What it's really like to have a pot-bellied pig as a pet.







It's summer in Ramsay and I'm on the front porch reading when a little girl and her dad walk by. “A pig lives in that house” I hear her say. Her Dads eyebrow goes up, as he questions everything he knows about city bylaws.

I’ll blame Georgia I guess, for owning a pig, since going to an exotic animal auction was her idea. She gets antsy every April, with spring coming on, usually moving to a different house where she can start fresh, plant a garden, and leave half her belongings behind.

Dragging our boyfriends to this exotic animal auction in Olds, Alberta had been in the works for a few weeks when I started googling "How to keep a pot-bellied pig as a pet". I’d always wanted one and the articles I found described pigs as smart, obedient, and charming pets. So I did what anyone would do; I drove to Olds, Alberta and bid on a baby pig while my boyfriend smoked a joint in the car.

                           

Up close, the pigs were a little bit scary and I was starting to get cold feet. I was relieved when we were told that the pot-bellied pig portion of the auction wasn't until 3pm. Unsure what to do for the rest of the day, we went to a bowling alley down the street.

We ordered breakfast, bowled and drank jug after jug after jug of draft beer.. We returned to the auction at 3pm against my better judgement, fueled by draft beer. "Don't buy a pig!" Ryan yelled at me as I walked in, knowing very well I was going to buy a pig.

I ignored their 200 lb counterparts in the next stall, telling myself they were a different breed. We’d never been to an exotic animal auction before, but we got a number and sat in the risers with everyone else. The pigs were ushered out and I was overcome with fear, as Georgia raised our number. No one else bid so in a split second pig #7 was ours for $40.00. She also bid on a herd of alpacas but immediately retracted her bid while the announcer laughed at her. “Why not?” he prodded. “I don’t think they’ll fit in our car” Georgia replied.

In the waiting stall were 12 little pigs with numbers glued on their sides running around biting each other. Unsure of how to get my little # 7 pig out, I asked the closest teenager in farm clothes for help. He found a box, hopped in the stall and picked up #7. The scream was unlike anything I'd ever heard before.





As I approached the car with my pig in a box, Ryan put out his cigarette and shook his head.

#7 pig was very frightened and immediately went to the bathroom. We ditched the poo box in the parking lot and I held him in my arms the whole way home. I named him Mickey after my favourite Monkee.

Weird facts about pigs:

  • Pigs eat smells. Mickey chomps at the air when something smells good or bad.  
  • They can run super fast, like videogame fast.
  • Not only do they snort, they also bark (when displeased) and wolf (when scared or running).
  • Pig penises are shaped like corkscrews and dart into the ground at a furious terrifying rate.
  • They can chew gum like a human. Mickey once chewed a piece for 45 minutes without swallowing. 
  • They enjoy food like a human would; as Chris once said: "he would like a chip, but he would prefer a chip with dip".

Mickey settled in nicely at the house, with a little bed, a litterbox and a whole main floor to discover. I went to bed that night and had nightmare after nightmare about the reality of what I'd done. First things first, we had to move.


When you ask Google how to have a potbellied pig as a pet it says something like:


Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs are smarter than dogs and very clean. With the right care they can live a very happy life indoors.

I would like to re-write that according to my experience.


Pigs are very intelligent.
More intelligent than dogs even, but that means they’re understimulated if left home alone. Mickey would knock all the cushions off the couch, turn over the coffee table, and pull out books and rip them to shreds. So I started leaving him in the yard where he would dig up every inch of grass, pull every loose board off the fence, then break out in search of an apple tree. The routine was to come home from work, discover him gone, set out on foot, then find him chomping on apples surrounded by neighbours taking photos of him.

Pigs can be litter box trained.
They can be litter box trained quite easily, on the first day as a matter of fact. However, they EAT cat litter like it's popcorn. Mickey really liked to drag his expensive pine shavings litter into his bedding, creating a big soup of filthy blankets that smell like a hamsters cage.

Pigs are clean animals and odourless because they don't sweat. Their bodies are clean but their snouts are always covered in mud, leaves, or yogurt. Everything in your house at snout level will soon be covered in that as well. Your pants and your guests pants will get 'pig faced' by the dirty snout.


