Nibbler!

[PurpleDaisies]

It turns out that master pig (a lovable rogue) is a bit of a nibbler. Nothing hard, but he often “tests” fingers, jumpers, dressing gowns and anything he can get his teeth into to see if it’s food.

Is there anything I can do to stop this? I wanted to introduce him to my class but at the moment he’s too much of a nuisance. It’s a good thing he’s handsome.

I don't feed my pigs when I cuddle them (I used to go horse riding and most places don't allow treats to the Riding School horses as it can make them pushy/bitey) but yes they can get a bit toothy .

One of my guineas (GP5) lovely Himmy would never have been a childs' pet because she could be a bitey little git but that was just her !

I don't think there is anything to stop him, my GP5 certainly didn't bite bite but she would do the gnawing that a child would see as a proper bite. DD was ok with it.

I think either feed him while they stroke him or just warm them that he might be a bite nibbly? Animals are animals and we just have to respect their foibles (sp)

Wen you think just how vunerable these little animals are and really their only defence would be a bite , I'm really surprised they don't bite more !

Perhaps, rather than your class handling him, he could sit on a towel and be fed?
Sit him in one of those padded cat cushion things with 'walls' to contain him? (Poundstretcher is your friend)
Just thinking that our lot would sit and be handfed parsley or grass til the cows come home 😉

Once a nibbles, always a nibbler

One of my original pair, Scruffypig, was a terrible nibbler with a particular obsession with buttons, but would go for anything really. He was also quite wriggly and although happy to be on a knee would constantly fidget. He was never allowed to be held by visiting children. He lived to be nearly 6 but never stopped nibbling. His friend, Smoothpig, was a softie who was content to sit for hours and be stroked (he purred). Of my current pigs, Madampig will sit happily and is beautifully behaved, Gingerpig will also sit but is very chatty and gets overexcited easily (I.e. pees on you). Both these pigs can be held by young children safely, but I do warn them about the wee.

They all have their own personalities and it can be very difficult to train them to behave differently as they're not over blessed with brains.

Thanks all! He really is a lovely one, confident, full of personality, interested and friendly but this also extends to testing everything as food.

I think I’ll just take him in to show the class and we’ll look at him from a distance and brush him rather than any proper stroking.

😂😂
Our Betty couldn't be trusted to behave, she scavenged constantly as a result of her early life .. and had a bite that drew blood ... as a student vet discovered to his cost 😉