assure them that their Mommy wasn't being mean, just careless.  I 
think they forgot all about it as soon as I put it in their pen and let them 
go at it.  They are funny little creatures, aren't they?  And they give so 
much pleasure to us and all they ask in return is to be loved and fed.  We 
do the rest because we want the best for them, don't we?

Take care all.  I have some office stuff to do today and am trying to learn 
a new program for cell phones which makes them accessible for the blind. 
it's really cool,because now I can do everything that the "sighties" can do 
with their phones.  Including make my own ringtones.  I have made one of a 
pig hollering for food if anyone would like  a copy of it.  It is in .MP3 
format, so if your phone supports that, let me know and I will send it to 
you.

Hugs, wheeks & whisker kisses,
Lynn, Samantha & Tabitha