Q: My husband and I just got a 5 week old pot belly. What should we feed her?
A: Hi Sherril. Welcome to the world of pigdom!! Your new baby should have what they call "starter chow" food for babies. If you plan on feeding regular food than you ask your feed store for the very FIRST food for baby pigs.
If you plan on feeding potbelly food then you can find starter chow at HealthyPigs and she needs that till she is several months old. I'm assuming of course that this baby was weaned and not taken away from her mom without knowing how to eat the pelleted feed. If I'm wrong than e-mail me back OK?
Q: I got some new pig food today. I was getting 14% hog finisher, but today I got 36%. It is for weaned pigs which Mollie seems to like (we finally named her) but it's kind of like a powder. Is it OK for my big pigs? 36% protein is the highest they have here. Any ideas?
A: Kelly, what you got today is regular hog feed which is ground corn with supplements. Not what you want for a new baby and pigs used to pellets don't like the powder. She should be on a pelleted feed. If indeed this is really 36% protein that's really way too high. Most starter feeds for baby pigs is 18% to 20% and that is made for babies.
Did you ask for the first pelleted feed for baby pigs? Its called starter chow and is a slight bit higher in protein but not anywhere near 36%. Even for grown pigs that's too high. The ideal is something between 12% and 16% for grown pigs and 16% to 18% on babies. Are you sure that the stuff is 36% protein?
Q: Thanks Maryann. Does the feed not have salt in it? I feed the Mazuri elder PBP food. I'm glad you told me about the salt I had no idea. Shanna
Shanna, be careful with the discards. I don't even give my kids the skin from peeled vegetables because of the wax coating and stuff. Basically if it can cause cancer in people it can harm pigs too. My pigs like apples, watermelon or any melon, carrots, baked sweet potatoes. Sometimes I just put an extra potato on with our supper and give it to one of them with breakfast.
We try not to give animal protein to the house pigs. That can cause gas and it's just not right to eat cousin. Some people use unsalted treats like rice cakes. Try not to give salted treats because it can make them die. I think pigs can't sweat or get rid of excess salt so it just builds up and damages them. I just shared cantaloupe with Agnes AND the two little dogs. They all love it. Maryann
A: Mary Ann your right, pigs can get salt poisoning from becoming too thirsty and over drinking. But as far as snacks...moderation is the key. One pretzel will not hurt your pig. One potato chip will not hurt your pig. If your pig gets into turkey or chicken food...THAT WILL hurt your pig as the salt content is so high compared to other feeds.
As for chocolate...not a good idea but my house pigs have all tasted it at one time or another. It is like anything else...some dogs and pigs have an allergic reaction to it some don't. There's the time that Ann Daniel's pig Oink ate the whole bag of Hershey kisses...foil and all. He was fine and vet was more concerned about how he would handle the foil in his system. As I speak, Maggie is gobbling down one of the cookies that Ann brought. I'm sure its not to our liking, but these pigs even eat grub worms from under the rocks and stuff.
They can handle a lot of things, but it HAS to be in moderation. The outside pigs here only get goodies once in a while as I'm a firm believer that pig chow has what they need, was made for pigs and should be their basic diet, but heck everyone enjoys a break from routine sometimes.
No matter what we would like to think these guys are pigs and if different stuff was going to kill them than the old farmers sloping the hogs with dishwater wouldn't have had much to eat. Our pots in their own country ate much the same way. It's good to be careful, but not paranoid.
Maggie says Yep! She chokes on even wet food spread out over the floor so guess what...heaven forbid she is on dog food!! The old frozen pig that took two years to get on her feet again lived those two years on wet dog food, canned dog food, and Pig treats or anything else I could get her to eat. She is still alive and is now cruising the back yard looking for a man!!
Q: Hello, I loved your web site, but couldn't find anything on the net regarding my question about my pig and was wondering if maybe you could help. My pig is about 4 years old, in great health and not overweight. But sometimes when she is sleeping she will cough and up will come some water. There is not a lot and it doesn't seem like vomiting, it is just a few ounces of liquid.
She doesn't seem in pain or in any discomfort but it soils her bed and wakes her up. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help prevent this or if I should be concerned.
Any information you could supply would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time, Stacey
A: Stacy, some pigs do this more often than others. My first question would be are you putting water on her food? This tends to cause spitting up after they eat. What kind of food is she on and how long has she been doing this. How often does this happen?
Pigs are prone to ulcers that's why I ask all the above questions. I don't think she has them but would like to know what her daily diet consists of. Let me hear back from you OK?
Q: My pig's diet is oats, farina, grits or (once in a while) dog food for her dinner and snacks of vegetables, some fruit, nuts, but never sweets, salty foods or processed foods.
She doesn't do this coughing water after eating. It happens in the middle of the night, when her dinner is around sunset. It never happens when she is awake and standing, only when she is sound asleep. Like I said before, she shows no signs of pain or discomfort and seems surprised by this when it happens. She will be sleeping and then cough up the water. It's not like a dog or cat getting sick (and I know this is gross) because there isn't any motion prior to the cough.
It has only happened a few times and I was curious as to the cause. I searched and searched online but could not find any other similar questions or health concerns. I have since been putting less water in her food, thinking that her gobbling the water with the food might be the cause.
Have you heard of this before?
A: Hi Stacy, yes it's not uncommon for pigs that have water put on their food to do this. It is kind of like putting your whole supper in the bottom of a big glass of water that you have to drink to get to the food even if your not thirsty. If you are going to wet the food than just dampen it with enough water to moisten it and try that for a while.
I have to admit I have never heard of a pig eating the diet that you sent me, but then again if she is healthy guess it works for her. Though I would have to think that a good pelleted pig chow would be better for her since it is made with all that a pig needs in it. Pigs are omnivores which means they eat meat as well as grain and they can't make their own protein so it has to be fed to them.
That is why even the commercial pig chows have some animal protein added. Anyway give it a try without water on her food or very little water and let me hear from you.
Q: Could you tell me how much to feed Yorkshire pigs in order to keep them in good shape and not overweight? How much can I expect them to weigh? I am getting a couple Yorkshire piglets and want them as pets on the farm. I am not going to sell them for slaughter and want to keep them on a good diet. Any suggestions? Thanks Kurt
A: Hi Kurt, what you feed will increase as the pigs increase in size. I feed mine twice daily with a three coffee cans. They grow so fast that they need extra just to keep up with the growth rate. As they grow you will be able to tell if they are getting enough just by looking at them and feed them accordingly like you would your dog. I would never feed less than a three coffee cans twice daily but there are time I feed more.
The modern day Yorkshire pig is a lean animal usually until about their third year. Its the breeding that determines this and the fact that they were not bred to have to worry after the first couple of years cause by then they have gone to market...boo ..hiss..). The Yorkshire at three years is usually about 800 lbs and our Baby Henry was a thousand lbs when he was ten years old.
Q: I will try to answer your questions about what Miss Piggy is eating. We had been feeding her swine food. It was a maintenance food for pigs and then we finally located a place locally to get pot belly pig food. What they had was Mazuri Mini-Pig food, Youth. We got Miss Piggy from a woman who had bought her at a yard sale for her mother and she didn't want her and the daughter had already been abusive to her that afternoon. Miss Piggy was scared and it took a while to get her tamed.
We got her in July and we guess that she may have been 2 or 3 months old. I feed her a cup of food in the morning and another cup in the afternoon. We also have a garden and we raised broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, and Brussel sprouts this fall. I go out every day at lunch and pick the leaves and broccoli florets , usually a gallon bucket full and feed them to her. We had an Amish friend make her a hot pink harness and leash and I have got her used to it in her pen but she is still too wild to take out in the yard yet and now the weather is not cooperative.
She has also been eating persimmons because her pen is under 3 persimmon trees but they are about gone now. I would mix a handful of shelled corn in with her feed in the afternoon but Kathleen Myers said this might be part of the problem. She had mange mites a couple of months ago but we got medicine from a vet and it cleared up. Thanks for any help you can give. Sheryl
A: Sheryl, nothing wrong with feeding pig chow...we have 73 here that have had nothing but for the last 16 years since we started the sanctuary. I ask about what you were feeding cause there are some potbelly pig foods out there being sold that are not adequate in nutrition. These are companies owned by single individuals not the big ones like Purina.
I ask because I wanted to make sure she wasn't being fed one of those that might not have been giving her enough of what she needs but any commercial hog chow is complete in giving what a pot needs as well as the farm pigs. The Mazuri is good, but I can't say it's any better than the regular pig chow.
