Nope never saw those shows.
We have had a situation arise thats kinda scary.
Pigs, like all herd animals have a hierarchy. Even at birth piglets fight for teat order. A common problem with "house pigs" is sudden aggression. A show of dominance towards their humans or other pets. They may show agression when disturbed from a nap or food agression.
Yesterday we had spent outside. A couple of times Bella got frisky with the chihuahua wanting to play and he wanted no part of it. Snapped at her. Didnt make contact though. Bella seemed fine.
We came in for dinner. Then went back out. Wh went to pick her up and she bit him. No warning. When he put her down she ran to her potty spot. We though maybe she had to go and thats why. When he tried again later again she tried to bite him. She even went after DS. I tried and she lunged at me. A quick bop to the nose and a firm no and she sat down and just looked at me. I ended up taking her inside and she ate and drank her milk then went and laid down. I had my old winter coat hanging on the back of my chair that she pulled down and sleeps on since she has outgrown her pet bed.
She didn't try to bite me when i brought her inside.
At bed time we usually bring her into bed with us for a cookie treat then belly scratches. She will start to commando crawl to the end of the bed and that tells us shes ready for her crate. This time wh put her on the bed and again she lunged at him.
So in her crate she went.
All night she was restless and breathing heavy. I couldn't sleep thinking rapid breathing is a sign of pneumonia.
I bring her back out to the kitchen where she uses her potty. Urine and poop all normal. No fever. She eats, drinks then plops herself down on the coat and settles. Breathing normally. I can't leave her loose in the kitchen so i get out the larger crate, set it all up with her coat pee pads and food/water dishes.
All of that and not once did she try to bite me.
This morning i thought she would be happy to get out of her crate but after breakfast she just went and curled back up to sleep. I have been able to pet her without incident. She did yawn so i guess shes tired. We were up past 1am.
She cant tell me if something is wrong. If shes scared. If her tummy is sore. I have to watch her behaviour and rule things out one by one.
Shes not even 8 weeks old yet so this isnt a case of her first heat.
She isnt showing food aggression but she may have been hungry.
She had been sleeping when we went back out. Maybe she was just cranky because we disturbed her nap.
Maybe the dog snapping at her upset her.
Maybe wh picked her up the wrong way.
Her sleeping now isnt unusual. She would normally sleep on the coat under my chair. So the coat being in the crate it makes sense she would stay there.
What bugs me more than anything is wh response. He isnt empathetic to something being wrong. He takes it as she hates him. After the second attempt to bite him he says she can go sleep with the other pigs outside. This from a man who has babied this piglet from day one (spoiled pig syndrome is an actual thing). He did pet her before he went to work but it just seems like all the love he had for her is gone. Scary that he could just change like that.
She does seem more comfortable in the larger crate. Shes all stretched out now. I think letting her sleep is best but if theres any more changes (stops eating etc.) off to the vet we go.
[This message edited by DragnHeart at 9:07 AM, May 31st (Monday)]