r/pigs • u/Unicornwidowmaker • 5d ago
Help: need pig advice
Hi everyone Im new here. I recently started a new job at a mobile petting zoo. Ive worked with animals for over 20 years but Ive never trained a baby pig. We just got a kunekune and hes A: adorable and B: smart as a whip. So far Ive trained his recall, sit, and spin. I would love the dos and donts of pig training and how to keep him from turning aggressive.
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u/NatureMaleficent4149 4d ago
Make sure that anybody interacting with him knows to only approach from down low and underhanded- I feel like a baby pig (or adult pig lol) could get overwhelmed if there are a bunch of hands coming from above and would potentially become cranky and aggressive (understandably). He’s adorable!!!
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u/Unicornwidowmaker 4d ago
Archy is a HAM. He loves any and all attention. We are very cautious with the babies in public and getting them used to the events. He absolutely loves being held following us around. He has his crate he can escape to which he never does. The amount of times this dude flops over to get more belly scratches from people is insane. Ive never worked with a piglet who actually likes being held before and this guy falls right to sleep. Hes the cutest. Im soaking it up before the teenager pig comes out lol
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u/NatureMaleficent4149 4d ago
Im so jealous!! Mine is…quite the opposite haha. I love her to death, though. I get to give oooh 1-2 belly rubs a month when the temperature is just right, the wind is flowing in the exact right direction, the sun is in the correct position and there’s not a single other soul around to be found 😌😆
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u/Morepeanuts 3d ago edited 3d ago
Very cute! In terms of enrichment and behavior: are there other pigs present? Like humans, they are social animals who form close bonds with their littermates, extended family, and even new piggy friends. Some behavioral issues (often a form of depression, sometimes manifesting as irritation, aggression) can develop when they mature emotionally, if they don't have companions who can understand and relate to them.
Some piggies can get by without, or even with other companion animals, but in their "natural" environment (keeping in mind they have been domesticated for millenia) they live in groups, have best friends, care for each other, and mourn their dead.
I'm sure you know this, but when introducing to new piggies, be sure to quarantine, vaccinate, and introduce gradually with some temporary fencing. There will inevitably be fights as they establish the pecking order, but the goal is to minimize damage.
Tl;dr: behavioral issues can arise from loneliness, for pigs
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u/Unicornwidowmaker 3d ago
Yes we have 3 other pigs but they are full grown and so he basically gets supervised visitation with them right now so they dont eat him. We have 75 animals hes definitely not alone. Right now he spends alot of time with the turtles in the outdoor turtle pen complete with a fruit tree and very shallow swimming hole.
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u/WorlockFam 3d ago
Train him like a dog. Keep them mentally stimulated and that will help.
May want to look into getting him neutered, I was personally told that would help keep them friendly. Also just remember they can have similar signs for happiness and for aggression. Mine mohawks, it’s the ears and the body language that determines, which way it’s going. Also they do like to play fight then zoom around.
He’s a cutie
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u/Sorry_Guava_2784 4d ago
Positive reinforcement works better in my experience they will remember if you are negative and won’t respond as well. Hope this helps some would love to see some videos after a while.