Very strange behaviour
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Hi
Hope everyone out there is OK- staying well and not going stir crazy!
I have caught some odd (maybe not in HH world)behaviour on camera last night.
I have a feeding station on the patio and at 20.00 last night one of the regulars( I assume) did a peepee close to the entrance and went off.
A little later a HH came went into the station ate and left. A good 8 hours after the original peepee another HH appears, licks/drinks the peepee and then self anoints for about 15 minutes, keeps refreshing with peepee and then goes again.
I know they self annoint but with peepee! Yuk! I hope it was the HH that did the pee! They do have some disgusting habits.
Anyone seen this before?Hi simbo65
I haven’t actually seen a hog self annointing with urine. Maybe the hog got some other smelly substance on it’s spines, which it wanted to mask. That sort of thing isn’t unheard of with some other wild animals. But unusual smells can sometimes apparently trigger self annointing. Maybe the hog (who urinated) had eaten something unusual and it smelt strange (?) It would be interesting to know if it was the hog whose urine it was, but I’m guessing you can’t be sure from your video.
Keep a look out for it happening again.
Hi Nic
I have gone through various footage and I think peepee HH and self anointer might be different.
Self anointer doesn’t stay in the house but seemed to know where the front feeding station was.
Self anointer looks as if some of he’s spines are sticky and they are also showing up a paler colour. Also very pale either side of his mouth and one area of his skirt.
I really don’t know if it’s a new hog or one of the regulars that something has happened to.
Will see if he comes back tonight.
What are we going to do about injured HH’s this year if we can’t take them anywhere? I suppose the flip side is less will be injured by cars.
Will let you know what the camera’s show tonight.Hi Simbo65
If the hog had been self annointing it may have shown on camera as looking paler and sticky looking. It is often sort of frothy. It kind of makes more sense being a different hog and the smell/taste triggered the self annointing – rather than it trying to cover itself with that smell. But they might self -annoint if some substance was put on them, i.e. artificial marking. But self- annointing isn’t fully understood.
The only time I’ve seen self annointing on video was Siili when she was released after her stay in Wildlife Hospital. I wondered if it might have been her wanting to get rid of the smell of captivity. But it could have been the smell of the box, which may have been strange to her after being in captivity. It was just as she was in the doorway before coming out of the release box.
Yes, it is a worry about sick and injured hogs, but I imagine some people will still take them in. The car situation could have another unfortunate flip side, in that some hogs may become accustomed to fewer cars and then when the cars all return get caught out.
Yes, it would be interesting to hear if there is any more self-annointing.
It’s a very interesting topic and shows how little is really known about our little spiky friends. Nothing unusual last night. Big Leg has gone wandering again but I am very happy he is leading a normal life.
Little bit of angst between 2 boys but nothing major……will see what tomorrow morning shows of their nightly antics.
Any sign of Siili?Yes, you’re right, there’s always something new to learn about hogs. But I like to think they keep some mysteries to themselves. It adds to their charm!
No still no sign of Siili – or Igel either. Most of the boys who were visiting seem to have gone walkabout, too. Not very loyal of them when they’ve been eating all my food to fatten up after hibernation! But I imagine they are just visiting other parts of their ranges and at least some of them will be back sometime. Maybe when/if the girls return.
I will stay open for intakes and I’m sure a number of rehabillitators will be. Failing that vets are obliged to take sick and injured wildlife. You will probably just have to call in advance
I know a lot of people don’t like to take hogs to vets in case they are put to sleep, however far better that than allowing them to suffer if you cannot find a place to take them toMy question would be – Is it considered essential travel in the eyes of the law when driving to the vet/carer?
Hi simbo65
I think it would be very unreasonable of them not to allow someone to take a sick or injured animal for help. It may be that when the laws were made it wasn’t taken into account, I don’t know. I don’t know exactly what the actual law says, but think we have to use common sense. If I found a sick or injured hog, I would try to get help for it. Perhaps it could come under the heading of medical need. But also, if the carer was collecting it, under travelling for work purposes – although I imagine they are all very short staffed at the moment and may not be in a position to collect.
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