How To Keep My Mini Pig From Tipping Its Water Bowl

Having a pig that constantly flips its water bowl can be frustrating. Not only does it create a mess, but it can also leave your pig without access to fresh water. However, there are several strategies you can try to encourage your pig to stop this behavior.

If you're a pig owner, you may have experienced the frustrating sight of your pig flipping his water bowl over and over again. Not only is this behavior messy and wasteful, but it can also lead to dehydration and other health issues for your pig. But fear not, there are ways to help curb this behavior and keep your pig hydrated and happy.

1. Secure the Water Bowl:
One effective way to prevent your pig from flipping its water bowl is to secure it in place. Consider using a heavy ceramic or metal bowl that is difficult for your pig to tip over. Alternatively, you can attach the bowl to the wall or side of their enclosure using clips or bungee cords to keep it stable.

2. Use a Waterer with a Spout:
Another option is to switch to a waterer with a spout instead of a traditional bowl. Pigs are less likely to flip a waterer with a spout since it doesn't easily tip over. This can help ensure that your pig always has access to water without the risk of spills.

3. Monitor and Redirect Behavior:
Keep an eye on your pig's behavior around the water bowl. If you notice it starting to tip or flip the bowl, gently redirect its attention using a verbal cue or offer a distraction such as a treat or toy. Consistent monitoring and redirection can help discourage the unwanted behavior over time.

4. Provide Enrichment and Exercise:
Sometimes, pigs may flip their water bowls out of boredom or excess energy. Make sure your pig has plenty of enrichment activities and opportunities for exercise to keep it mentally and physically stimulated. This can help reduce stress and prevent destructive behaviors like flipping the water bowl.

5. Consult with a Veterinarian:
If your pig continues to flip its water bowl despite trying various strategies, consider consulting with a veterinarian who specializes in pig care. There may be underlying health issues or behavioral reasons contributing to the behavior that require professional guidance.

How do I pig proof my water bowl. A popular question we get is what can I do get my pig to stop flipping his water bowl? If the water bowl is outside one of the heavy duty rubber bowls from your feed/supply store work best. I use those here along with kiddie pools with an area cut down so they can easily drink from it.

 

 

Heavy duty rubber water/feed bowl that is great for outside piggies.

 

Water pail for hanging on the fence.

 

A great DIY is to put the water bowl in a tire.

For the house pig that likes to flip their bowl you might need to get a little more creative as shown in the picture below.

I have seen some pictures of water bowls made of concrete or the bottom filled with concrete. While these make the bowl more difficult for your pig to flip, they also make them more difficult for you to pick up and clean.

Conclusion:
By implementing these tips and being patient with your pig, you can work towards preventing it from flipping its water bowl. Remember that each pig is unique, so it may take some trial and error to find the most effective solution. With time and consistency, you can help your pig develop better habits and ensure its well-being.

Is Your Pig Depressed in Your New Home? Here's What You Need to Know

Moving into a new home is an exciting but also stressful time for everyone involved, including your beloved pet pig. It's not uncommon for animals to experience stress and anxiety during a big change like this, and it's important to recognize the signs that your pig may be feeling a bit down.

Understanding Pig Behavior

Pigs are highly intelligent and social animals that thrive on routine and familiarity. When their environment changes suddenly, they can become stressed and exhibit signs of depression. Some common behaviors that may indicate your pig is feeling down include:

• Isolation: Your pig may start to keep to themselves and avoid interactions with you or other animals in the household.
• Lack of appetite: A depressed pig may lose interest in food or eat significantly less than usual.
• Lethargy: Your pig may seem more tired or less active than usual, opting to spend more time resting or sleeping.
• Vocalization: Some pigs may start to vocalize more or exhibit other unusual vocal behaviors when they are feeling stressed or depressed.

Helping Your Pig Adjust

If you suspect that your pig is feeling depressed in your new home, there are several steps you can take to help them adjust and feel more comfortable:

1. Establish a Routine: Pigs thrive on routine, so try to establish a consistent schedule for feeding, playtime, and other activities.
2. Create a Comfortable Environment: Make sure your pig has a cozy and safe space to retreat to when they need some alone time. Provide plenty of bedding, toys, and enrichment activities to keep them occupied.
3. Offer Comfort and Affection: Spend quality time with your pig, offering them plenty of love and attention to reassure them that they are safe and loved.

