1. Social Behavior:
- Huddling: Pigs huddle together to maintain warmth and establish dominance hierarchies.
- Wallowing: Pigs enjoy wallowing in mud or water to cool off, soothe their skin, and relieve stress.
- Play Behavior: Young pigs engage in play activities that involve running, chasing, and mock fighting.
2. Feeding Behavior:
- Omnivorous Diet: Pigs are opportunistic omnivores and consume a wide variety of plant materials, grains, and animal-based foods.
- Rooting Behavior: Pigs use their snout to root through soil, grass, and other substrates to find food.
3. Vocal Communication:
- Grunting and Squealing: Pigs produce a range of vocalizations, such as grunts, squeals, and snorts, to express emotions, communicate needs, and interact with other pigs.
4. Intelligence and Problem-Solving:
- Pigs are highly intelligent animals capable of learning and problem-solving. They can recognize and remember individual humans and respond to different cues.
5. Learning and Adaptation:
- Pigs can adapt to various environments and learn from experiences. They have shown the ability to solve simple puzzles and learn tricks through positive reinforcement.
6. Maternal Behavior:
- Sows exhibit strong maternal instincts and take great care of their offspring. They build nests and provide nursing and protection to piglets.
7. Dominance Hierarchy and Social Structure:
- Pigs establish social hierarchies within their groups, with dominant individuals often having priority access to food and resources.
8. Comfort-Seeking Behavior:
- Pigs seek out comfortable bedding and resting areas, preferring dry and soft surfaces. They may also create nests by arranging straw or hay.
9. Fear and Stress Responses:
- Pigs can experience stress when exposed to unfamiliar environments, sudden changes, or threatening situations. They may display avoidance behavior or vocalize in response to stress.
10. Breeding Behavior:
- Pigs reach sexual maturity at around six months of age. Sows exhibit signs of estrus, including increased activity, mounting behavior, and vocalizations, to indicate receptivity to mating.
11. Foraging and Exploratory Behavior:
- Pigs are naturally curious and explorative animals. They enjoy exploring their surroundings and sniffing out new sources of food and water.
12. Thermoregulation:
- Pigs have limited sweat glands and rely on wallowing and seeking shade to regulate their body temperature.
13. Escape and Avoidance:
- Pigs may attempt to escape from uncomfortable or stressful situations, such as confinement, overcrowding, or harsh handling.
14. Grooming and Hygiene:
- Pigs engage in grooming behaviors, such as rubbing against surfaces and licking themselves, to maintain cleanliness and remove parasites.
Understanding pig behavior is essential for proper care, management, and welfare of pigs in both agricultural and companion animal settings. Recognizing their natural behaviors and preferences helps ensure their physical and mental well-being.