Behaviour |
| | A new pig! |
 | Most people who get a new pig are quite taken back by how scared the cavy looks. In the wild, pigs are prey animals so are very nervous and skittish by nature, startling easily. When they go to a new home, their whole world has changed - sights, smells, people - everything, so this will bring out their natural fleeing instinct which would save them in the wild. It can take a few weeks for a pig to learn to trust you and relax around you. Some pigs will always remain quite nervy - maybe they have had a difficult experience in the past to make them not trust people, or maybe it's just their personality. Most will be fine once you have them out of the cage, but each pig is unique and adapts differently. There are some things you can do to make the transition as easy as possible for your cavy. |
 | For the first day or so leave your pig alone to adapt to the new environment and smells. If you try and handle them too much at this time, it can be a bit overwhelming for them. Give your pig a box to hide in in their cage so they have a place where they feel secure. Some people think it is better to expose them and force them to interact but I always think it is better to earn their trust and wait for them to be ready. It might take a little longer, but it will help your pig feel more secure in the long run. Put the cage in a high traffic area of the house so they can get used to all the noises, and the sight of seeing people. Having the cage up on a table so they are at waist height will help you seem less like a big scary giant to them! Remember their predators in the wild come from above, so this can be unpleasant for them. |
 | Once your pig has settled in for a day or so, start gentle handling. Always lift them securely and slowly so they feel safe, and carry them up against your body too. Put them on a towel on your lap and stroke them gently, feeding them veggie treats (bribery is a great power where pigs are concerned!). Start with just a few minutes at a time and build it up as your cavy relaxes with you (this will also help them get used to not going to the toilet on your lap if they haven't been handled much before). Don't pick them up every time you go near the cage - sometimes just give them a little veggie treat and a stroke. Above all give it time - they will learn to trust you but you need to be patient and soon you will see your first 'popcorn'! |
| Biting |
 | Pigs don't bite to be mean - they may bite by accident, because they are trying to tell you something, or because they feel scared or threatened. Never punish a pig for biting - all you will do is make the animal frightened and hurt. One reason they may bite by accident are if you have handled food and not washed your hands, they could think your finger is a nice big carrot stick! So try washing your hands in a plain soap before handling - some scents and perfumes seem to invite nibbles too. |
 | Some pigs will bite because they are scared or something startles them so you need to be as gentle and reassuring as possible. Make sure you always pick up and hold your pig securely - you may know you're not going to drop him but being flown through the air in a pair of hands is pretty bewildering for a stumpy animal who never leaves the ground. Always use two hands and hold them gently but firmly against your body. To start with, it may help to sit by their cage and have them on your lap. Also make sure you go over to see them and give them a veggie treat and a stroke without picking them up sometimes. This will help them look forward to seeing your hands come in to their cage, rather than just equating them with flying. |
| If you are handling the pig and they start to nibble a bit over enthusiastically, it could be they are trying to tell you they need the loo, or just want to be set back down - maybe for a leg stretch! So if your pig does this, respect his wishes and put him down. Very rarely you will get a pig who just never takes to being handled - he may grow to trust you but just not enjoy being stroked and cuddled. This is just his personality and you need to enjoy him for who he is! One other thing to think about is that sometimes when piggies have mites or something wrong with their skin, it makes them feel very sore and itchy and unpleasant to be handled. If you think this could be a possibility or have noticed any other symptoms like itching or dry skin, get your vet to check this out. See Cavy Spirit's page on biting if you woudl like more information and advice on this issue.
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| Mounting |
 | Often whatever sex piggies you have, you will see them mounting eachother. Not only is this mating behaviour - it is also a dominance behaviour with the pig trying to mount it's cagemate to let him/ her know who is boss! If you are absolutely sure that you don't have a male and a female, or if you do that one has been neutered, then it's nothing to be concerned about. Often females will mount both male and female piggers when they come in to season (approximately every 15-17 days) which can be qute confusing for the boys! |
| Petting behaviour |
 | Many people are unsure whether the signals their pig gives them while they are being petted are positive or negative. Once you spend time with your piggy and get to know it, you will begin to understand all his noises and body movements. Until then as a general rule of thumb, you can look at his body language. If he is enjoying what you are doing he will look relaxed - perhaps softly purring or stretching out. If your pig is biting down while you are petting him, it usually means you are petting him too hard and making him uncomfortable. Flicking your hand away with his head and twisting his head round to where you are petting are also good indicators that he is not enjoying your efforts. Every pig has his own likes and dislikes when it comes to being handled - what one loves will drive another crazy! So keep it gentle and just spend lots of time with them to find out what they like! |
| Scenting |
| While your cavies are walking around or interacting with eachother, you will often see them dragging their bottoms on the floor. This is called scenting - they are marking that area with their smell to let others know they have been there and laying their claim on it. Sometimes when unneutered males do this the smell can be rather unpleasant but usually once a group or pairing has settled down, this becomes much less of a problem. |
| Piggy linguistics |
 | Pigs make a wide variety of noises and to a new owner it can be confusing to tell which are happy and which are scared sounds. On the sounds page you can listen to recordings of the different noises pigs make and what they mean! |
| Neutering |
| Neutering does not affect behaviour in any way. It's not unusual for people with fighting boars to be told to have them neutered so they will become passive. It is a myth. It stops them reproducing but that is all, so don't risk your pig having an operation unless he is going in with a female. |
