Piggy questions

Question
QUESTION: I have a few quick questions, i was wondering if it was possible for you to email me the answers because i have posted previous ones and then cant find the question or answer on the webpage after.

Okay, my questions are, i have a 8 week old pig(10-12pdns) getting well tamed, and i am getting a 6 month old female, she is only 5-6 pounds, called a micro mini? and i was wondering if that is bad? will they get along ok, and the 6 month old hasnt really been touched or been around humans but i will take my time with her, i just want to know if its a good idea to introduce them to each other or what?

ANSWER: Young pigs will learn to get along together fairly quickly. Most experts recommend keeping the new pig in quarantine for a month, but for most people, that's difficult to do. They should be kept separate for at least a week. Ideally they should be able to see and smell each other, yet not able to touch.

Spend the week socializing the new pig. Let her approach you. When she realizes you are the source of food, she'll be your friend. Talk softly to her, no sudden moves or loud sounds. Just sit inside her room or stall, or next to her playpen or crate, and talk to her.

When they are introduced, expect some fighting. At this stage, the largest pig will probably be Alpha Pig fairly quickly. Pigs really become adults around age 2, so even if these two pigs bond deeply now, you might see an increase in fighting at that age, and they may switch who is Alpha, possibly several times.

Depending on how the new pig responds, you may want to continue socializing her separately for a little while each day. Also, it's easier to harness train each pig separately.

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QUESTION: Well the first day i got the new pig i let them be with each other, they fought a bit, one drew a little blood on the ear so i broke it up immediately. But i will wait a week now i wasnt sure so i thought i should introduce them a little a time each day, one is 6 months but smaller then my 7 week old. I was told its a micro-mini. the 6 month old was the one bleeding, i will wait a week and try again.

ANSWER: Sometimes it helps to get them used to each others scent. Give them each a blanket, let them sleep with it, then switch the blankets everyday, so they get a steady reminder of the other pig.

Letting them see & smell each other is a good thing, but they'll still have to determine between them who will be the dominant pig. When you put them together, just let them argue. Do not interfere unless there's more blood.

Also, when you do introduce them, it might help if they are distracted by something, like scattered popcorn or cheerios at first. But, once the treats start to disappear, they may begin fighting again. Hard as it is to do, just let them, unless one gets hurt. This is just something they have to work out between themselves.



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QUESTION: Im sorry to bother you again but im having a lot of trouble with this 6 month old piggy, she is eating good sometimes letting us pet her, but we have to cage in her because she was jumping out of her pen, now her hoof is bleeding i soaked it in salt water and it stopped her snot is bleeding a little, so for now i am moving her into my spare bedroom i dont want her getting hurt, it will be hard to litter train her but atleast she is safe, any suggestions?

Answer
It sounds like she is a handful and very frightened.

Putting her in the spare room is a very good idea for everyone's safety. Baby-proof it as you would for a toddler, for example, make sure there's no electrical cords she can reach to chew or pull, etc.

If she can leap over an ordinary baby gate, try to find a taller gate or put two one on top the other in the doorway. Closing the door blocks the sights, sounds and smells of daily living that she must get used to. People who foster sometimes remove the door from a spare room all together and replace it with a screen door.

Put a litter pan in her room. She'll learn to use the pan there. Whenever you take her out of the room, take her directly to the litter pan you want her to use eventually.

Spend as much time as you can just sitting in the room with her. Let her get used to you. Let her sleep in her crate, teach her that it's her "safe spot" she can always retreat to when she's terrified.

I highly recommend Priscilla Valentine's book Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training. She covers every step of training in detail. It's available from her website www.valentinesperformingpigs.com or Amazon.com

Also, there's a couple of Yahoo groups devoted to pot-bellied pigs, PotSpot and PigInfoAndChat. There's several people on both groups who do a lot of foster care and socializing babies, they might have more suggestions and ideas for you.