Pigs are easily trainable. Some pigs play toy pianos, dunk basketballs, jump through hoops, and ride skateboards. Other pigs open the fridge, knock over garbage cans, run away with guests purses, tear up books, eat make-up, and shake the leg of tables until everything on it comes crashing down.


Pot-bellied pigs stay small.
They do stay small compared to a 1000 lb hog. At 200 lbs potbellied pigs are about the size of a dog, but 3x as heavy.


So the next time someone tells you: “I hear pigs make great pets”, please share with them the corkscrew penis fact and the whole eating walls thing. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
great article. It should be posted on every designer pigs website.
said…
I rescue pigs and this is very, very good. Well done.
Anonymous said…
Spot on!
aussie said…
Lots of head nodding and laughter! Everything you have writing is dead on! LOL! Everyone should read this article!
Melissa said…
Your article is so true! I broke out in laughter at my desk at several things because it is exactly what my Sweet Pea does! She was supposed to be a Teacup Potbelly. Well, she has grown to about 200 pounds. It is not from overfeeding either. She is on a strict diet of her potbelly food and some occasional veggies if she doesn't turn her nose up. She's spoiled, rotten, aggressive to everyone but me, etc. I have established dominance but everyone else is afraid of her. Even after I tell them you cannot act afraid because she senses that. I will be sharing this article on my Facebook. Everyone who sees her says they want one and I have to tell them that they better do plenty of research before they commit themselves. I love her deeply though, I'll never get rid of my baby girl :&)
Unknown said…
Thanks for sharing everyone!
It's nice to see pig owners reading, but I must find a way to have wannabe pig owners read it.

Fingers crossed.
Anonymous said…
Well put and HILARIOUS! My Hammy is almost 2 years old. Everything you said is right on!
Joselle said…
I lived out in the country when I first left home for college at 19. I could do anything I wanted! I wanted a pig!! (Potbellies had not been invented yet.) I rented a big house with 4 roommates on an acre in the outskirts of Gainesville, FL. I bought a cute pink baby Yorkshire from an ad in the local paper. The guy could not understand why I wanted the runt of the litter. Right away Carmine was a great pet. I used to take him on a rhinestone-studded red harness and collar to the local disco. (It was 1980) Carmine turned out to be a cuddle-baby dream pet. For about a year. Then he began to get really big and grow tusks and scare us both. Fortunately, my father had friends who had a farm. They took Carmine and he lived out his life as a still-spoiled stud piggy. I was lucky.
I have 7 rescued pot bellied pigs. They were all once someone's pet. I love them, they all live in a great barn with lots of room to roam and they have their own space when they want it. But they are not for everyone, and that is the saddest part. I am turning them away weekly, the ones people keep insisting I adopt.
Lana Hollenback said…
This is super great. I'll be sharing it on our sites as many should read it as they educate themselves to the pet pig.

Lana
Anonymous said…
Only people who have lived with pigs will have mental images to go with your paragraphs, and know how RIGHT ON it all is! :-)

I have 9 rescued pigs, and could easily have 90- or 900- I get calls from people who want to give theirs up every week.

It takes a very dedicated animal lover to give a pet pig a quality life, and to enjoy doing it. i adore mine, but have to admit, they will drive most people crazy.

Signed, Someone who often goes to work with snouty-marks on her pants. :-)
Unknown said…
Love love love!!! And will share on my rescue Happy Hooves ;)
Thank you, THANK YOU, for putting the truth out there about our amazing pets!
WELL DONE INDEED! Thank you for writing this. I agree with it all. I have mud spots on nearly every wall, door jam, pieces of furniture, all pig height of course. And my yard.. don't even get me going there. But as long as you are willing to adapt YOUR life to a pig, and be late to work, you are golden. if you aren't, DON'T GET A PIG!!
Brandi Renshaw said…
Haha, are you sure you weren't describing the inside of MY house? Let's see...