In any case diet does not seem to be the problem since it sounds like she gets a pretty well rounded diet. Most pigs that eat their own stool are pigs that have not had a good start in life. Sounds like she didn't have it too good till you got her. Some of these pigs do it because they are bored. Can't imagine that being under three persimmon trees!! Which leads me to another question:
What does she do with the seeds?? I ask because there have been several cases of pigs getting blocked intestines from the seeds in persimmons and peaches. Some pigs spit them out, some swallow them.
Have you noticed any change in her behavior or her digging a lot? Some pigs will eat their own stool (and dirt) when they are in pain. If this pig is acting normal in all ways and anxious to eat like a healthy pig than you can rule pain out as a reason. If you can do that then you might want to start her on a one a day children's vitamin. We use the generic Flintstones ones that come in flavors and they will eat them from your hand.
Also would ask if she started this AFTER you switched her feed or was she doing it before? And what area of the country are you located. If she didn't do this on the pig chow and is doing it on the Mazuri than the answer would be that Mazuri doesn't have the selenium added and your farm pig chow does. If you are in a selenium deficient area that might be your reason. If it started before than that is not the case.
I would rule out habit since this has not always been a problem for her and I can see no reason why she would be hungry enough to do this with what you are giving her so if we rule out pain (which you would know by watching her and how willing she is to eat). That means it has to be a deficiency in something she needs. I would try the vitamins for a time and see if this helps but get back to me on the questions I ask OK?
Q: I have a potbellied pig who lives with two miniature goats, I currently feed her dog "dinner" as it is the only thing the goats don't pinch off her, now I read that this is bad for her. What should I feed? And what is the ideal diet for a pig? I live in Belgium and there are currently no books available on potbellies. HELP!!!
A: I don't know if Belgium has commercial pigs that people eat or not but, some pigs are on farm pig chow...the maintenance formula not the grower stuff which can be found at most feed stores. This seems to be the choice for people that do not have access to Potbelly pig chow.
As for the dog food...that will not hurt her. Some pigs spend their whole lives on it and do quite well if not overfed. I would suggest putting a children's vitamin (we use a generic brand of Flinstone's chewable ) on top of her food and they think its a treat. Pigs are omnivores and they can't make their own protein so it has to be fed to them. The dog food has a high protein content so it covers that part.
If you give veggie treats like carrots and lettuce and any fruits then you are supplying what the pig needs. The vitamin will also help there. On another note...How do the goats do with the pig. We have had several e-mail's from people where the goat has butted the pig causing spinal injury to them. Seems to be only the pygmy goats that do this. Hope this helps you some and stay in contact OK?
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Q: Thank you for your reply, I was relieved to here that the dog food won't hurt my pig! She lives outside sharing a large stable and paddock with two pygmy goats, a castrated billy and his wife, plus lots of chickens and Guinea pigs, and until now they are one big happy family!
Only on occasion have the goats butted the pig usually if I scatter food around for the last few scraps, and sometimes in play and the pig is no innocent by-stander!!! She will herself start pushing into the goats and gives as good as she gets! If let into the garden she will happily run around (as fast as a pig CAN run!) with our four dogs playing, although the dogs get quite worried and are not quite sure what to make of her! Especially the Chihuahua!
I once read an article from an English newspaper, that said pigs needed company and it was cruel to keep just one pig. Do you think this is true? And is the companionship of the goats enough? (I'm not quite sure my husband would cope if I announced I wanted another pig! It took two days of me not speaking to him before he relented and bought me this one!!!) Many thanks for taking time to reply to my last e-mail. Hope to hear from you soon. Rachel.
A: Hi Rachel, I disagree big time with people that say these pigs need company. They are perfectly happy being an only child or having the goats and dogs for company. They fight each other terribly when you put two of them together. Whoever it is that keeps preaching that they need another pig has evidently not had to run one to the vet for stitches.
We have 74 of them here with a few being house pigs. It took two years before George would allow Arnold to sleep in the same area that he is in or even the same room. They are very territorial and unless you get two when you get the first one, I tell people to forget it. It isn't worth the battles that they go through.
Your girl is happy just the way things are and believe me if she could talk she would tell you...No more pigs. These pigs don't know the name of sharing and they really resent new ones brought in.
Q: Hi, It's me again. The move went fine and Max loves it here. He adjusted to the new house better than anyone - my husband, me and our cats. Max also has a real bedroom now that he thinks is pretty cool.
I have a concern though. We have a huge oak tree in our yard and I am worried that the acorns might be poisonous to Max. The tree is now getting new acorns and Max seems to like them. Are acorns harmful to pigs? Thanks, Tammy
A: Normal acorns don't seem to cause a problem other than the stomach ache that goes with eating too many of them, but the green ones tend to make them sick. A lot will depend on Max and his individual make up.
I have a friend in Texas that has a lot of ground with hundreds of oaks with millions of acorns and her pigs don't have a problem with it, but for a first timer you might want to rake them up like some people do so there aren't as many for him to eat. You can't possibly get them all but it just cut's the number down. They can be fattening so that's a concern too. Or you could find a part of the yard without the oak for Max to go in if that's possible during the time the acorns are falling.
Q: Toby will be 3 years old in Jan. He gets regular pot belly pig food 1 cup twice a day. He is an inside pet at our business. Toby is such a sweet guy and we care for him very much. Thanks for your help. Shirley
A: Ok, here is what I would do. A three year old pig doesn't need two cups of chow a day if he isn't out in the cold or doing a lot of walking around. His growth spurts are done so he needs a maintenance diet at this time of his life. Our house pigs (ten of them) get only one cup a day divided into two feedings...some get even less depending on their daily exercise.
You won't be able to do this all at once but a slow decrease over a week or so will do it. We also use oats to fill in if the pig is used to big meals. Not horse oats but the oats like Quaker oats that you eat for breakfast. They are non fattening and have no nutritional value either so we never go below one half a cup of the good ole pig chow at any meal.
You feed the oats dry and most pigs love it. If Toby was here he would be getting one half a cup of pig chow in the morning and when he was finished with that I would sprinkle a handful of the oats out on the floor and he would have to work to eat it. (you might want to let him get a taste of them in with his food first to make sure he finds that oats taste good.) He would get the same at night feeding. He could have a few pieces of lettuce if he likes that during the day or a few plain puffed wheat pellets for treats if he is used to getting treats.
I'm assuming that Toby does go outside for potty time? He needs a little exercise to make sure the muscle tone stays when he loses the weight. (helps keep the skin from sagging) So after you find out if he really likes the oats you might want to (weather permitting) take those outside when he goes and throw them scattering them in the yard so he has to hunt for them. With the onset of winter you will have to play hunt and peck indoors. With this you should see a pretty big change by Spring time. You can if you want, give him a one a day children's chewable vitamin once a day while he is on the diet. (we buy the generic brand of Flintstones at Walmart)
When Toby gets to the weight where he looks good and yet healthy too... we can re-evaluate how things are going and if any changes need to be made. Keep in touch ok...and give the big guy a tummy rub for me.
Q: My pig is now 4 weeks old and is used to the environment he also has already learned to eat out of a bowl. What I need to know is now what can I feed him. I mean what do miniature pot belly pigs eat. What type of solid foods also do I start him off on?
A: At four weeks your baby is still just that a baby. You can start now with putting some starter baby pig chow pellets in a bowl in with him....they usually will play with it but won't eat it just like that. They learn to eat pellets from mom and he hasn't had that time with her to learn so it will be slow going. There are brands of potbelly pig foods out there...Purina has one called Mazuri that a lot of people use. It is easy to get or order from your feed store...there is one called Manna Pro and others that say potbelly pig chow. At four weeks I would continue with his regular feedings and in two weeks or so if he isn't at least tasting the pig chow you might have to mix it with what you are giving him for a while and slowly go to the chow. It sometimes encourages them to eat it if you sprinkle a little powdered milk on the pellets...you don't have to wet them at that point...try it dry first.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Anesthetics / Sedation
Q: Hi, My husband and I are proud parents of a mini pot bellied pig named Ariel. She is 28 months old and we have a big problem. She won't let us trim her nails and they are getting quite long. She is scared of the trimmer we use now and won't let my husband get near her. We had the vet out here to give her an anesthetic shot and it made her very sick. So now we don't know what to do. Maybe you could give me some other alternatives. Thank you. Beth
A: Hi Beth, was reading your post and thinking. At 28 months her feet shouldn't be all that bad. The fact that the vet knocked her out with injectables and she lived through it tells me she is in pretty good shape.
Injectables with pots just doesn't work very well and sometimes they don't come out of it at all. There is a place for injectables when it's that or nothing...like on some of the sanctuary pigs that come in that we can't touch or hold for the Isoflurane gas mask or those that need surgery that we can't touch.
