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Chin wiping

Home Forums Hedgehog signs and sightings Chin wiping

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  • #30620

    Over the past few nights I’ve noticed some interesting behaviour from one hog. It seems to wipe/scrape its chin along the floor a bit like I have seen some dogs do. Sometimes it’s after food or water so is it just drying it off or is it scent marking ? It seems healthy and well and also observed it ‘self annointing’ for a few minutes too. Not sure of the reason, it had just eaten and drunk rainwater, but was as the books say completely absorbed and exposed. Fortunately the other hog was not nearby.

    I have 2 hogs visiting and have noticed they seem to follow similar routes as if following the scent of the other. They seem to have two sessions of feeding and appear mid evening say 9.30 – 10.30 or 11-12 and then again early morning 3am or 5am. I have seen one go in the hog house after the mid evening feed, perhaps for a rest, before heading out early morning.
    Just wondering if anyone else has see this chin wiping in their hogs or any other interesting behaviour ?

    #30641

    Never seen chin wiping specifically but it sounds like part of the self anointing process as they like to lick and rub in the scent then cover themselves in it

    #30644

    Hi my hedgehog does chin wipe. She does it after eating and I suspected it was a case of possibly marking her territory or finding her way back to the food via smell?

    #30649
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    Nic

    Chin wiping is something that is seen fairly frequently. But in my experience not in association with self annointing. It isn’t very obvious why they do it, as they seem to do it in different circumstances. I suspect that it is not always done for the same reason. It’s normally males that I see doing it. Sometimes it seems to extend into a whole under body rub rather than just the chin.

    #30700

    Thanks for your comments and interesting to hear that some people have seen it too. I’ve discovered it is a male and does seem to push itself along with its back legs, extending the chin wiping into a belly wipe too which is quite entertaining and causes it no harm. There is another hog around, possibly male too, given aggressive behaviour shown towards it. Will see if I can add photos or videos. Thanks.

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