 

Bottom line is pigs do not handle change well. Do your best to spend some extra time with them. Changing homes has changed everything that they knew and were familiar with...sights, sounds and of course the usual scent of your previous home. It takes patience...lots of patience and of course love. 

 

Bailey getting used to her new place with her blankie.

 

Activities for Pet Pig Enrichment

It's the middle of winter and my pig is bored, what can I do to keep him entertained or what kind of toys do they like? Here are a few suggestions from the very simple to the more elaborate.

In my experience it doesn't always have to cost a lot of money to give your pig a few hours of entertainment a day. With our first pigs, Ziggy & Flower we would give them newspaper & magazines to shred...brown packing paper works just as well too. This was a favorite of Ziggy's and he would wear himself out within about 30 minutes...shaking and shredding the paper and jumping around. Other days we would roll grapes across the room for them to go after. I know not real exciting, but it got them up and moving about. We eventually made them a rooting box which we filled with fist sized river rocks and would then put either their pellets or popcorn in it for them. 

Flower in her rooting box.

Rooting Box: This is a great indoor activity. Appropriate items for a rooting box are anything safe and big enough to not swallow or too sharp. We used fist sized river rocks with ours, but many now use play pit balls, large stones, stuffed animals, an assortment of toys, blankets, anything your pig can search through will work fine. We made our rooting box out of wood while most folks use a kiddie pool. I have even seen where someone took an end table and turned it upside down to make their rooting box.

Using a pool as a rooting box.

 

What kind of toys do our pet pigs like?
In my experience most pigs don't care for toys like a dog would, but here are a few toys and ideas for keeping piggy entertained that you can try.

Put some peanut butter into the center of a bobble toy and then let your pig roll it around as it licks peanut butter out of it.

Any rope toys designed for dogs are also good for a pig. A milk jug or liter bottle with a few holes and pig pellets added. Your pig will push this all over the house until each little pellet has fallen out and eaten.

Another use of the 2 liter pop bottle is to remove the cap, make holes a little bigger than pig pellets. Vary the holes from about 2 inches from the bottom to about 4 inches from the bottom so he doesn't get frustrated. Take some twine and tie around top to an anchored ceiling hook. Make sure it hangs at snout level so he doesn't have to look up constantly.

Balls seem to make a lot of pigs happy as well. Big balls like bowling balls, sports balls, such as basketballs or soccer balls are all good choices. Just make sure you put anything breakable put away.

A wiffle ball or something similar filled with goodies. This makes for some good exercise. 

Exercise ball with goodies

Some like musical toys made for young children. Horns they can grab with their mouths or piano keys they can play with their noses provide challenging activities for our pets.

Remember that what one pig finds entertaining another might find just so-so. Have fun finding what your pig's favorite is.

Make sure that those outside pigs are getting exercise too during these winter months. If you have snow on the ground I suggest shoveling a path(s) so they can get out of their enclosure to go for a walk when weather permits, not just potty. We would sprinkle popcorn or pellets for them to search for.

Bonnie and Clyde searching for some goodies that I threw them to help keep them active.

One last thing for the outside pig is this feed dispenser that I came across. Make sure that the holes are big enough for the pellets to come out of, but don't drill too many of them as you want them to "work" for them. Make sure it is at snout level so your pig doesn't have to look up to get the treats out. 

Outside feed dispenser for pigs.

Changing Temperatures and Your Pet Pig

Here we go into the blahs of cold weather once again. It is a time for fluctuating temperatures that go from one extreme to another, and that is not good news for the precious porkers that live with us.

Our porcine friends do not like change in anything and the weather is no exception. Pigs are prone to respiratory problems and drastic change in temperatures can cause them even more problems. How much is too much for a pig? It depends on the pig. Even house pigs have a problem sometimes going from the heated house to the outdoors for potty time.

Around here we start watching close anytime there is a twenty degree difference in temperature up or down. The outside pigs are not immune just because they live outside and the house pigs just because they live in the house. What can we do about it? Keep a close eye on the pig and its actions.