Your question about trimming is one problem that I wish we could find a way to fix forever, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If your going to have the vet do the trimming then make sure the vet has Isoflurane gas and that he uses NOTHING else with it. NO injectable to take the edge off ...in other words nothing, but the ISO. Should this vet ever need to know or use an injectable you might take the formula off the web site and give it to him.
It is there for pigs that can't be handled the regular way, but is not the method of choice. The Isoflurane is the best route to go if the pig has to be knocked out. They come out real quick and even with surgery patients they are up and walking within a few minutes of taking the mask off.
Now for how it can be done without anesthetics. We do the pigs here once a year and no injectables are used. We rub tummies till they go down and quickly with one on the front and one on the back roll the pig to its back. They can't do anything but scream a lot in that position, and then we trim hooves. I don't know how big this pig is, but we have done 300 pounders that way with no problem.
If it's a small pig then maybe your husband flip her....you straddle the pig and pick up behind the front legs and flip the pig onto its butt with its back up against your chest...then you can trim the front feet and nip a little off the back too if needed.
Now with all that said you might want to try putting some goodies on the floor and while she is grabbing you can nip a little off especially the front ones and dew claws. This is the hard way, but works for some people. You just have to follow her around as she keeps moving to keep you away from the feet. Hope some of this helps.
Q: Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I used to be on PigPals years ago. I have a neutered male pig (Hamlet AKA Dammit Hammit) who is now about 330 pounds and very aggressive. Anyway, he is in dire need of a hoof trim. He will let me us small nippers, but just for a few minutes, and I'm only able to get a few slivers off. Needless to say, it would take me a year at this rate.
I had the vet come to the house yesterday. I know all the cautions of injectables, but the vet wanted to use Rompan (I know this is one of the ingredients that your vet recommends in his "cocktail.")
When the vet, and her two assistants, arrived, Hamlet was sleeping in his bed (in the house) with his back to the door. They tip toed up behind him and attempted to give him the injectable. Naturally, he hit the roof, and they weren't able to give the full injection.
The vet was very patient and waited 30-45 for him to settle back down and hopefully lay down and go to sleep. But, that never happened. I tried giving him a belly rub so he would go down, but no go. So, as he was walking around, they tried putting a thick rope around his neck, hoping he would run back to his bed to safety. He did make it to his bed, but the three of them were unable to hold him down.
My dogs were barking at the back door making Hamlet that much more nervous, so I went outside to contain them in the shop. When I returned, the vet informed me that she had called her colleague and they agreed that since he was so aggressive, it was best to let him settle down and reschedule the trimming for another time.
I've been given a lot of advice on how to trim his hooves, but my problem is that his reputation is well-known and I don't have any help. My husband even refuses, as he has been gored by Hamlet before. I can pet Hamlet, but I am very leery of him and always keep an eye on the "teeth end."
My question is this . . . when your vet uses the Telazol/Rompan cocktail, does it actually put the pig to sleep if the appropriate dosage is administered? It is impossible for me to transport him to the vet's office for ISO? Do you have any recommendations/ideas on how I can trim his hooves? Any help will be appreciated. And, just to let you know, even though Hamlet is a 300 pounder, he's not overweight. The vet even commented on what "good shape" he was in. :o)
Thanks in advance,
Carolina
A: Hi Carolina and yes I think I do remember you. As for the big guy and his hooves..... hummm ...his size is intimidating for sure! LOL Guess the only solution for him is to knock him out all the way with the Telazol and Rompan mixture. Rompan alone does not work well on pigs and usually makes them just crazy and staggering a lot. Can't think of anything any worse than a staggering, half drunk, biting, 300 lb pig!
The formula that is on the website is what we use here for the unmanageable pigs but it is the Telazol, Rompan mix. You know I'm sure how to tape him to get his actual weight. Do that and it is correct within 3 lbs.
I know some vets right now are having trouble getting the Telazol...seems like it has been on back order for my vet for several months now. But it really is a good drug without the problems that the others seem to have. I would ask my vet and see if he has it on hand or when it will be available to him. Tape the pig get the correct weight and dose him according to the formula on the web page. Give it to him and wait ten min and he should be slowly going down and to sleep.
DO NOT GIVE HIM MORE THAN THE ONE DOSE FOR HIS SIZE!!!
That's where people and vets get in trouble. If he doesn't go down with the correct dose given than just figure he isn't going to go down at all. Vets sometimes don't want to wait to see if they are going to go down and they give more....big problems for the pig when that is done as it stores in the fat and is released into the body slowly which means he is getting an overdose of the medication.
So remember how important it is to get a fairly accurate weight on him before you start. I can give you a few suggestions on how to get it into him with the vet there to lend a hand. If you have half a hog panel it works well to crowd him into a corner and hold the panel with your knees and hands and feet (tell your vet to work it like a squeeze chute for cattle and he may know what I'm talking about).
The biggest people or strongest should be on the ends of the panel pushing it toward the wall so he can't bust through it. Second suggestion would be if you have or if you can borrow a Great Dane size crate or even the Kennel Air big wire crates will work. Again use the wall to put him in there. Put the crate next to the wall and use the hog panel piece as a runway into the crate....take your time and just close up the end of the panel against the wall slowly as he moves forward. Don't force him...the aggravation alone will make him move forward when he has no other place to go so take your time with him.
What you want is a crate that is really too small for him....you can cram one in a size smaller crate for a short time like this with no ill effects other than maybe "waffle" marks on his butt. The idea is once he is in there you can hold a small board up at the bottom of the door and if he tries to back up he feels the board and stops. He also can't turn around to bite and vet can stick him in the butt without worrying about getting bit.
If its the Kennel Air crate he can stick him through the wire if the crate is tight enough. You can add to the pigs peace of mind by having him in the crate before the vet comes rather than all that confusion if you wait. I can get the biggest meanest sucker here in a crate by myself by using the hog panel and patience. The secret is that they have no place else to go except forward into the crate. If this method is the one you choose to try than I would wait till he goes down in the crate...then remove the top of the crate and get help to pull him out for the hoof trim. Hope some of this helps...let me know OK?
A: Hi Beth, was reading your post and thinking. At 28 months her feet shouldn't be all that bad. The fact that the vet knocked her out with injectables and she lived through it tells me she is in pretty good shape.
Injectables with pots just doesn't work very well and sometimes they don't come out of it at all. There is a place for injectables when it's that or nothing...like on some of the sanctuary pigs that come in that we can't touch or hold for the Isoflurane gas mask or those that need surgery that we can't touch.
Your question about trimming is one problem that I wish we could find a way to fix forever, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If your going to have the vet do the trimming then make sure the vet has Isoflurane gas and that he uses NOTHING else with it. NO injectable to take the edge off ...in other words nothing, but the ISO. Should this vet ever need to know or use an injectable you might take the formula off the web site and give it to him.
It is there for pigs that can't be handled the regular way, but is not the method of choice. The Isoflurane is the best route to go if the pig has to be knocked out. They come out real quick and even with surgery patients they are up and walking within a few minutes of taking the mask off.
Now for how it can be done without anesthetics. We do the pigs here once a year and no injectables are used. We rub tummies till they go down and quickly with one on the front and one on the back roll the pig to its back. They can't do anything but scream a lot in that position, and then we trim hooves. I don't know how big this pig is, but we have done 300 pounders that way with no problem.
If it's a small pig then maybe your husband flip her....you straddle the pig and pick up behind the front legs and flip the pig onto its butt with its back up against your chest...then you can trim the front feet and nip a little off the back too if needed.
Now with all that said you might want to try putting some goodies on the floor and while she is grabbing you can nip a little off especially the front ones and dew claws. This is the hard way, but works for some people. You just have to follow her around as she keeps moving to keep you away from the feet. Hope some of this helps.
Q: Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I used to be on PigPals years ago. I have a neutered male pig (Hamlet AKA Dammit Hammit) who is now about 330 pounds and very aggressive. Anyway, he is in dire need of a hoof trim. He will let me us small nippers, but just for a few minutes, and I'm only able to get a few slivers off. Needless to say, it would take me a year at this rate.
I had the vet come to the house yesterday. I know all the cautions of injectables, but the vet wanted to use Rompan (I know this is one of the ingredients that your vet recommends in his "cocktail.")
When the vet, and her two assistants, arrived, Hamlet was sleeping in his bed (in the house) with his back to the door. They tip toed up behind him and attempted to give him the injectable. Naturally, he hit the roof, and they weren't able to give the full injection.
