4 week old piglet

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I have a 4 week old miniature pot belly pig (he is fixed and weaned off milk). He is doing great! After only a couple days he was very affectionate, using the litter box, loves to cuddle. I just have 2 concerns. 1 - he is biting everything; my toes, my clothes, hair etc. Can you suggest a way to get him to stop biting. I tell him NO and give him a firm tap but he still loves to bit on anything he can grasp, especially the top of your pants line where the button would be on a pair of blue jeans. and 2 - I had read how independent pigs were, and I was suprised at how fast we bonded, but now, I can't do anything without him begging for me to play with him. I am in college and when I sit at my computer do do work he sits biting my toes, trying to climb up my legs. If I move to my bed to do work he throws himself at my bed trying to get my attention. and he NEVER stops snorting unless he is being petted or sleeping. I love to hear him, but do you think it will always be like this loud, and the more you ignore him and try to do your own things the louder he snorts and grunts, when I leave the room he stays with his snout to the door snorting as loud as he can until I get back.  Thanks for your help!

ANSWER: Hi Ashely,
Baby piglets are almost as needy as baby humans. In fact, pigs are considered as intelligent as a two or three year old human child!
Baby piglets NEVER leave their mother's side. If, in the wild, they wandered off they'd be eaten. So, they stay close and he is doing only what he is supposed to do.
By the time he is 6 or 7 months old he will be a lot more independent. But right now he is just a helpless baby and he knows it!
The biting is also natural. Pigs don't wean piglets until they are 8 or 9 weeks old, so he is just trying to nurse.
He needs some toys, like empty 2-liter soda bottles, poked with holes and some pig pellets inside. Or a rooting box, filled with hard rubber balls. Many piglets also enjoy playing with human infant toys, which you can find cheaply at garage sales and flea markets.
Also, start his harness training and take him on long walks or runs to help burn off all his excess piglet energy. Trick training is good, too. Not because the pig learns tricks, but because it helps him understand you, and you understand him.
I highly recommend the book Pot Bellied Pig Behavior and Training by Priscilla Valentine.
Piglets grow fairly rapidly until they are age 2 or so. At this point, they become "adult". Their attitudes may change, and some may begin to show aggression, so training and bonding now is important. By the time they reach age 4 or so they are MUCH MUCH more mellow.
Enjoy your baby while he is young!

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QUESTION: Thank you so much! How about stinky piglet breath! Any suggestions?

Answer
Pig breath, like cat breath and goat breath, is never wonderful.
Really nasty breath in adult pigs is often a sign of a tooth problem. Dental problems are rare in babies because they grow and loose so many teeth. Pigs have two sets of baby teeth, a nursing set and a baby set, before they get their adult teeth.
It's difficult to look into a pig's mouth because their jaws do not open wide like cats or dogs, but, if he'll let you wipe his teeth with a small finger or brush it might have a slight improvement.
The kind of food he eats can also contribute to bad breath. At his age I suggest a pot-bellied pig food, ideally one for babies, for good nutrition and digestion. He should have water available at all times, although some pigs don't care to drink much. Drinking after meals helps wash the mouth out, so try offering him water with just a little bit of juice after he eats to help wash out his mouth.
Peppermint candy is an effective, but high calorie and very temporary solution. Don't give him much, just 1/2 or 1/4 of a Lifesaver.