This past week I was asked to explain the difference between a handler’s bubble and pigs’ flight zones.
Handlers’ bubbles and pigs’ flight zones are two ways of describing the same thing: the safe distance pigs want to keep between themselves and potential danger, including handlers.
If we think of that safe distance in linear terms:
- it varies between pigs; tame pigs can tolerate being closer to us; flighty pigs want to stay farther away
- their safe distance changes for individual pigs, increasing as we become more threatening / less trustworthy
- a pig’s previous handling experience affects the distance it needs and how sensitive it is to our actions now.
We can depict that safe distance as a circle around the pig, call it the flight zone and say that pigs will do what they can to keep handlers out of it.
OR
We can use the same distance to draw a circle around the handler, call it his/her bubble and say that pigs will do what they can to stay out of it.
No matter who we put at the center of the circle or what we call it,
- pigs want to keep a safe distance between them and us
- that safe distance increases as pigs’ fear or distrust increases
- pigs’ behaviour changes when we don’t let them maintain their safe distance
What does thinking in terms of “the bubble” do for us?
Besides wanting to maintain a safe distance, pigs also want to see pressure. Our pressure tends to pull pigs’ attention towards us and affects where they want to go to get release from our pressure.
The combination of pigs wanting to watch us and wanting to maintain a safe distance from us makes the bubble a good visual tool that helps handlers predict pigs’ response patterns and use them more effectively.
Example: Weanlings were being unloaded from the belly of a trailer. The handlers moved slowly and quietly so we get to see how small changes affect the size and position of the bubble and where pigs want to go.
Figure 1
Figure 1: There’s a clearly defined bubble around the handlers. Pigs moving along the edge of the bubble kept the handlers to the side where they could watch them. Pigs could get release by leaving. The handlers’ bubble acted as a barrier guiding a Flow of pigs to the ramp. The Flow pulled movement and the handlers’ position helped draw pigs’ attention to that Flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2: Turning to face the far pigs greatly expanded the size of the handlers’ bubble and caused pigs to pile and panic.
Pigs closest to the ramp still kept the handlers in sight. Following the arc of the bubble pulled them past the ramp instead of guiding them to it.
Figure 3
Figure 3: The bubble shrank when handlers had their backs to the far pigs. Circling pigs still kept the handlers in view and the bubble delivered them way short of the ramp.
Figure 4
Figure 4: This is the position most handlers will instinctively move to – behind the pigs. In this position, the pigs’ desire to watch both handlers naturally put them crosswise to the ramp. If handlers in this position don’t balance their pressure with release, they encourage pigs to circle away from the ramp.
In Summary: By understanding how our bubble moves and changes with us, we can use our position, pressure, and release more effectively to help pigs go where we want them to.
In our example, Figure 1 shows the handler position that makes it easiest and most natural for pigs to leave the trailer. Most handlers would find this position totally unnatural. Most people rush too deep too quickly to ever know this opportunity for easier movement exists.
We often work behind pigs in alleys or off of trucks etc. We can use the bubble to explain pigs’ herd behaviour responses: why pigs Circle or Bunch; what they need to Flow. Understanding the relationship between the bubble and herd behaviour responses helps us read individual pigs and move them more effectively as well.
For more articles related to ”The Bubble” visit our Blog Archives at www.lowstresspighandling.com , in particular blogs from January 9, 15, 25, 30; April 10; and May 16.
That’s it for this week
Take Care
Nancy Lidster