The vet was very patient and waited 30-45 for him to settle back down and hopefully lay down and go to sleep. But, that never happened. I tried giving him a belly rub so he would go down, but no go. So, as he was walking around, they tried putting a thick rope around his neck, hoping he would run back to his bed to safety. He did make it to his bed, but the three of them were unable to hold him down.
My dogs were barking at the back door making Hamlet that much more nervous, so I went outside to contain them in the shop. When I returned, the vet informed me that she had called her colleague and they agreed that since he was so aggressive, it was best to let him settle down and reschedule the trimming for another time.
I've been given a lot of advice on how to trim his hooves, but my problem is that his reputation is well-known and I don't have any help. My husband even refuses, as he has been gored by Hamlet before. I can pet Hamlet, but I am very leery of him and always keep an eye on the "teeth end."
My question is this . . . when your vet uses the Telazol/Rompan cocktail, does it actually put the pig to sleep if the appropriate dosage is administered? It is impossible for me to transport him to the vet's office for ISO? Do you have any recommendations/ideas on how I can trim his hooves? Any help will be appreciated. And, just to let you know, even though Hamlet is a 300 pounder, he's not overweight. The vet even commented on what "good shape" he was in. :o)
Thanks in advance,
Carolina
A: Hi Carolina and yes I think I do remember you. As for the big guy and his hooves..... hummm ...his size is intimidating for sure! LOL Guess the only solution for him is to knock him out all the way with the Telazol and Rompan mixture. Rompan alone does not work well on pigs and usually makes them just crazy and staggering a lot. Can't think of anything any worse than a staggering, half drunk, biting, 300 lb pig!
The formula that is on the website is what we use here for the unmanageable pigs but it is the Telazol, Rompan mix. You know I'm sure how to tape him to get his actual weight. Do that and it is correct within 3 lbs.
I know some vets right now are having trouble getting the Telazol...seems like it has been on back order for my vet for several months now. But it really is a good drug without the problems that the others seem to have. I would ask my vet and see if he has it on hand or when it will be available to him. Tape the pig get the correct weight and dose him according to the formula on the web page. Give it to him and wait ten min and he should be slowly going down and to sleep.
DO NOT GIVE HIM MORE THAN THE ONE DOSE FOR HIS SIZE!!!
That's where people and vets get in trouble. If he doesn't go down with the correct dose given than just figure he isn't going to go down at all. Vets sometimes don't want to wait to see if they are going to go down and they give more....big problems for the pig when that is done as it stores in the fat and is released into the body slowly which means he is getting an overdose of the medication.
So remember how important it is to get a fairly accurate weight on him before you start. I can give you a few suggestions on how to get it into him with the vet there to lend a hand. If you have half a hog panel it works well to crowd him into a corner and hold the panel with your knees and hands and feet (tell your vet to work it like a squeeze chute for cattle and he may know what I'm talking about).
The biggest people or strongest should be on the ends of the panel pushing it toward the wall so he can't bust through it. Second suggestion would be if you have or if you can borrow a Great Dane size crate or even the Kennel Air big wire crates will work. Again use the wall to put him in there. Put the crate next to the wall and use the hog panel piece as a runway into the crate....take your time and just close up the end of the panel against the wall slowly as he moves forward. Don't force him...the aggravation alone will make him move forward when he has no other place to go so take your time with him.
What you want is a crate that is really too small for him....you can cram one in a size smaller crate for a short time like this with no ill effects other than maybe "waffle" marks on his butt. The idea is once he is in there you can hold a small board up at the bottom of the door and if he tries to back up he feels the board and stops. He also can't turn around to bite and vet can stick him in the butt without worrying about getting bit.
If its the Kennel Air crate he can stick him through the wire if the crate is tight enough. You can add to the pigs peace of mind by having him in the crate before the vet comes rather than all that confusion if you wait. I can get the biggest meanest sucker here in a crate by myself by using the hog panel and patience. The secret is that they have no place else to go except forward into the crate. If this method is the one you choose to try than I would wait till he goes down in the crate...then remove the top of the crate and get help to pull him out for the hoof trim. Hope some of this helps...let me know OK?
Baby Pigs / Piglets
Q: I received a baby pig last night, she is 1 week old. I have never adopted baby pigs before. Only cows, horses, dogs, cats, and a sea bird with an identity crisis. I really want her to survive, are there any signs or symptoms I should worry about? She tries to drink from the bottle, I didn't realize they could pan drink that young, but she got maybe a half ounce. How much does she need? Thank you for your site. She now has my heating pad as I didn't realize they didn't keep warm on their own. Any info you can give would be oh so greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Rochelle
A: She won't take much at one time so she needs to be fed about every two hours for a week if she will take it. Better the pan feeding than the bottle if she will do it. Main thing at this age is to keep her from getting diarrhea as that is the main killer of babies. The Gerber's Rice cereal will help control that if you can start on some of that with her milk. Call or e-mail me if you need help.
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Q: Thank you for returning my e-mail so quickly. I was at a loss as to what to feed her, a friend recommended a recipe for me the night she was dropped off. She is eating well but is starting to get diarrhea. I am not sure if this recipe is too rich for her and not sure if or how to switch her over to the Sow milk replacer I have, the recipe is 1 can evaporated milk (12oz) 1-cup milk, 4 egg yolks, 1TSP of Kayro syrup. She has a lot of energy, and a healthy appetite. I have started the rice cereal like you recommended, what can I do to clear up the diarrhea? I really appreciate your help and now have your web site in my favorites for referral. Thanks again for all the help. Sincerely, Rochelle
A: The rice cereal will help with the poos, but you might get them as a result of changing formula too quickly so try to add some of each and do it slowly. Each day giving less of your formula and more of the milk replacer. Remember that the milk replacer is for large sows. If you have the sow milk replacer so only make up as much as you will use in a day. It can go bad quickly so throw out any left at night and make a new batch. Add enough rice cereal to make it a little thicker and that should help the diarrhea. Feed only what she will take at one time. She should be eating about every four hours and don't overfeed her. Rather a little thin than to have diarrhea. The Gerber's Rice cereal is a wonderful thing! Let me know how she is doing.
Q: I am in Ontario Canada and have one day old pigs. Four have died so we really hope we can help the other survive. We are feeding them baby formula in a dropper. We will go to goats milk in a dish as you suggested. How often do we feed four day olds? Thanks, Beth
A: Feed them every three to four hours if they will take it. It takes very little to fill them up and they will only take what they want at any given time. Hope they make it and remember to keep them very warm. Newborns like it at about ninety degrees, so we use a heating pad for them.
Q: Hi, I’m writing to update you on the piglets. His nose is starting to run a little, and his feces look dry (it’s like a bunch of little pellets). He’s still eating great. I added in a little bit of molasses (hoping they’ll help things go through better) and half a drop of some children’s vitamin/iron drops. I think I”ll go in the AM and get some antibiotics. How often do I give them?
Also, they’re both boys, and they like to “root” each other around, one will be asleep and the other will start pushing him, then later, they’ll switch, is this normal? Thanks!!! Lauren
A: That behavior is normal for them and sounds like you have it pretty much under control. If you get Amoxicillin from the vet its usually in liquid form and you can give half a dropper full twice a day.
Q: I have two 10 week old piglets. These piglets came to our house with a mite problem that we cannot seem to get rid of. We have tried everything that anyone tells us. They still have mites. The second problem is that in the last two days, their bellies look very swollen. We have them on a very strict feeding program and have given Ivomec for mites and worms. What else would cause them to be so big. Their bellies look like they are ready to explode. They are pottying well, and not over-eating. Help Please. Jenifer
A: You might be underfeeding! These are babies and we don't underfeed any other animal baby so it shouldn't be done for a pig either. Babies that aren't getting enough to support their growth and their bone and immune systems get sick. There is plenty of time to control their weight and food intake when they have finished with all the growth spurts. You have seen the bellies of children that aren't getting enough food....? They are also old enough to have a one a day children's vitamin....we get the generic brand of Flintstones.
Q: We just recently adopted a 3 week old piglet (Scarlett). She was an orphan and bottle fed and now she drinks her formula from a bowl. My question is this, we have had her 3 days and fell in love immediately. She is wonderful, smart and amazing. She will run into our laps when we sit on the floor, she crawls up into the fold of our arms and not really biting, but nibbling. I am wondering if it's time to start adding the baby rice cereal to her formula. I don't want her to start biting, but I don't think that is what she is doing?
She eats well and loves her formula and lets you know when the bowl is empty!! Please let me know what you think. Thank you Robie
A: Yes, she is plenty old enough to start on the Gerbers Rice Baby cereal. Start with a little and keep adding as you go along. I don't think she is biting either just more of a taste and feel type thing like any baby does.
