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I have a pair of Hogs set up in a larger cage(4 or 5 foot long) and given lots of choices(more coming)

Anyway, the other day I saw the male doing something funny.

Normally he attends her, that is, where ever she goes, he goes and stays in position like hes going to copulate(but doesn't).

That has gone on since Nov. Anyway, she recently shed and of course he was following her around. She goes to heat, he goes to heat, she goes to cool, he goes to cool. Whats funny is, he is always a few minutes behind her. If she basks, a few minutes after she leaves, he basks, etc. I call this trailing and have seen it in nature.

Well, the other day he was crawling in front of her and doing this cobra thing, lifting his head up, say 1/4 to 1/3 his total lenght and flattening his neck. He did that over and over. Has anyone else seen that? and idea of what thats about? courting etc? Normally he crawls behind her.

I have seen that cobra thing many many times in the field. Its common for them(more common with males) to at first go cryptic, that is freeze in place, then if you do not leave, lift up into the cobra stance.

Then of course go all stupid and act nuts. Most call it playing dead, but in most cases its not about dead, its about gross. They don't actually play dead, as they keep flipping around and junk coming out of both ends. Nasty I tell you. Give me good old rattlesnakes anyday, all they do is squirt you with musk or garders. Hogs, yuck I tell you. hahahahahahahaha

Of course, I had my camera right next to me but somehow did not take pics. Hopefully next time. I do have pics of the cobra thing in nature. Cheers

Hi Frank,
I have seen this when pairing H. kennerlyi but not in H. nasicus. I always assumed it was just part of H. kennerlyi's general pissy nature. LOL.

Hi Gregg, not in the field stuff, the male is doing it in front of the female. He did it over and over. In captivity.

The question seems to have been answered as they have been hooked up for a while now. It appears to be tied to her cycling.

Do you really think kennerly is more defensive? In the field all hog species, I have seen have gone goofy when approached and I have seen all the types in the field.

Of the kennerlys I have in captivity, they are normally calm. But every once in a while they act a little silly. And it seems to be on the same day, hahahahahahahaha Best wishes