We don't leave our house pets out for any extended length of time to do their business when there has been a sudden change and we bed outside pigs very well when the forecast calls for a sharp change. This is the time of year when I urge people to make sure that they have some kind of antibiotic on hand for those weekends and late nights when a vet may not be available. A few hours can make a difference.

As always prevention beats a cure but we cannot always control the environment of the pig. We want to watch for any change in a pigs eating habits. These guys are not like dogs and cats that may just have an off day over food. When a pig does not eat at all, the pig has a serious problem. NEVER ignore the fact that a pig turned down a meal! If this should happen then take his temperature. As a rule a pig with respiratory problems will run a fever.

Call your vet and explain that your pig is not eating and has a temperature and tell the vet that you know that these guys are prone to respiratory problems. ASK for an antibiotic. If it's a time when you can not get your vet then use what you have hopefully gotten from him to keep on hand for emergencies. There are a lot of safe antibiotics that are tasteless that you can put in some kind of treat. We keep 500 mg. Ampicillin here for emergency situations.

If you catch it before it gets too bad the pig will usually take it in a favorite treat. If it is beyond that, then the only other solution is an injectable antibiotic or you go the hard route and put the powder from the pill, or crushed pill in a syringe without the needle on it, mixed with a little water and give it to them by mouth.

If treated early the pig should respond within twelve hours and they have been known to get up and eat a meal after four or five hours. If is so very important to catch this at the beginning and save yourself and your pig a lot of stress.

These little critters seem to be very hale and hearty most of the time, but it is amazing how fast this problem can come on. We have seen it happen from the morning feed where the pig eats normally to the evening feeding when he is uninterested, lethargic and almost down. It is far better to be prepared then to be on the phone at 2 am looking for a Dr. and or making a long trip to pick something up from him for the pig. Most vets won't have a problem with giving you a mild antibiotic for this purpose.

I do not advocate treatment of your pig without a veterinarians advice. What I do advocate is something to help the pig until the time that he might be taken into the vet for treatment. This is what this is all about, a way to get something in the pig in a time frame that might make the difference for the pig until he can be seen by a veterinarian. It is far better to be prepared and never need it then to be stuck in a situation where you do need it and it is not there.

So as the seasons change get prepared and keep one eye on the sky, and the other on your piggy friend.

New Year's Resolutions for Your Pig | 2019 The Year Of The Pig

It's 2019 and like most of us you have made some kind of resolution(s) for the new year. The most common are to get more exercise, eat healthier and save money. Here are just a few suggestions that might help you and your piggy succeed in 2019.

Eat Healthier: Since we control what our pigs eat, it is generally our fault if they are over or underweight. Though most pigs tend to be overweight there are those that are underweight as either the breeder or vet has told you to only feed 1/4 - 1/2 of chow a day. This is NOT enough for a pig, especially a growing pig during their first year of life when they need that feed to build a strong immune system and bones.

Flower getting every last bite of food.

We all love giving our pigs treats as we know how cute they can be and will do almost anything for one. Remember that a treat is just that "a treat". It must be earned, and not part of their daily meals. For those pigs that tend to "pig out" you might want to try our Busy Ball which is meant to slow our pigs down and the meal last longer. They are also getting some exercise at the same time.

More Exercise: Not to worry, I'm not talking about lifting weights or jogging, but making sure that your pig gets up and out at least twice a day. A nice walk around the yard or in the house on those rain/snow days will work just as well. This also helps with the pig that gets constipated. 

Oshay's version of working out!

Learn a New Trick: Our pigs love to learn new things so why not teach a new trick or take a behavior that they are doing naturally and turn it into a trick. Remember that when teaching new behaviors to keep the training sessions short and always end with a win for your pig even if it means doing a behavior that he already knows like sit. Lots of small treats work in the beginning, but remember to show lots of enthusiasm and praise. As the sessions go on; less treats and more praise and enthusiasm.

Mini obstacle course at the 2006 Pignic.

Save More Money: Our goal has always been and will continue to be to offer the highest quality products for your pet pig at affordable prices. Did you know that we now offer free shipping on most of our light weight products? Did you know that we offer monthly specials on our most popular products? Be sure to check back monthly to see if your favorite product is on special.

Happy New Year from all of us at Pigs4Ever!