1. snout marks along the walls anywhere under 1' high
2. dirt/dust on the floors (we built an all-tile house for this reason)
3. snout marks on my work high heels
4. three of our pigs are "teenagers" so we spend a fair amount of time competing in stare-down contests and practicing "move the pig"
5. mud marks where the baby pig climbed into my bed
6. highly choreographed movements throughout the kitchen when preparing food
7. having been outsmarted with fencing more times than I care to admit

Did I miss anything? LOL But at the end of the day I couldn't love those crazy brats more!!
Devon said…
What a great account of what pigs are really like as house pets! They are amazing animals but people do them a disservice by misrepresenting them! There are so many homeless pigs these days and rescues are completely full. Teacup breeders are scam artists.
caponsacchi said…
Thank you for not giving us another "Oh so cute" picture (and cooing about) a baby piglet. I'm tired of visiting breeders' sites and seeing nothing but babies and reading the juvenile gibberish ("I want one," "Is she full grown?"). I love all pigs, but I simply wish to see some pictures of them in the 3-5 year range. They scarcely exist, making me wonder if even the micro and "super micro minis" are too big to photograph, or to cumbersome to be of interest to their owners. Or whether they've all been cruelly dumped! I know one local pig person, and hers are 200 pounders. They sleep in the house and have several acres of lush pasture land outside. That appears to be the only answer to assure any pig of the life it craves and needs. Still, I'll give it a try if I have assurances of a back-up plan. Are they're still sanctuaries that will take a pig for a fee? Or pig farms that will "board" your pig. (I sense that mini pigs are no longer the "craze" they were a couple of years ago. If they were, we'd see much more about vets and boarding services.)

To others: Please give the ages of your photographed pigs. Looking at youtube, I'm beginning to infer that few people show them after 3 months, which makes me very sad wondering about the fate of their pets.
Anonymous said…
Caponsacchi: RE: "Are they're still sanctuaries that will take a pig for a fee? Or pig farms that will "board" your pig. (I sense that mini pigs are no longer the "craze" they were a couple of years ago. If they were, we'd see much more about vets and boarding services.)"

No.
There are not, and that is the problem. Please tell me you are not purchasing one...

Anonymous said…
Well...I am one non-pig owner who has arrived at your blog. I would not and have never considered buying a pig as a pet but I am considering fixing my barn, fencing off a few acres and rescuing/fostering/adopting them. I'm still not sure though...
Anonymous said…
I had one when I was little and he was stolen Ihadn't had him but a few months so he was small. I have been wanting one remembering Wilbur however now since reading your article and comments I have decided it wouldn't be best for the pig. Thanks for ur truths
Anonymous said…
Fantastic article and dead on. Having a pig as a pet is nothing like a dog or cat. Your article brought back many memories of when I got my first pot belly. I am now on my 2nd.
Unknown said…
I bought my pig from a breeder in Texas and had her flown here with the promise she wouldn't get bigger then thirty pounds she is not even two yet and weighs about 170 so they are out to scam people that's for sure. My Penny is a great pet but only with me and my boyfriend everyone else she hates and screams and charges its a huge problem I can't have company ever my family and boyfriend want me to get rid of her but I don't have the heart to since she only likes us and is a spoiled house pig and scared of bad weather etc she loves her pillows and blankets and sleeping with me if I got rid of her she would die from being heartbroken plus she is a def inside pig I guess I'm stuck living like a recluse because I love her so much if I knew they should have a piggy friend I would of did that and I'm sure it would of helped but now she is to old and set in her ways for that if anyone has suggestions on how I can have other people around please please let me know
Unknown said…
Hi Cheri,

Your story sounds a lot like mine. I wrote this, and was struggling with what to do for the past 2 years.

I started working with a pig rescue in my province, and surrounded myself with people who lived in rural areas that have pigs.

I finally found the right fit, someone who wanted a companion for their pig and lived in the country.

I dropped Mickey off there 2 months ago, with the deal that I would sponsor him monthly.

I went back last week and he was the happiest I've ever seen him. Didn't even really miss me, just ran around with all his new pig friends and proved to me that I made the best decision.

I've decided that it is very unfair to keep a pig without other pigs. So my suggestion to you is that you find something similar in your area.

The relief and joy that came with his new home, has helped me get over the loss I initially felt.