Q: My piglet seems to be having trouble breathing, his squeal isn't normal and he almost seems to be panting..if that makes sense. He eats out of a bowl and is not bottle fed. He will be 2 weeks old on the 23rd..I don't know what to do. Thanks Michelle
A: Michelle, your baby might have pneumonia. Take a temp which should be between 98 and 101 and see if he is running a fever. If he were here I would take him into the vet for a check up and get some antibiotics started with him. They can give you liquid Amoxicillin that you give with an eyedropper but don't wait a long time to get him there ok?
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Q: I gave him a shot of penicillin last night and he is quite a bit better this morning..is penicillin ok for him? I only gave a very small amount...but it seems to be enough to help. Thanks for getting back to me! Michelle
A: The Penicillin is fine but I like the liquid better on these poor little babies. At two weeks he could have a fourth a cc of the Penicillin if you have to do it that way. Try just calling a friendly vet and see if he wont give you some of the liquid stuff. (or do you have any friends with kids that might have some on hand. With the liquid you would give it twice a day .... a dropper full for a few days.
A: She won't take much at one time so she needs to be fed about every two hours for a week if she will take it. Better the pan feeding than the bottle if she will do it. Main thing at this age is to keep her from getting diarrhea as that is the main killer of babies. The Gerber's Rice cereal will help control that if you can start on some of that with her milk. Call or e-mail me if you need help.
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Q: Thank you for returning my e-mail so quickly. I was at a loss as to what to feed her, a friend recommended a recipe for me the night she was dropped off. She is eating well but is starting to get diarrhea. I am not sure if this recipe is too rich for her and not sure if or how to switch her over to the Sow milk replacer I have, the recipe is 1 can evaporated milk (12oz) 1-cup milk, 4 egg yolks, 1TSP of Kayro syrup. She has a lot of energy, and a healthy appetite. I have started the rice cereal like you recommended, what can I do to clear up the diarrhea? I really appreciate your help and now have your web site in my favorites for referral. Thanks again for all the help. Sincerely, Rochelle
A: The rice cereal will help with the poos, but you might get them as a result of changing formula too quickly so try to add some of each and do it slowly. Each day giving less of your formula and more of the milk replacer. Remember that the milk replacer is for large sows. If you have the sow milk replacer so only make up as much as you will use in a day. It can go bad quickly so throw out any left at night and make a new batch. Add enough rice cereal to make it a little thicker and that should help the diarrhea. Feed only what she will take at one time. She should be eating about every four hours and don't overfeed her. Rather a little thin than to have diarrhea. The Gerber's Rice cereal is a wonderful thing! Let me know how she is doing.
Q: I am in Ontario Canada and have one day old pigs. Four have died so we really hope we can help the other survive. We are feeding them baby formula in a dropper. We will go to goats milk in a dish as you suggested. How often do we feed four day olds? Thanks, Beth
A: Feed them every three to four hours if they will take it. It takes very little to fill them up and they will only take what they want at any given time. Hope they make it and remember to keep them very warm. Newborns like it at about ninety degrees, so we use a heating pad for them.
Q: Hi, I’m writing to update you on the piglets. His nose is starting to run a little, and his feces look dry (it’s like a bunch of little pellets). He’s still eating great. I added in a little bit of molasses (hoping they’ll help things go through better) and half a drop of some children’s vitamin/iron drops. I think I”ll go in the AM and get some antibiotics. How often do I give them?
Also, they’re both boys, and they like to “root” each other around, one will be asleep and the other will start pushing him, then later, they’ll switch, is this normal? Thanks!!! Lauren
A: That behavior is normal for them and sounds like you have it pretty much under control. If you get Amoxicillin from the vet its usually in liquid form and you can give half a dropper full twice a day.
Q: I have two 10 week old piglets. These piglets came to our house with a mite problem that we cannot seem to get rid of. We have tried everything that anyone tells us. They still have mites. The second problem is that in the last two days, their bellies look very swollen. We have them on a very strict feeding program and have given Ivomec for mites and worms. What else would cause them to be so big. Their bellies look like they are ready to explode. They are pottying well, and not over-eating. Help Please. Jenifer
A: You might be underfeeding! These are babies and we don't underfeed any other animal baby so it shouldn't be done for a pig either. Babies that aren't getting enough to support their growth and their bone and immune systems get sick. There is plenty of time to control their weight and food intake when they have finished with all the growth spurts. You have seen the bellies of children that aren't getting enough food....? They are also old enough to have a one a day children's vitamin....we get the generic brand of Flintstones.
Q: We just recently adopted a 3 week old piglet (Scarlett). She was an orphan and bottle fed and now she drinks her formula from a bowl. My question is this, we have had her 3 days and fell in love immediately. She is wonderful, smart and amazing. She will run into our laps when we sit on the floor, she crawls up into the fold of our arms and not really biting, but nibbling. I am wondering if it's time to start adding the baby rice cereal to her formula. I don't want her to start biting, but I don't think that is what she is doing?
She eats well and loves her formula and lets you know when the bowl is empty!! Please let me know what you think. Thank you Robie
A: Yes, she is plenty old enough to start on the Gerbers Rice Baby cereal. Start with a little and keep adding as you go along. I don't think she is biting either just more of a taste and feel type thing like any baby does.
Q: My piglet seems to be having trouble breathing, his squeal isn't normal and he almost seems to be panting..if that makes sense. He eats out of a bowl and is not bottle fed. He will be 2 weeks old on the 23rd..I don't know what to do. Thanks Michelle
A: Michelle, your baby might have pneumonia. Take a temp which should be between 98 and 101 and see if he is running a fever. If he were here I would take him into the vet for a check up and get some antibiotics started with him. They can give you liquid Amoxicillin that you give with an eyedropper but don't wait a long time to get him there ok?
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Q: I gave him a shot of penicillin last night and he is quite a bit better this morning..is penicillin ok for him? I only gave a very small amount...but it seems to be enough to help. Thanks for getting back to me! Michelle
A: The Penicillin is fine but I like the liquid better on these poor little babies. At two weeks he could have a fourth a cc of the Penicillin if you have to do it that way. Try just calling a friendly vet and see if he wont give you some of the liquid stuff. (or do you have any friends with kids that might have some on hand. With the liquid you would give it twice a day .... a dropper full for a few days.
Potty Training
Q : I have finally gotten Mollie to hold it during the day while we're at work, but now she has accidents at night. She never had one before I started the "no potty inside" thing. Tonight I am trying something new. I took her water bowl up after dinner (10:00 pm, I was out). I let her out to potty after dinner. I hope this will help. I needed to have fed her sooner so that dinner would have had time to cycle through, but I'm going to bed now. Guess I'll clean it up in the morning if she has another accident. Any idea why she suddenly started doing this? Does she just like seeing me mop the floor? Kellie
A: Kelly, usually when they potty at night it's because they have too much room to roam in. She may need to be semi confined for the night time for a while. My Roxie has a large Great Dane kennel that she took for her own and when it's time for bed she goes into it herself....so I close the door at night time, but the rest of the time the door is open for her to come and go as she pleases.
Q: Can a potbellied pig be trained like a dog? Meaning take him outside like a puppy every 2- hours? I LOVE pigs & I really want one...I've wanted a potbellied pig for about 8 years now, but I don't have a house yet & I know my new husband & I are not in a lifestyle right now to be moving around with a pig, but I WILL have one someday & I'm just getting some knowledge first....what do they eat? My name is Amber & my step daughter sent me this website knowing that I LOVE pigs...I have my whole bathroom in pigs....Anyway Thanks for your time & answering my questions. Sincerely, Amber
A: Hi Amber, yes they can be house broken just like a dog only better and easier. I have 6 in the house and they go out on a schedule that never changes. Once you take a baby outside to go that is where it prefers to do its business. The number one they will do in a litter box if one is provided for them as a baby, but once they do a number two outside they will hold it till they get out to go.
They are not a pet for everyone and most breeders don't tell the down side of owning one. They are amazing creatures, very intelligent and they have reasoning power. They eat a mini pig chow for the most part and are extremely healthy most of the time. The size is what gets most people and is probably the number one reason that they end up unwanted at the sanctuaries. There are NO HEALTHY pet pigs that weigh only 30 or 40 lbs. Average weight for the pots cross country is 80 to 150 lbs with most going over that.
When grown they have trouble doing steps and that's part of the problem. They can't be put into a small carrier and taken to the vet because of their size. Everyone loves a baby pig but that babyhood is short lived and they are not full grown until three years. Most areas in towns or cities are not zoned for them and that is the second most often reason they end up in a sanctuary. They are not legal to keep in most towns or cities and they lose their good home when animal control finds out they are there.
