Potty training my pig/ feeding

Question
Hello, I recently purchased a miniature pot belly pig. She is now about 9-10 weeks old an is a full time indoors piggy. Since we brought her home we have researched every possible way to potty train her and she just isn't gettig it. We have tried the litter box, using the harness to take her outside, the whole nine yards. We keep her in a confined area (the bathroom) with her bed and water on one side and her litter box on the other. She has not used the litter box once. She goes where ever she wants to go. Not just in the bathroom but when I take her out she goes all over the house. She's still a little scared of us and she doesn't really let us pet her or walk close to her because when we do she will run in the opposite direction. This has improved since we got her but i see it's going to take a little more time.  But because she is so scared I can't physically "take her" to her litter box. I honestly have no idea what to do, becase we have had her for about three weeks and it is all day cleaning up after her. What can I do to resolve this ? Also, when I purchased Stella from the breeder she told me to only feed her a small handful of food twice a day. But when I did the research I read it's a pound of food per day, per month of the pig. I tried feeding her the small amount the breeder told me, but Stella became extremely demanding about being fed more. So after reading I did. I don't feed her a pound but much more then a handful. I'm getting different answers all over the place, how much should she be eating at 9-10 weeks of age? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Answer
Piglets and young pigs are food crazy. It's good that your pig is, because it means she really is at least 8 or 9 weeks old. She was not weaned too early, and learned from her mom and siblings that she is a pig. You can use this food craziness to your advantage in training her.

According to "The Veterinary Care of Pot-Bellied Pigs" by Lorrie Blackburn/Boldrick, the rule of thumb is 1/2 cup mini-pig pellets per 15 lb of piglet, with a minimum of 1/2 cup per day. Supplement this with fresh veggies, fruits, grazing time and training treats.

Right now your piglet is not socialized, that makes weighing her difficult. So go with 1/2 cup of pellets, plus a few fresh veggies or fruits.

Her litter box should be big enough for her to turn around it. It needs one very low or open side, because pigs do not like to step up to go potty. Pig poops roll downhill, so they naturally want to walk down to potty. The bottom must not be slippery, piggy needs traction. A rubber mat works well, with or without litter. Some people put old towels over a rubber mat. Pine shavings, shredded newspaper, and paper pellets work. Avoid cat litter. Pigs tend to eat cat litter. If it's plain clay cat litter, it could cause a fatal intestinal blockage. If it's a treated cat litter, it could be poisonous.

Wash the bathroom with any cleaner designed to remove pet urine odors. Put the box back in, and put a piece of her poop in it. Wash her bedding, put it back in her bed, and add a few drops of vanilla to it.

She needs to be socialized before you can really do anything else. Start by simply sitting with her, talking softly. Let her approach you and explore. Tell her you're going to touch her before you do it.

For now, all food must come from your hands and your hands only. No eating out of a dish on the floor. At mealtime, sit on the floor and let her come to you. Let her eat out of your hand. Keep talking to her and trying to touch her. At each meal, she'll be more comfortable eating from your hand as you touch her and gradually hug her. From here you can start lifting her up a little at a time, make sure to fully support her spine! Pigs are not flexible like dogs or cats, and their backs cannot bend much.

This is when you can start making her go into her box and potty before and after each meal, before you let her out, etc. Give her a treat each time she potties in her box.

You can also start harness training at this stage. Use a fig 8 harness that slips under the pig and fastens at the back. Dog and cat harnesses are designed to fit dogs and cats. They don't fit pigs well, and pigs don't like to stick their heads into them.

When you take piggy out of her space, keep her on a harness and lead. Little piglets don't know they have to potty until it's almost too late. So, keep a close eye on the time. Little ones need to go a lot, as in every hour or so. Pigs are over a year old before they can hold their potty for any length of time.

I highly recommend the book Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training by Priscilla Valentine. Pris really understands how pigs think and why they do the things they do. I also recommend the dvds "There's a Pig in the House" and "Amazing Pig Tricks" by Top Hogs, at tophogs.com  You can find harnesses and piggy info at www.rossmillfarm.com and pigs4ever.com