A few questions: water, eating grass/leaves, discipline

Question

Freddie Mercury   I have a few questions for you about my 9 month old neutered male mini-pig, Freddie. He has a really outgoing and friendly, sweet temperament, with the exception of getting angry and throwing tantrums when he doesn't get his way. He currently weighs about 20 lbs, so he's pretty easy to control right now, but I don't want this to continue when he gets to be full size. I've attached a picture.

Since the day we brought him home at 7 weeks old, he has always drank more far more water on a regular basis than I have ever seen an animal drink (including my previous mini-pig, Spartacus, who would barely touch his water). We keep Fred's water bowl full all the time, and we usually have to re-fill it at least 3+ times a day (after each time he eats, plus some). Because he drinks so much, he also has to pee just about every hour or two, and it's a LOT of pee each and every time he goes. Thus, we have to clean his litter box extremely frequently or else he won't use it.

Is it normal for him to drink and pee so much, or should we be concerned? As I said, he has always drank this much since the day we brought him home as a little baby.

Also, I read in one of your previous answers that PBPs shouldn't be eating a lot of grass because it is so high in protein, but Fred grazes on whatever he can find in our lawn just about every day. He seems to prefer eating leaves and various other tree waste, but I'm sure he eats the occasional bit of grass as well. We're currently feeding him 1/4 cup of mini-pig food twice a day (so about 1/2 cup/day total), plus veggies and the occasional treat (he loves banana peels). Should we adjust his daily pig food accordingly?

My last question is about discipline. What is the best way to discipline him when he misbehaves (for example, when he pees on the carpet instead of his litter box, or when he starts whining and screaming because we won't let him up on the bed or when we're eating and won't give him a treat)? He is extremely vocal, and "talks" to himself and to us just about all the time already. However, when he's angry or isn't getting his way, he whines and screams. We sometimes put him in his pen (about 5'x5' in size) as punishment, but then he will just keep screaming until he is let out. Do you have any ideas on how to better discipline him, and how to cut down on his whining and screaming? He acts like a complete brat when he doesn't get his way.

Any help or advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!!!
-Kathy

Answer
As you already know, excess water drinking is seldom a problem with pot-bellied pigs. Usually the opposite is true, it can be difficult to convince them to drink enough water to stay fully hydrated.

One good thing about drinking a lot of water, and peeing a lot, is that his urine is diluted. Concentrated urine and chronic mild dehydration are often triggers for urinary tract infections and blockages.

It may seem a little backwards, but mixing his pellets with water to an oatmeal like consistency might help. Making the pellets wet instead of dry may satisfy some of his need to drink as well as helping him stay hydrated.

I'm a big advocate of grass and grazing time, provided the grass is not treated with any chemicals like herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Grass is low in calories and protein and has no fat. It's also very high in fiber which helps piggy feel full and stay regular. Grazing is a very important, very natural activity that piglets need to engage in. The only potential danger from eating too much grass is gas and a mild tummy ache.

It's natural for pigs to act like brats when they don't get their way, and the problem is usually worse when acting like a brat eventually gets the pig what the pig wants. The trick is to teach the pig that behaving badly gets nothing, but behaving well gets rewards.

The first step is to set simple, clear rules and stick to them. Take the bed, for example. Either the pig is allowed on the bed, or the pig is not. Allowing the pig on the bed once in a while, or only on Thursdays after 4 pm just leaves a confused, unhappy pig. If piggy is never allowed on the bed, he will be very unhappy while he makes the adjustment, but in the long run he will be happier because he knows what's ok and what's not. Take the situations where he acts badly, decide what to do, and stick to it.

Time Outs don't work with pigs the way they do for people. Occasionally, it may be necessary to put piggy in his own space for his own safety, so he should be used to spending time there quietly. So, start by putting him in for 1 hour every day. He may cry for the full hour the first few times, but pretty soon he'll learn to stay there quietly (for an hour, at least).

A time out is for when pig and person are locked in a battle of wills and the person needs to take a break for just a minute. Do not leave piggy locked in longer than a minute, and save this tactic for only serious situations.

I highly recommend the book Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training by Priscilla Valentine. Right now it's available from Amazon, but Pris has passed so it may be out of print soon. Pris was a professional pig trainer who really understood how pigs think and why they do the things they do. Her book goes into training, including potty training, in much more detail than I can here.