Emma the pig

Question
Hello, so I have a mini pot belly pig named Emma. I got her when she was about 7 weeks old, she is now 6 months or so. She will not stop tearing up our kitchen floor tiles and the floor in my room (where she sleeps as well) it is winter so I know she get outside to rut as much as she needs to and I feed her two cups of pig pellets a day along with some lettuce and fruit throughout the day. So I feel like her being hungry isn't the problem. Is there anything I can do to make her stop? Also anytime we are laying down in the room or she sits with me nobody not even the kids can come in or around us without her squealing or barking. She just won't learn. And she hasn't become used to the others in our home. What can I do to fix these piggy problems?

Answer
Piglets have a lot of energy and need to root. If she can't go outside, make a rooting box for her. You can use a cardboard box, plastic tub or build a wooden box. Fill it with rubber balls or smooth pebbles, and scatter treats like Cheerios in the box. If you have a large unheated space like a garage set up a pen for her and add several bales of straw, and she will be ok for awhile.

Has she learned that when she squeals she gets her way? Or does she seem to really not understand things? If she doesn't seem to understand, make sure she can hear you and see you. Pigs are clever animals, and a deaf pig may not act deaf.

If she's squealing because it gets her way, then she has to learn a new habit. If you are in a room with her, and someone else enters, and she squeals, just ignore the squealing. At first she'll squeal even louder. Piggy thinks if squealing worked before but isn't working now, then the solution is to squeal louder!! So be ready. But simply ignore the squealing. When she finally quiets down, tell her she's a good pig. But wait until she's quiet even if it takes several minutes

Pigs see the world as a ladder, with each person, pet or pig having his or her own rung. Pigs show each other they sit high on the ladder by making lower ranking pigs move. So, one way to teach Emma is to make her move or take a couple of steps.

Trick training also helps. Once she's learned a trick or two, the other people in the home or visitors can make her do her tricks for treats, teaching her that all people outrank her.