Piglet behavior questions!

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BunnyLove89

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I've had my mini piglet, Lucy, for 3 days. She is 15 days old and I am bottle feeding her. She is a very sweet, playful, and cuddly piglet--the complete opposite of my other mini. Most of the time it's cute but she has started wanting to be held and be the center of attention ALL the time. And if not, she'll scream until she gets her way. Like earlier today I went to put her back in her bin and under her heat lamp because she was shivering and she literally screamed for 45 minutes straight and kept thumping against the bin trying to get out. I kept going back and forth between feeling irritated and feeling guilty. I don't want her to feel ignored, but I also don't want her to think that she can scream and throw fits to get her way. I finally left the room until she calmed down. She also gets bratty even if she is on my lap or my bed and I am doing something else. This morning I had my phone out and she kept trying to push it out of my hands. She also takes the tv remote and pushes that off the bed.
I need advice before I do anything to accidentally make it worse!
 
I can't comment on mini pigs but pigs in general are very social animals. You'll often see them sleeping in a pile. This might be a situation where it's best to contact your breeder or a veterinarian experienced with them for advice on what is normal behavior for a mini pig.
 
15 days old! You have to take on the Mother role, including discipline. Right now she's a toddler who wants all the attention and having everything her way. It's on you to teach her the limits of what she can and cannot do. Pigs are similar to dogs in intelligence and sociability. Make it clear you disapprove when she tries to pull things out of your hands and when she screams. Say "NO", nudge her firmly, mimic her mother's nips with your fingers. But give her lots of positive reinforcement, give her attention and treats when she's being good.

Does she have to live in a bin? The solitude must be distressing for such a young baby. If it's cold I would sit on the floor with my work and let her lie by me, covered in blankets.
 
The only times she is in her bin is during the night and when I am gone. Whenever I am home and available (as in not doing something that wouldn't be baby safe) she is with me. I hate not being with her because I know she must get lonely. :( When she is in her bin she has a fluffy blanket, a heat lamp, and beanie babies to snuggle up to.
 
I've raised pigs...She's too young to be left alone. Why was she separated from her mother so early? I know that some people like to get their piglets so young so that they can bottle feed them. There are many reasons people desire to do this but the most common one is that they seem to think they will bond better if they are bottle feeding them. Which is not true. A lot of people who breed pigs won't ween them until they are six to eight weeks old. This is for the benefit of the piglet. They will still bond to you. They are smart animals. Some farmers ween their pigs at 4 to 5 weeks, I believe...so it's probably not horrible to do so that early... but you say she is 15 days old now, and you have had her for 3 days...so she was not even 2 weeks old when you got her. So unless the sow rejected her, there really is no good reason for her to be apart from her. Nursing a piglet at that age, because the sow has rejected her would be a challenge for a swine expert. Please don't take what I'm saying as something harsh. I'm trying to help you.

I don't know a lot about the micro and mini pigs. But I'm assuming since they are so small in size that they are a little more needier than other pigs. Maybe she needs to feed more often. And if he is visibly shivering, he's probably not screaming because he is just wanting attention. She needs to get warmed up. If you get a heat lamp, make sure it does not get too hot. You don't want a crispy piglet. If the heat lamp dries her skin out, try using some Corn Huskers lotion on her. It will help. Corn huskers is alcohol free. Another thing you can try to do, is ask the person you got her from if she could nurse just a little longer...since it has only been three days, she may still be nursing other babies and would allow her to as well.
 
Oh poor little pig.

I love pigs. I can't get one because my family doesn't keep large animals, but I still want pigs, goats, and maybe sheep.

I feel so sorry for the little pig. I'm sorry for your loss.
 

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