miniature potbelly pig

Question
im buying my pig today i already made a vetenary appointment and i found a place where they sell pig food. my question is how do i domesticate him or house train him to poop in acertain place etc. i live in san diego and its hard for me to find a place where people would train him. can you help me?

Answer
I'll touch on as many points as I can in the limited space I have here. I strongly urge you to get Priscilla Valentines book Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training. She really understands how pigs think and goes into detail on socializing and training and suggestions for fun piggy toys. It's an excellent reference book for every pig owner. It's available from Amazon.com or her website www.valentinesperformingpigs.com

First, you'll need a separate room or space for piggie, the bigger the pig the more space you'll need. It can be an old playpen, one of those collapsible doggie pens, or a large crate in a bedroom or laundry room. Where ever the spot is, it will become his "safe space" to retreat to, so choose carefully. The confinement area should be on the small side. If he can get too far away from his litter box, he might not use it. He knows where it is, his little body just might not be able to "hold it" until he gets back there!

Do not leave him alone in a room and close the door on the room! Use a baby gate instead of the door. So for example if his Safe Space will be a laundry room, you might want to start out by keeping him in a play pen in the room, then when he gets bigger remove the playpen. If his Safe Space will be your bedroom, it's ok to close the door at night when you're in the room with him.

The litter box should be big enough for him to turn around in and low enough for him to step into without stepping up. Wild pigs walk down hill to potty, in your piglets mind, stepping up over an edge to go potty is like going up hill to go potty.

Pine shavings, shredded newspaper, or paper pellets are the best litter. Avoid cat litter because pigs can eat it with horrible results!

A rule of thumb is a minimum of 1/2 cup of food per day for piglets under 15 lb, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of food per 15 lb of piglet per day, plus veggies and treats. Piglets should gain an average of 1 lb per week until they are 7 - 9 months old. If he's gaining more, reduce his meals, if he isn't gaining fast enough, increase the food.

Start socializing your piglet by sitting with him either in his confined area, or in a small room like a bathroom (with a baby gate at the door so he can't escape). Just sit and talk to him, and let him come to you. Tell him "Touch" before you touch him. Pigs love belly rubs, tell him "Belly Rub" and gently scratch his tummy. Try to touch him when he eats, always telling him what you're going to do before you do it. He will quickly learn to understand you.

Don't keep him out too long at first, piglets get tired quickly and need lots of naps. It's better to take him out frequently for short sessions that just one long session. Also, put him in his litter box before you take him out, tell him to potty. As soon as you put him back in his space, put him in his box and tell him to potty. Piglets need to go potty frequently!

I recommend starting harness training as soon as possible. Once he gets the idea he will never forget, and the earlier he learns the easier it is. Harnesses and other pig supplies are available from www.pigstuff.com