Author Topic: Grunting at me with mouth open (Read 4554 times)

wellies · « **on:** June 04, 2011, 05:07:38 pm »

Hi guys. We have a new Kune to keep Harry company. She has been with us 2 weeks and seemed very settled and placid however over the last few days she has been a little bargy with me and grunts (low pitched) at me with her mouth open (very big teeth in there

). She is still fine when I touch and like to have a scratch but her mouth open grunting seems a bit aggressive. I think she is a little hormonal at the moment could this account for her change in behaviour

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2011, 07:19:41 pm »

Yup - piggy PMT

My Kune Kunes have 2 forms of open mouthed grunting.
There's the one you're experiencing - kinda stressed sounding and raspy. Either when they're coming into season or unsure about something.
And the other which is more excited/happy, doesn't tend to be as 'deep' a sound and a wee bit slower too. This is the one that once a belly rub is administered, fades to snoring and grunts of happiness

I have to admit to trying to copy their sounds back to them (though I suspect they already know how I'm feeling

)
HTH
Karen

wellies · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2011, 08:37:33 pm »

Thank you for replying. She seems to be getting worse. We've tried reassuring her with soft voices, scratching. Today she even sounded like she barked. OH is going to ring her previous owner tomorrow to seek advice because to be honest she was a little scary today and all our other pigs are very laid back happy chappies

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2011, 10:22:25 pm »

Wellies - the following is easier to say than do!

However you should be concious that your soft reassurances may (may not will - I don't know your pig or you) be actually making her worse - any hesitency and stress in your voice and body actions could be increasing her anxiety, as she picks up on your concerns, thus heightening hers.

I would go in with a pig board - this gives you something to put between you and her, and thus should give you confidence to approach her at a normal speed as you used to do and speak normally to her in a friendly confident tone. If she lets you scratch, give her a quick scratch, and then stay in the pen and do something else - possibly greet and scratch another pig. That way you are not singling her out for unusual attention, and are making your confident presence in the pen a normal activity.

If she backs off from you, then ignore her and again do something else, don't persue her as that will stress her more.

The quicker you show her that she is not singled out, and that you are not worried, the quicker she is likely to return to normal. The more you make her mood an issue the more likely it will remain so.

If you don't have a pig board, improvise one, a handled dustbin lid can be fine, all you want is somnething to put between you are her to give YOU confidence.

Let us know how you get on

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2011, 10:25:53 pm »

I've posted this on the other thread too.

I was recognising your description, wellies. I get this from Meg very occasionally - and she did it one time last week when I went to fetch her in for insemination. Unfortunately she was right at the far end of her pasture and there was a very strong wind in the wrong direction, so I'd had to walk right over to her to get her and hence had to walk all the way back with her. Normally she'd just walk alongside, chattering, occasionally touching her nose up to my hand and sometimes just walking around in front of me for a pat. But on this occasion she was exactly as you describe Maud and at one point I was measuring up the pros and cons of stopping to open a wired-up gate midway along the pasture and getting out early.

I wasn't sure whether it was hormonal and she was 'coming on' to me (can I get arrested for saying that?!) or whether she was just particularly hungry and cross that I wasn't carrying a bucket of food. (Which I more often am than not, but I do go and spend time with her without food sometimes.) She was back to her usual friendly laid-back self later the same day - after having been both fed and inseminated. So I still don't know which it was!

I've not had that much experience of pigs and it sounds like you have quite a bit more than me, so I hesitate to offer ideas. (But I will anyway.)

Given that you have been slimming your Maud down, could she be telling you (increasingly insistantly) that she's hungry? Equally, you say she's hormonal (do you mean she's in season?) Plus she's the new kid on the block so maybe she's wanting more of your attention and/or reassurance.

wellies · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2011, 07:37:14 pm »

thank you all for your comments. Maud seems alot happier today with less grunting with her mouth open now its just more of a low mumble a bit like she's grumbling. I am hoping she had a bad case of PMT mingled with a little insecurity in her new home. Such a learning curve having the new pigs, we've only had boys before and the girls are definately different

Just hope the large black sow we have inherited doesn't decide to have a case of PMT too, not sure I fancy having to stand my ground with something that size

loosey · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2011, 09:57:09 am »

Hey Wellies

My sow, Daisy, has always done this. I posted about it months ago as was worried it was aggression, but I've just resigned myself to the fact that she will never change!

She makes this noise whenever she sees me and normally that means food of some sort!

She has never shown any aggression, even when farrowing or when I took the piglets away for weaning ... it just seems to be her "thing"!

Sorry if that's not much help!!

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2011, 10:24:18 am »

Hilary makes this noise too especially when she is wanting the boar. With Hilary it is definitely best to keep a distance but that is probably just Hilary.

lill · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2011, 07:02:25 pm »

if you feel unsure around your pig maybe you should think about the inevitable. i have been bitten with a pig which drew blood and was bloody sore, needless to say she's not here any more.

wellies · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2011, 09:55:39 pm »

Hey Lill, she seems to have settled now. Really think the hormones had a lot to do with it and being in a new environment. She seems quite happy now and not at all agressive