Mouth issue - smacking gums and teeth

Question
I have a 5 month old mini pig named Mariah and when she lays down to sleep or take a nap she will smack her gums and/or teeth repeatedly for several minutes (sometimes 5 or more) before settling down and sleeping. Is this noise a natural behavior for pigs? Also, I am currently using pine pellets for her litter box but it appears she may actually be eating some of it on occasion. Should we switch to another type or will that cause more harm than good from an accident standpoint?  Thank you for all of your help.


Regards,


Dan


Regards,

Dan

Answer
Hello,
You pig is probably cutting teeth.  This will cause grinding of teeth, drooling, and other issues.  It is perfectly normal and will happen several time in her younger years.
As far as the pine pellets....if they are toxic free it shouldn't hurt her if she should eat a few.  Other things like cat litter would b far worse.
Other options are to use chemical free dirt, or puppy pads in the litter box.
Hope this helps,
Patty