Good luck.
Anonymous said…
I guess I am lucky. My Willy is the perfect baby. He is a bit over a year and yes I have the snout marks on the cabinets, but he sleeps with me every night, pees in a thing I bought that collects the pee and you drain it. He only poops outside. He can be a bit noisy when I am making his dinner, and I have lost weight because it is hard to rat around him as he can be pushy. But I am so glad I have him and can't imagine not having him as he is like my baby. They have a language they speak and really understand what you say to them, it is amazing.
Janice said…
Spot on and needs to be screamed from the top of every mountain into the ears of law makers everywhere, we must stop the breeding of these incredible animals....
Anonymous said…
My pig will be 3 in October and I post pictures on fb of him all the time!
daggerhart4 said…
Great article. ..you hot the nail right on the head about everything. It take a special peraon/family to really keep one of these wonderful babies. I love my Ringo but I know he isn't for everyone. He is for us though
Anonymous said…
The truth shall set you free! We have 3 piggies who we adore. They are truly family and live indoors and sleep with us as well. But I truly understand about family and friends not getting the equation. All my family and friends think we are nuts cause we have them. Upon getting our beloved pack we have decided to give up eating pork entirely. I have decided to give all animal products up as well. Proud vegan here and I owe it to our piggers.
Unknown said…
I have adopted two pigs from folks that got them young then could not provide for them as they became larger and more demanding. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my piggies! But being late for work is certainly not a myth. My pretty Miss Daisy grabbed the cat litter bag ripped it open and ran all about the house just minutes before I was set to leave for work. I keep the vacuum cleaner in front of the fridge as she is scared of it so keeps her from opening and emptying it of its contents. Lower cabinets are for non food items only. Food items seen atop a table or cabinet will be gotten down. Pigs are strong, smart, and determined. In spite of all the quirks, I would not trade them for anything. I get immense joy seeing them happy as they roam, root and graze. I love cuddling with them in the evenings and taking them to the lake for some world class wallowing on warm days, we have a van with a pig ramp...way too big to lift! If one is not capable of providing a pig with the life it deserves, please, just don't get a pig. Also a very proud vegan..though prior to the pigs joining the family.
Unknown said…
What a great article! IT reminded me of my experience with my first indoor pig. I was even smug, thinking, "this will be a piece of cake!" HAHA! However, I had my first indoor potbelly (Maggie) for her whole life, and we now have another, Gus Gus. Although they are difficult, nothing puts a smile on my face like my piggies!
Unknown said…
I hear ya sister! I have 3 pigs, Harvey is 5 also. I've tried to tell potential pig owners of the struggles and commitment needed but some just don't listen. It's like owning some sort of designer purse or something...a crazy status symbol or interesting conversation piece. 10 years ago we had as many as 24 pigs, all but 3 were abandoned by the previous owners because they outgrew their cuteness. I really wish people would stop giving misinformation, stop breeding unless you can accept and properly take care of "returns". I love my Harvey and his 2.5 year old sisters Holly and Olive, but I knew what I was getting into...so many don't. We are now struggling to find a house to live in because we can't buy in the city and our funds won't allow for much. Meanwhile my indoor piggies are outside in the Wisconsin weather and I cry every day. I miss constantly yelling "get out of the cupboard" and putting locks on everything multiple times because they figure out how to open them. It will happen again soon...I hope. For those who are considering a pig...ASK OTHERS WHO HAVE ONE...AND LISTEN. WE LOVE OUR PIGS BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT WORK THEY REALLY ARE. PLEASE, DON'T ABANDON THEM. DON'T BELIEVE THEY WILL STAY AS SMALL AS THE BREEDER TELLS YOU. Harvey is over 225 pounds and can toss a couch like it's a toy. Holly and Olive are over 100 pounds. Yes, that's mini as compared to a farm pig, but they still take up an entir couch and don't care if you're already relaxing on it...or if you ever want to get up!
Anonymous said…
So good! Pigs definitely aren't for everyone's. It's heartbreaking that so many are discarded after they aren't 10lb piglets anymore. I'm pre-vet for large animals and love all pigs:) especially my Stella, who is trying to fit on my lap as I type this even though she is too big! Haha
Unknown said…
My husband and I have been talking about getting a pet pig for years-- will definitely stick to dogs after reading this. Thank you for the honesty!
Pot-bellied pigs as pets aren't what they seem. ... teacupbed.blogspot.com
PissedPigOwner said…
I agree with some things in this article but definitely not everything such as it basically implies to give up on pot belly pig owner ship. I have two pot belly pigs they were not fixed very young. My male has never once humped anything or been aggressive or had his thing out at all. They are both very sweet and submissive a dog could be scratching them and they wouldn't even fight back or bite. They were both very easy to train and better than any puppy I've every had which I have raised around 20 dogs. They have accidents and they have been destructive at times when left alone causing around $20 worth of damage. This is nothing compared to the puppies I've had chewing up hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. Dogs too are destructive and will eat through dry wall, some dogs get just as big or bigger than these pigs. So if you want to tell everyone to basically give up on owning pigs you should also let large dog owners they need to give up as well. It all depends on the devotion and love of the caregiver. If there is none there then I do suppose giving up is the best option.
Unknown said…
I am an "accidental" new pig mom. Maxwell came to us from a friend of a friend who decided they were going to slaughter him at 5 months old because he wasn't "new and shiny" any more. Honestly, I had no idea what I was in for. The first day, bruises and tears in my pants because of him jumping. Next day his blood curdling screams because we tried to put a harness on him. I'm realizing he's going to be quite a challenge, but I'm willing to adapt and work with him because I immediately fell in love and I'm all the poor boy has. Thank you for this article.
Holly said…
This is so true! Only difference is I have a girl and the thing is is when she's in heat, she screams like nobody's business, much like the scream they let out when you pick them up. It's horrendous
Mollie said…
I adopted a spayed female PBP from a rescue. She is very sweet and affectionate. She lives outside in a pen with a big house and a pool. She sometimes urinates in her pool. I'm not sure why she does this or what to do about it. Anyone have this issue?
Anonymous said…
I agree with so much of this article however I do like the comment the lady left that it is almost suggesting against owning a PB and ive had more problems with dogs,yes they are a lot of work but do your homework. Also my girl sometimes pees in her pool as well but I just clean it lol I wondered the same thing :)
Anonymous said…
My pitbulls pee in the pools lol. We swear our pitbull is a pig. He roots everywhere. Its so cute. We love him dearly. He has chewed up so many household items though. But come to think of it I would never just get rid of my mufasa because he chewed on the wall. I would just make sure he knew what he did was wrong. I think a pot belly pig would be a wonderful addition to our family. But every article I've read points to how destructive they are. It's definitely made my husband question why I want one:/
John Markkx said…
I accept there are numerous more pleasurable open doors ahead for people that took a gander at your site.
Teacup pig for sale
Dean L said…
We've had Lewis in our home since he was a month old. He's now past the age of 4 and yes, he does weigh over 100 lbs (he weighed 2 lbs. when we got him) but he is a treasured member of our family and there are very few downsides with Lewis. We do get the snout marks low on the walls and scratches on our floors, he gets his hooves and snout muddy from rooting while out in the yard when it's wet. He makes some noise before feeding time. He's not easily transportable when going to the vet and such.