They are a unique and wonderful animal for those willing to make the commitment to them for the life of the pig (which is about 15 years). If you like to vacation or go away from home a lot they are not an animal for you. It's hard to find someone to take care of them and boarding kennels are seldom an option. They are creatures of habit and dislike change of any kind. Hope some of this helps.
Q: I have a question, I was given a pot belly pig. Truly cute. But the problem is, she sleeps were she messes. The person I got her from kept her in a small area (too small). So she slept, ate and messed in the same area. I know pigs are clean animals and that they learn quick. Trying to correct this problem. I have her in a larger area with her food and bedding in one area and her messing in another area. Yet she still sleeps where she messes. Like to house break her, but I know I need to fix this problem first. Any suggestions? Alex
A: I only had one with this problem and he was so glad to get out of the mess that he learned in two days that he didn't have to live that way anymore. We put him on the back porch (air conditioned and all) and let him outside three or four times a day on a regular schedule....that took care of the problem. If your keeping her outside or in a stall area..let her out several times a day on a schedule. I think within three days your problems will be over. Also give her a bed of blankets.
Q: My baby pigs came from a pregnant pig that was running in the wild behind my house. My question is what goes in the litter box? They are smart and they use the box (I have dirt in it right now) Can I use litter?
A: Only if your there to watch and make sure they don't eat any. The clay litter packs in the tummy so if you use anything try not to use that....I prefer the pine shavings, shredded paper or plain dirt...the dirt also makes it easy to get them to go outside when the time comes.
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Q: We have a 4 year old pot belly that was potty trained to a litter box. She was great and never had an accident. The litter box got to small for her so I threw it away and replaced it with a much larger one. Now she will not even go near it and she goes on the floor. How do we retrain her to go in the litter box. NEED HELP!!!!!! Thank You
A: Pigs are creatures of habit....you threw away the "habit" LOL. Usually at this age they cease to use a box anyway and prefer to go outside to go potty. We have four house pigs in here and no litter boxes at all. They are all on a schedule of going out to do their business. If there is a reason she can't be let out to do her business than there are a few things that you can try that MIGHT encourage her to start going in a litter pan again.
Make sure that new pan is easy to get into and out of....height etc and make sure it isn't slick so she won't slide when getting in. Confine litter pan, sleeping blankets, feed and water bowls to a smaller area until using pan becomes a habit. Pigs don't like to go where they have to eat and sleep. Any mess she makes on the floor...use a paper towel and clean up and put in the box. Use paper towels to blot up urine and put in the box too for a couple of days. These pigs are so habit forming that it is sometimes a problem.
We can't get pigs to go into new housing without locking them in for at least overnight. They would rather lay out in the cold than to give in to walking into a different shelter. Let me hear how it goes.
Q: My pig is now 9 weeks old. She eats about 3-4 small meals a day and I usually give her water at those times too, but she walks around and pees every 15 minutes, wherever she chooses. I take her outside and she goes. I am at my wits end with cleaning up the messes, my carpets smell horrible. Why can't she hold it long like a puppy?
The breeder has neutered male babies in her house and she says she has never heard of a pig peeing so much. Please help me with this. I don't want to have to put her outside.
A: First I would have her urine checked...if she is going that much you shouldn't have a problem catching some in a container to take in. Just ask them to check it for infection...and it wouldn't hurt to ask for a sugar count ...its a fairly cheap and easy test and any vet should be able to do it for you. If that comes back with just the ordinary bacteria and no major problems then I would have to assume it might be you.
Put this girl on a schedule and don't vary from it. Out first thing every morning again three or four hours later and so on throughout the day. She needs to know that at these certain hours she will be outside to go. They are creatures of habit. If she has no schedule than she never knows when the next time out might be and she goes when the mood hits.
She is still very young to expect her to be trained ..this is when your first just trying to train her. Usually once they poo outside they will try to hold that part till they are out again, but its hard for a baby to hold their urine for long periods.
Also I would leave water down all the time! All animals need unlimited access to water all the time. She may be over drinking at feed times to make up for not having water later on. But the scheduling is the most important part of the training ...later on as she gets older you slowly eliminate a couple of the in-between times so that she is going out morning, noon and late day. You didn't say if this girl has access to the yard on her own or not..that can make a difference too. Some pigs don't like to go when they are on a harness unless trained that way. Until she is predictable she needs to have her house space limited. Give her a small area and only allow her out after she has been outside and when you're watching her like a hawk and just for a short period of time to play etc. Put her bed and stuff in that limited space. If she makes a mistake put her back out again. We never give babies full run until later on when they can be trusted.
Q: Hello, About a month ago, my wife and I bought an 8 week old potbelly. I hate to admit this but it was an impulse buy and we find ourselves unprepared for the intelligence of this animal. We've done a lot of work on our house but never once in my life did I ever think to piggy proof it...go figure!!
Committed to learning what I can, I'm trying to find what I can about proper training. We do keep him in the house and would like to continue to do so. He goes potty in the litter box like a good piggy and is fun to watch play with the kids and cats... Not being a big fan of cats, I get a certain amount of joy out of watching him knock my wife's cats down the pecking order of things.
Ok...My question is this. Although he's very good about his potty habits, he will find places here and there to have "accidents." He found a place in the kitchen and when we covered it with a throw rug he moved on to another place. He's on his 3rd new location and my wife is threatening me with bacon for breakfast. Please Help!!!!! Bob is the only other source of testosterone in this house and I need all the help I can get. Thank You Dennis
A: First question Dennis would be is the little guy neutered? He is still awful young to be done, but should be done by a vet that knows potbellies when he is about 12 weeks or about 15-20lbs. Please make sure to find a vet that knows how to neuter pots. Not all vets have ISO Fluorine gas which is the only safe knock out for pots and some vets don't know that these guys can't be done the way farm pigs are due to the inguinal ring inside which needs to be sewn up to prevent hernias.
That said we will move on to the potty problem. You are giving the little guy too much room to make mistakes. At that age we limit them to one room or less and just gradually increase their space as they grow and mature. Ours have a playpen that is their own space with the potty box and blankies for sleeping and they are out to play with supervision in that room only with the potty box next to their playpen.
We do put them back in their playpen often to take potty breaks and if you can catch him standing real still (which is what they do when they go) then put him in his box. I would like to ask where the little guy is sleeping? If he is sleeping in a large room loose or does he have a crate or playpen of his own. If it's a small room like a wash room or bathroom that's OK too. Give me more info and I will give more suggestions. OK?
Q: Hello, we adopted Rex over Easter weekend, he was born March 8, 2004, he is now 53 pounds and we love him with all our hearts. He was litter trained by the time he was 5 days old, and we haven't had any problems with him until now.
There have been a lot of changes in the house as of late (which I do know can be very upsetting to a pig). The kids have gone back to school after summer break, new carpet has been put in, and his little box was moved because of it.
Well needless to say, Rex isn't too happy about all this change, so now he is peeing wherever he chooses. During the evening when we are home he is able to roam the house as he pleases, with the exception of a couple closed doors. We have a 4-level split home, his box was on the 3rd level in the family room until the new carpet came, then we moved the box down to the 4th level (laundry room, shop, kids playroom). Rex is put down in the 4th level at night and while we are at work/school, then gets let out as soon as someone is home - because of the new peeing issue.
We've spoke to our vet and he has made a suggestion or two. Get another litter box and put it back where it originally was. When we catch him peeing, get him over the either box as soon as possible. When he is finished peeing in his box, reward him with a treat. Eventually would should be able to eliminate the 2nd box.
Do you have any more thoughts or suggestions for our little buddy? Thank you, Anne
A: Anne, your right that's a lot of changes for a baby to get used to. That is your problem, but at his age my suggestion would be to get him outside for potty time...not a box. We have ten pigs in the house, but only one youngster at the moment and he is your pigs age. He goes outside to do his business off and on throughout the day. If you're gone during the day to work than you can still let him out to potty when you are home. My suggestion would be give him only one room until he comes around....a washroom etc...with his box and take him out as soon as you get home to potty. Once they go outside they don't like to go inside unless they just can't help it. These guys are creatures of habit and that is now all messed up as far as he is concerned. Start from scratch and retrain him giving him very little space with his box...they don't like going where they have to live so that's the idea of a small space. But he is also of the age where he would prefer to go outside.
