Photo Credit: @ticklepigandfriends
Having a pet pig is definitely not the easiest thing to deal with, especially when they chew on all of your belongings. Pigs chew a lot, especially in their teething phase when they are younger. The reason for all this chewing is because it is in their nature.
Pigs instinctually have always had to chew on weeds and plants to uproot them to find nutrients. So it is not surprising that your pet pig would have an instinct to want to chew on whatever they can find, which usually is very annoying and can sometimes lead to some awful things happening.
Fortunately for us pig owners, there are ways we can help stop the chewing, at least on our stuff. Make sure that you properly teach your pig that no means no. You have to ensure that you are in the dominant role, and your pig will start to listen to what you say. When your pig starts chewing, tell him or her no repeatedly, and do not show any reward for this behavior. It may be difficult to do, but this will properly teach your pig to understand no means no.
If your pig has not fully gained your trust and you are still working on that, please do not raise your voice or repeatedly say no to them. In this phase, they probably do this completely out of nervousness, and any scolding would make the situation much worse.
It is also important to get your pig many different chew toys as they lose interest pretty fast. I would recommend having at least 6 different chew toys. Make sure to keep them very clean because, based on my experience, they don’t enjoy using dirty chew toys.
Make sure your pig feels comfortable
Sometimes when your pig is feeling uncomfortable, they may also resort to chewing on anything they see. It is important to make sure your pig always feels as comfortable as possible to stop this. Usually, this means you need to just feed them or let them go to the bathroom, but sometimes it can be much bigger.
Especially when you first get your pig, he or she won’t fully trust you, and instinctually as I said earlier, they will be very nervous about you. that is why everyone in your household must work on gaining trust with your pig. This article teaches you how to get your pig to gain your trust.
Create an outdoor area for your pig to stop them from chewing on stuff inside
Creating an outdoor space for your pig is very critical. Ensuring you have a large space in your yard where your pig can run around and have fun is important to stop them from chewing on your stuff inside. Pigs instinctually feel the need to chew on grass and weeds, so letting them do this outside will hopefully stop them from doing it inside. I would recommend fencing in an area at least 15 feet long and 15 feet wide (bigger if you can). Adding things such as hay blocks and chew toys is always a good idea to keep them happy.
If you can’t build a fence, I would recommend keeping your pig on a long leash where they can still run around and have fun but are not dragging you all over the place. If you live in an apartment, for example, and you don’t have access to a yard, you can still make a play area in your apartment or home.
Building a play area inside your home
When you cant make an area outside for your pig to play because, for example, you live in an apartment, it is crucial to create a play area inside of your home. The best way to do this is to have a whole room in your house dedicated to your pig where they can play with all of their chew toys and other toys you might have for them. Also, hay and wood pieces are great for your pig to chew on when they get bored.
But most people can’t do that, so another great thing to do is create a little den that is at least 3ft by 3ft filled with many smooth rocks (such as the one in the video below) or play balls that your pet pig can dig in and find treats that you hide.
If you don’t want to get any rocks, another great solution is to get a snuffle mat (which is the much cheaper option). Just make sure to keep the snuffle mat very clean. This will hopefully fulfill your pig’s instinctual needs to uproot the earth. In my opinion, the best snuffle mat is the PAW5: Wooly Snuffle Mat, which you can check out on Amazon by tapping on the link provided.
What kind of chew toys should you be getting
Chew toys are essential in keeping your pig from becoming bored and chewing on your stuff, so it is important to get them for your pig. I would recommend getting at least 6 different chew toys to provide a decent selection for your pig. All pigs are different and will have their different preferences in chew toys, but my pig’s favorite is definitely the Chew King Premium Treat Dog Toy, which you can purchase on Amazon here.
Train your pig to come to you
Whenever you catch your pig chewing or rooting something that they shouldn’t, tell your pig to “come here.” If you can successfully teach your pig this, it will make your life way easier. This is a true way to ensure you have dominance over your pig and show that you are the boss. If your pig is still learning how to do this, it is important to teach them by rewarding them with a treat every time they listen to you.
Feed Your pig right
Sometimes your pig might just not enjoy the food you are giving them, or you are not giving them enough food. As I have said before, Instinctually, pigs will forage and uproot to find food, so sometimes this means they will “uproot” your couch to try and find food. If you feed your pig enough food, they shouldn’t feel the need to do this. If You want to know more about what you should be feeding your pet pig, check out this article here.
Stop it as soon as you can because over time it will become worst
If you don’t stop your pig from chewing on your stuff quickly, they will start to come into the habit of it. This is not good because your pig will start doing it more and more, and it will just get even harder to stop them from doing this over time. It may be difficult, but being a pet pig owner can be hard work sometimes. In my opinion, it’s completely worth it.
Make sure to pig proof your house
Sometimes when there are too many temptations, your pig can’t help themselves from chewing all of your stuff. So making sure that your shoes, clothes, pillows, and anything else your pig might chew on are out of reach. Sometimes this may lead your pig to bite things such as week spots in your flooring or spots in your wall but remember to tell them no and be the boss. Usually, chewing is just a short phase, and your pig will learn not to do it over time.
