POTTY PIG NIGHTMARE

Question
I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING YOUR SITE HAS ADVISED ME TO DO I WALK HIM AND HE ALWAYS POOPS OUTSIDE NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT. THE PROBLEM IS THE PEEING, HE STAYS IN A 4X4 SMALL CAGE WITH HIS BLAKET AND LITTER BOX HE PEES ALL OVER THE BLANKET AND SOMETIMES IN THE NLITTER BOX.I NHAVE TORN OFF SMALL PEICES OF THE BLANKEY WITH THE PEE ON IT AND PUT IT IN THE BOX EVEN PUT POO IN IT.I HAVE EVEN TAKEN THE BLANKET HE WILL JUST STAND THERE AND PEE,AND WHEN HE EATS HE WILL PEE WHILE HE IS EATING EVEN IF I TAKE HIM OUT FIRST .  CHOPPER IS SIX WEEKS OLD AND VERY SMART HAD HIM SINCE HE WAS 1 WEEK OLD AND HE HAS JUST GOTTEN WORSE NOT BETTER !!! DONT WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE HIM AN OUTSIDE PIG NEED REALK HELP!

Answer
It sounds like Chopper is a challenging pig! Is the litter box in his cage with him? If not, move it in there so he can get to it when he needs it. If there's no room in his cage, then he may need a bigger space, like a laundry room or bathroom. When you set him up in his new, larger space, start again with a different kind of blanket for fresh bedding, and use pieces of the old one in the litter box. A different bedding might help him make the distinction between "bed" and "litter".

When you take him out before eating does he pee? For sure? Pigs are good at "faking", especially if they want to get back inside and eat. The problem is, they still have to potty, and eating or drinking triggers the urge and they can not control it. So, the pig can not be allowed to eat or come inside or leave the litter box, until he actually pees in it. A real "pee" not just a fake drop or two.

Does he have constant access to fresh water? Pigs that can not drink whenever they like tend to hold their urine until they are actually eating or drinking. When they have constant access to drinking water, it's easier to make them pee and empty the bladder completely before eating.

If you see he really is peeing, but then "pees" more a few minutes later, the problem could be one of two things. First, he may have an infection that prevents him from emptying his bladder completely, so the pee continues to trickle out. If that's the case, he'll need to see a vet. The other possibility is that he is not really "peeing" on his blankets, but expressing body fluids. This isn't necessarily semen, it's a combination of several different fluids. The clue here is that the stuff smells awful to most people, although female pigs seem to love it! Males often express these body fluids on their bedding as a way of marking their territory.

Susan Armstrong from Ross Mill Farm has raised many baby piggies inside and runs a "piggy camp" for misbehaving piggies. She may have some other suggestions for a difficult piggy like Chopper. I think she does mostly phone consultations (not email), her contact information is on the bottom right side of her home page www.rossmillfarm.com  

Also there's a couple of Yahoo lists devoted to pot-bellied pigs. I recommend PigInfoAndChat, there's lots of very experienced pig people that may have some other ideas or suggestions.