Q: We have a 4 year old pot belly that was potty trained to a litter box. She was great and never had an accident. The litter box got too small for her so I threw it away and replaced it with a much larger one. Now she will not even go near it and she goes on the floor. How do we retrain her to go in the litter box. NEED HELP!!! Thank You
A: Pigs are creatures of habit...you threw away the "habit" LOL. Usually at this age they cease to use a box anyway and prefer to go outside to go potty. We have ten house pigs in here and no litter boxes at all. They are all on a schedule of going out to do their business. If there is a reason she can't be let out to do her business than there are a few things that you can try that MIGHT encourage her to start going in a litter pan again.
Make sure that new pan is easy to get into and out of...height etc. and make sure it isn't slick so she won't slide when getting in. Confine litter pan, sleeping blankets, feed and water bowls to a smaller area until using pan becomes a habit. Pigs don't like to go where they have to eat and sleep. Any mess she makes on the floor...use a paper towel and clean up and put in the box. Use paper towels to blot up urine and put in the box too for a couple of days. These pigs are so habit forming that it's sometimes a problem. We can't get pigs to go into new housing without locking them in for at least overnight. They would rather lay out in the cold than to give in to walking into a different shelter. Let me hear how it goes.
Q: Hello, I am a new owner of this sweet little 12 week girl. And no she is not fixed, but I am looking into this also. I did have her trained and yes there has been changes in the household. First I had to get a bigger litter box, than I changed the brand of litter. Plus I finally found the right harness for her. So at this point I started to put her outside and she loves it, but when I bring her back in the house she is going to the bathroom every where.
So I cleaned all the carpets with vinegar & water "allot" and got her a playpen. I put the litter box and her blankets and bed in the playpen in my nice clean carpet bedroom. The first thing she does is relieve herself in her pen, every where, but in her litter box. I just about dropped dead.
So here I sit in my sticky bedroom with the love of my life. Please help me. What do I use to wash the carpet out with. "smell" and now what do I do to get her back using the box. I saw in one of your letters to give her a treat after the use of the litter. I will try this too! At this point i will try anything. We all love Pork Chops so much and the rest of the barn animals {children & dogs & cats} Can you give me any advise? Thank you so much, Michelle & Pork Chops
A: I can try to help!! LOL. Your girl is twelve weeks which means it's the start of the female cycle. They usually come in around three months which changes their habits sometimes.
First off I would have to say that she is probably too large for a playpen now and resents it. Your better off to confine her to one small room or space until her housebreaking is complete. We don't use litter boxes at all here and once they are walking well they start going outside to do their business which they much prefer to a litter box. (But then we have walk out doors without steps for them to use to go outside.)
What you might think about doing if it's possible, is to put her up a small safe pen outside the door so she can be put out often and only using the litter pan during the night. We never give a young pig full run of the house...it invites disaster. If your going to continue with the litter pan than put it in the confined space where she is going to be living for the next few months and only allow her out if you are watching and after she has either been outside or used the box. We have used the portable puppy pens and also blocked off a section of a room with whatever we can find that works. We have also resorted to building a cute small pen 4x5 ft that is two ft high...you can even decorate it with the lattice work stuff and make it cute but they go in there with bed and litter pan..food and water dish and that is their home until they can be trusted.
We can do this cause there are always more coming that we can use it for so I don't know if you want to go to the trouble or not but most pigs become so attached to it that it remains their favorite sleeping place long after they are housebroke. It gives them a sense of security and we have some old ones still sleeping in their first enclosure.
As for cleaning....the best we have found is Odormute which can be found on our website or get the pet cleaners that are used on carpets.
A: Kelly, usually when they potty at night it's because they have too much room to roam in. She may need to be semi confined for the night time for a while. My Roxie has a large Great Dane kennel that she took for her own and when it's time for bed she goes into it herself....so I close the door at night time, but the rest of the time the door is open for her to come and go as she pleases.
Q: Can a potbellied pig be trained like a dog? Meaning take him outside like a puppy every 2- hours? I LOVE pigs & I really want one...I've wanted a potbellied pig for about 8 years now, but I don't have a house yet & I know my new husband & I are not in a lifestyle right now to be moving around with a pig, but I WILL have one someday & I'm just getting some knowledge first....what do they eat? My name is Amber & my step daughter sent me this website knowing that I LOVE pigs...I have my whole bathroom in pigs....Anyway Thanks for your time & answering my questions. Sincerely, Amber
A: Hi Amber, yes they can be house broken just like a dog only better and easier. I have 6 in the house and they go out on a schedule that never changes. Once you take a baby outside to go that is where it prefers to do its business. The number one they will do in a litter box if one is provided for them as a baby, but once they do a number two outside they will hold it till they get out to go.
They are not a pet for everyone and most breeders don't tell the down side of owning one. They are amazing creatures, very intelligent and they have reasoning power. They eat a mini pig chow for the most part and are extremely healthy most of the time. The size is what gets most people and is probably the number one reason that they end up unwanted at the sanctuaries. There are NO HEALTHY pet pigs that weigh only 30 or 40 lbs. Average weight for the pots cross country is 80 to 150 lbs with most going over that.
When grown they have trouble doing steps and that's part of the problem. They can't be put into a small carrier and taken to the vet because of their size. Everyone loves a baby pig but that babyhood is short lived and they are not full grown until three years. Most areas in towns or cities are not zoned for them and that is the second most often reason they end up in a sanctuary. They are not legal to keep in most towns or cities and they lose their good home when animal control finds out they are there.
They are a unique and wonderful animal for those willing to make the commitment to them for the life of the pig (which is about 15 years). If you like to vacation or go away from home a lot they are not an animal for you. It's hard to find someone to take care of them and boarding kennels are seldom an option. They are creatures of habit and dislike change of any kind. Hope some of this helps.
Q: I have a question, I was given a pot belly pig. Truly cute. But the problem is, she sleeps were she messes. The person I got her from kept her in a small area (too small). So she slept, ate and messed in the same area. I know pigs are clean animals and that they learn quick. Trying to correct this problem. I have her in a larger area with her food and bedding in one area and her messing in another area. Yet she still sleeps where she messes. Like to house break her, but I know I need to fix this problem first. Any suggestions? Alex
A: I only had one with this problem and he was so glad to get out of the mess that he learned in two days that he didn't have to live that way anymore. We put him on the back porch (air conditioned and all) and let him outside three or four times a day on a regular schedule....that took care of the problem. If your keeping her outside or in a stall area..let her out several times a day on a schedule. I think within three days your problems will be over. Also give her a bed of blankets.
Q: My baby pigs came from a pregnant pig that was running in the wild behind my house. My question is what goes in the litter box? They are smart and they use the box (I have dirt in it right now) Can I use litter?
A: Only if your there to watch and make sure they don't eat any. The clay litter packs in the tummy so if you use anything try not to use that....I prefer the pine shavings, shredded paper or plain dirt...the dirt also makes it easy to get them to go outside when the time comes.
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Q: We have a 4 year old pot belly that was potty trained to a litter box. She was great and never had an accident. The litter box got to small for her so I threw it away and replaced it with a much larger one. Now she will not even go near it and she goes on the floor. How do we retrain her to go in the litter box. NEED HELP!!!!!! Thank You
A: Pigs are creatures of habit....you threw away the "habit" LOL. Usually at this age they cease to use a box anyway and prefer to go outside to go potty. We have four house pigs in here and no litter boxes at all. They are all on a schedule of going out to do their business. If there is a reason she can't be let out to do her business than there are a few things that you can try that MIGHT encourage her to start going in a litter pan again.
Make sure that new pan is easy to get into and out of....height etc and make sure it isn't slick so she won't slide when getting in. Confine litter pan, sleeping blankets, feed and water bowls to a smaller area until using pan becomes a habit. Pigs don't like to go where they have to eat and sleep. Any mess she makes on the floor...use a paper towel and clean up and put in the box. Use paper towels to blot up urine and put in the box too for a couple of days. These pigs are so habit forming that it is sometimes a problem.
We can't get pigs to go into new housing without locking them in for at least overnight. They would rather lay out in the cold than to give in to walking into a different shelter. Let me hear how it goes.
Q: My pig is now 9 weeks old. She eats about 3-4 small meals a day and I usually give her water at those times too, but she walks around and pees every 15 minutes, wherever she chooses. I take her outside and she goes. I am at my wits end with cleaning up the messes, my carpets smell horrible. Why can't she hold it long like a puppy?
The breeder has neutered male babies in her house and she says she has never heard of a pig peeing so much. Please help me with this. I don't want to have to put her outside.
