Pigs can recognise whether they are looking at the front or back of a human head using key features like our mouths and noses as cues.
While we may often think of dogs or dolphins when it comes to intelligent animals, the pig is a species that is usually overlooked.
Pigs have excellent memories. Studies have shown that pigs can remember where food is stored and places where they have found food before. They can also remember directions and can find their way home from great distances. Pigs can recognize and remember humans and up to 30 other pigs.
In fact, pigs are more intelligent and trainable than any breed of dog. They learn their names in just two weeks and come when they're called.
Pigs possess what is called emotional contagion, or the expression of an emotion after seeing that emotion expressed in others. This ability is thought to be the basis of empathy, as it demonstrates that someone can recognize emotions in others, and be affected by that emotion.
Kissing. When a pig presses its snout against you or another pig, it's a sign of endearment! Pigs give snout kisses to those they love, and you're certainly encouraged to give a kiss right back if you'd like. A kiss can also signify a desire for attention, so go ahead and give your pig some pats too if it feels right.
Family pigs prefer their owner's company as dogs do, but they might not like strangers. Researchers at ELTE Department of Ethology in Budapest compared how young companion dogs and companion pigs seek human proximity in a novel environment.
Much like people, pigs are soothed by music, love playing ball, and even enjoy getting massages. On factory farms, pigs live in stressful, cramped, filthy conditions until they are transported to a slaughterhouse. If given the choice, pigs would spend their days foraging, playing, and lying in the sun.
Pigs are gentle creatures with surprising intelligence. Studies have found they're smarter than dogs and even 3-year-old children! In the wild, pigs form small groups that typically include a few sows and their piglets.
They have broad social abilities too, like distinguishing individuals out of a group; communicating with each other through touch, smell, sound, and sight; and learning to pick up on the verbal and nonverbal cues of humans. Researchers have even found that pigs are able to use tools and play video games!
And when they're not either squealing or talking, pigs will eat almost anything – including human bones. In 2012, a farmer in Oregon, America, was eaten by his pigs after having a heart attack and falling into their enclosure. By the time a concerned relative came looking for him, only his dentures were left.
Pigs. Pigs can use visual information seen in a mirror to find food, and show evidence of self-recognition when presented with their reflections. In a 2009 experiment, seven of the eight pigs tested were able to find a bowl of food hidden behind a wall and revealed using a mirror.
Grunting: Pigs grunt to greet each other, talk to their piglets, communicate with loved ones, and simply to chatter about their day. This is a very content communication, as they chat and bond. Hot panting: This is another family greeting pigs offer to their most trusted family members.
Pigs have excellent memories. They can remember things for years and can recognize and remember objects! The highest density of tactile receptors is found in the pig's snout. Pigs use it mainly to dig in the dirt and smell food.
Pigs will grieve for other pigs as well as other species of animals. They know when you are hurting, they may grieve as well and act depressed. You may need to give your surviving pets a lot of extra attention and love to help them through this period.
Smell is their primary sense; their vision is not keen. Smell is the sense pigs use for protection in the wild. A pot-bellied pig can sense fear and may respond to a person's fearful body signals. As has been mentioned, pot-bellied pigs are extremely sensitive to scent and can respond aggressively to scents.
CHIMPANZEES. RECKONED to be the most-intelligent animals on the planet, chimps can manipulate the environment and their surroundings to help themselves and their community. They can work out how to use things as tools to get things done faster, and they have outsmarted people many a time.
Several studies have shown that pigs are even smarter than dogs and cats, and they are able to solve problems quicker than many primates. Their cognitive abilities can be compared to those of a three-year-old human.
Most pigs love: cooked broccoli, pitted apricots, cucumbers, dark green lettuce, cooked potatoes, beets, grapes, pumpkins, all squashes, zucchini, snow peas, spinach, yams, kale, tomatoes, chard, carrots, pears, apples, berries, oranges, grapefruit, melons, pitted cherries, pitted peaches.
Garlic and Onions
Like cayenne peppers, pigs know to steer clear. Onions and garlic cause an upset stomach, so they avoid both. You could plant these in your garden along with peppers and repel pigs while you get to enjoy your harvest.
They can nip or lunge at them, give them a head swipe or forcefully nudge them for attention. These behaviors are usually dominance games that pigs would be playing with each other. So, if a pig nudges you and you move away, the pig may assume that she has won the dominance game and has become your boss.
Pigs are affectionate animals and they do seek out human attention. However, they don't want to be held or “thumped.” They do want to snuggle up with you after a long day and take a snooze while you watch TV. They want to flop over for belly rubs and will run up to you if you've been gone for a while.
Generally, pigs do not like to be held or picked up. 1 When a pig feels threatened, they will squeal loudly. 4 Even though you may be trying to pick up a baby pig to cuddle, the baby pig may be scared and squeal.
Pigs Love Belly Rubs!
Bodily comfort is important to pigs, and they like touch.