Behavior: Sucking?

[MissFormosa]

Sometimes I have my pigs out by themselves for some one-on-one bonding time with me.

Alton is acting a little weird. If he is with the other pigs during floor time, he is usually busy bossing them around and motorboating, popcorning, usual cavy things. But when he is alone with me, I usually put a towel down on the couch (in case of accidents), get on my knees at eye level or lay next to him and talk softly to him, pet him, etc. Well he likes to suck on the towel. At least that is what it looks like. Or maybe he is killing it. I'm not sure. He just started doing this recently.

He first starts out by digging at it with his front feet and sometimes his back feet, then he nuzzles down into it and finally grabs it with his mouth. He holds the towel in his mouth for a few moments and half closes his eyes, like he enjoys it tremendously. Occasionally, he grabs it in his mouth and flings his neck back and forth like a dog flinging around a toy.

I double checked his teeth and mouth twice and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong. I would expect this from a cat or dog, not a pig! Is this okay? Has my pig lost it??

I'll try to get video of it, if the camera behaves.

[Paula]

This sounds to me like the thing a lot of my pigs do when they want me to put them down or if they are unhappy with something I'm doing (like a bum cleaning).

By itself I don't think it's cause for concern and I also don't think he's ready to be committed to Bellevue just yet.

[vicky2]

Well, that sounds VERY cute! But I don;t think you should worry about it much like Paula said...

[Beahbeah]

I wouldn't worry about it. My pigs both do the flinging thing when I give them a treat that they really like, such as a baby carrot or a piece of melon. I have no idea why they do it but it is really cute to watch!

[MissFormosa]

It is cute to watch! It almost looks like a dog tearing up their bed!