A: First I would have her urine checked...if she is going that much you shouldn't have a problem catching some in a container to take in. Just ask them to check it for infection...and it wouldn't hurt to ask for a sugar count ...its a fairly cheap and easy test and any vet should be able to do it for you. If that comes back with just the ordinary bacteria and no major problems then I would have to assume it might be you.
Put this girl on a schedule and don't vary from it. Out first thing every morning again three or four hours later and so on throughout the day. She needs to know that at these certain hours she will be outside to go. They are creatures of habit. If she has no schedule than she never knows when the next time out might be and she goes when the mood hits.
She is still very young to expect her to be trained ..this is when your first just trying to train her. Usually once they poo outside they will try to hold that part till they are out again, but its hard for a baby to hold their urine for long periods.
Also I would leave water down all the time! All animals need unlimited access to water all the time. She may be over drinking at feed times to make up for not having water later on. But the scheduling is the most important part of the training ...later on as she gets older you slowly eliminate a couple of the in-between times so that she is going out morning, noon and late day. You didn't say if this girl has access to the yard on her own or not..that can make a difference too. Some pigs don't like to go when they are on a harness unless trained that way. Until she is predictable she needs to have her house space limited. Give her a small area and only allow her out after she has been outside and when you're watching her like a hawk and just for a short period of time to play etc. Put her bed and stuff in that limited space. If she makes a mistake put her back out again. We never give babies full run until later on when they can be trusted.
Q: Hello, About a month ago, my wife and I bought an 8 week old potbelly. I hate to admit this but it was an impulse buy and we find ourselves unprepared for the intelligence of this animal. We've done a lot of work on our house but never once in my life did I ever think to piggy proof it...go figure!!
Committed to learning what I can, I'm trying to find what I can about proper training. We do keep him in the house and would like to continue to do so. He goes potty in the litter box like a good piggy and is fun to watch play with the kids and cats... Not being a big fan of cats, I get a certain amount of joy out of watching him knock my wife's cats down the pecking order of things.
Ok...My question is this. Although he's very good about his potty habits, he will find places here and there to have "accidents." He found a place in the kitchen and when we covered it with a throw rug he moved on to another place. He's on his 3rd new location and my wife is threatening me with bacon for breakfast. Please Help!!!!! Bob is the only other source of testosterone in this house and I need all the help I can get. Thank You Dennis
A: First question Dennis would be is the little guy neutered? He is still awful young to be done, but should be done by a vet that knows potbellies when he is about 12 weeks or about 15-20lbs. Please make sure to find a vet that knows how to neuter pots. Not all vets have ISO Fluorine gas which is the only safe knock out for pots and some vets don't know that these guys can't be done the way farm pigs are due to the inguinal ring inside which needs to be sewn up to prevent hernias.
That said we will move on to the potty problem. You are giving the little guy too much room to make mistakes. At that age we limit them to one room or less and just gradually increase their space as they grow and mature. Ours have a playpen that is their own space with the potty box and blankies for sleeping and they are out to play with supervision in that room only with the potty box next to their playpen.
We do put them back in their playpen often to take potty breaks and if you can catch him standing real still (which is what they do when they go) then put him in his box. I would like to ask where the little guy is sleeping? If he is sleeping in a large room loose or does he have a crate or playpen of his own. If it's a small room like a wash room or bathroom that's OK too. Give me more info and I will give more suggestions. OK?
Q: Hello, we adopted Rex over Easter weekend, he was born March 8, 2004, he is now 53 pounds and we love him with all our hearts. He was litter trained by the time he was 5 days old, and we haven't had any problems with him until now.
There have been a lot of changes in the house as of late (which I do know can be very upsetting to a pig). The kids have gone back to school after summer break, new carpet has been put in, and his little box was moved because of it.
Well needless to say, Rex isn't too happy about all this change, so now he is peeing wherever he chooses. During the evening when we are home he is able to roam the house as he pleases, with the exception of a couple closed doors. We have a 4-level split home, his box was on the 3rd level in the family room until the new carpet came, then we moved the box down to the 4th level (laundry room, shop, kids playroom). Rex is put down in the 4th level at night and while we are at work/school, then gets let out as soon as someone is home - because of the new peeing issue.
We've spoke to our vet and he has made a suggestion or two. Get another litter box and put it back where it originally was. When we catch him peeing, get him over the either box as soon as possible. When he is finished peeing in his box, reward him with a treat. Eventually would should be able to eliminate the 2nd box.
Do you have any more thoughts or suggestions for our little buddy? Thank you, Anne
A: Anne, your right that's a lot of changes for a baby to get used to. That is your problem, but at his age my suggestion would be to get him outside for potty time...not a box. We have ten pigs in the house, but only one youngster at the moment and he is your pigs age. He goes outside to do his business off and on throughout the day. If you're gone during the day to work than you can still let him out to potty when you are home. My suggestion would be give him only one room until he comes around....a washroom etc...with his box and take him out as soon as you get home to potty. Once they go outside they don't like to go inside unless they just can't help it. These guys are creatures of habit and that is now all messed up as far as he is concerned. Start from scratch and retrain him giving him very little space with his box...they don't like going where they have to live so that's the idea of a small space. But he is also of the age where he would prefer to go outside.
Q: We have a 4 year old pot belly that was potty trained to a litter box. She was great and never had an accident. The litter box got too small for her so I threw it away and replaced it with a much larger one. Now she will not even go near it and she goes on the floor. How do we retrain her to go in the litter box. NEED HELP!!! Thank You
A: Pigs are creatures of habit...you threw away the "habit" LOL. Usually at this age they cease to use a box anyway and prefer to go outside to go potty. We have ten house pigs in here and no litter boxes at all. They are all on a schedule of going out to do their business. If there is a reason she can't be let out to do her business than there are a few things that you can try that MIGHT encourage her to start going in a litter pan again.
Make sure that new pan is easy to get into and out of...height etc. and make sure it isn't slick so she won't slide when getting in. Confine litter pan, sleeping blankets, feed and water bowls to a smaller area until using pan becomes a habit. Pigs don't like to go where they have to eat and sleep. Any mess she makes on the floor...use a paper towel and clean up and put in the box. Use paper towels to blot up urine and put in the box too for a couple of days. These pigs are so habit forming that it's sometimes a problem. We can't get pigs to go into new housing without locking them in for at least overnight. They would rather lay out in the cold than to give in to walking into a different shelter. Let me hear how it goes.
Q: Hello, I am a new owner of this sweet little 12 week girl. And no she is not fixed, but I am looking into this also. I did have her trained and yes there has been changes in the household. First I had to get a bigger litter box, than I changed the brand of litter. Plus I finally found the right harness for her. So at this point I started to put her outside and she loves it, but when I bring her back in the house she is going to the bathroom every where.
So I cleaned all the carpets with vinegar & water "allot" and got her a playpen. I put the litter box and her blankets and bed in the playpen in my nice clean carpet bedroom. The first thing she does is relieve herself in her pen, every where, but in her litter box. I just about dropped dead.
So here I sit in my sticky bedroom with the love of my life. Please help me. What do I use to wash the carpet out with. "smell" and now what do I do to get her back using the box. I saw in one of your letters to give her a treat after the use of the litter. I will try this too! At this point i will try anything. We all love Pork Chops so much and the rest of the barn animals {children & dogs & cats} Can you give me any advise? Thank you so much, Michelle & Pork Chops
A: I can try to help!! LOL. Your girl is twelve weeks which means it's the start of the female cycle. They usually come in around three months which changes their habits sometimes.
First off I would have to say that she is probably too large for a playpen now and resents it. Your better off to confine her to one small room or space until her housebreaking is complete. We don't use litter boxes at all here and once they are walking well they start going outside to do their business which they much prefer to a litter box. (But then we have walk out doors without steps for them to use to go outside.)
What you might think about doing if it's possible, is to put her up a small safe pen outside the door so she can be put out often and only using the litter pan during the night. We never give a young pig full run of the house...it invites disaster. If your going to continue with the litter pan than put it in the confined space where she is going to be living for the next few months and only allow her out if you are watching and after she has either been outside or used the box. We have used the portable puppy pens and also blocked off a section of a room with whatever we can find that works. We have also resorted to building a cute small pen 4x5 ft that is two ft high...you can even decorate it with the lattice work stuff and make it cute but they go in there with bed and litter pan..food and water dish and that is their home until they can be trusted.
We can do this cause there are always more coming that we can use it for so I don't know if you want to go to the trouble or not but most pigs become so attached to it that it remains their favorite sleeping place long after they are housebroke. It gives them a sense of security and we have some old ones still sleeping in their first enclosure.
As for cleaning....the best we have found is Odormute which can be found on our website or get the pet cleaners that are used on carpets.
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