frightened piggie

Question
We've had three instances of what my husband and I have dubbed "psycho-pig" with our 4 year old unaltered boar.

Zeke's been with us since weening. So far as we (and the vet) can determine, he's physically healthy. Eats, eliminates, wheeks, popcorns, makes his wants and opinions known in various critter ways.

Several times now he has behaved as though there were something terrifying in his cage. When this happens, he cowers, won't move about his habitat freely, won't eat in the cage unless he can reach the food from his hidey-house. On several occassions he has jumped out of his cage (a two foot leap) into the arms of either me or my husband to escape whatever is frightening him. He doesn't normally do that. He's one of those piggies that likes to be held, but not the picking-him-up part.

There's no evidence we can see of anything that explains the behavior.

Each time it's happened, we've stripped his cage and put him back with towels instead of pine bedding with food, hay in the manger and water (so we can see everything that's there and happening.)

The first two times, after cuddles and several hours he went back to fairly normal behavior and we put his cage back to normal.

The most recent time he took about 48 hours before he settled down to his usual self - and he wouldn't even go into his hidey-house which is usually his safe place.

Any ideas?

Answer
Perhaps the description "psycho-pig" isn't too out-there and Zeke is in fact suffering from some sort of psychological issue. Many animals become anxious in their old age, and at four years, Zeke is in the early stages of senior citizenship. This would explain why he's insecure in his own cage, and why he jumps to you or your husband (and he's very lucky you've been there to catch him).

It could be that some sort of insect is getting into his cage; a fly or a spider, and this is bothering him, but you probably would have noticed it by now.

Sorry I can't be of more help but I haven't seen this behaviour in any of my boys or girls. I did have a guinea pig once who regularly jumped from his hutch (on top of two other hutches), but he didn't behave erratically when in his cage.

Good luck and let me know if you figure it out!

Jenny.