That's about it for the downsides. I can't begin to name all the upsides: extremely intelligent, loving, loyal, cuddly, compassionate, communicative, intriguing, adorable, completely housebroken almost from day 1 - he's a lifetime companion. I wish people saw the value in holding onto their pigs, they are unique and special animals and no pig deserves to be abandoned.
Unknown said…
Finally some real facts instead of how terrific it is to own a house pig. Your article really woke me up I'm so glad I read it I've been searching for a reputable farm to purchase a mini, but now after reading your article I don't think a mini pig is for me thank you so much!
Unknown said…
Thank you for posting your experience and advice about pot bellied pigs. I've always suspected the truth, which is why I've never bought one of these creatures. I've seen others make the same mistakes as most trend followers. My field of experience is in rescuing parrots and hedgehogs. They also suffer from the same problems and erroneous expectations by their owners. Here's hoping that people will stop looking for unique experiences at the expense of innocent animals.
Anonymous said…
my pig experience lasted two weeks........three stitches in my eyebrow later and the worst fall imaginable my beloved Apple was rehomed......she was only a foster pet but i realised very quickly that had she been able to stay she would have very quickly dominated my life......apart from being very epensive to feed she was also demanding and yes bad tempered to anyone who did not play her game..........the farting was horrendous and although she was very sweet by nature......she was not so nice to the other pets....she went to a forever home on a hobby farm one hour before she left i rushed outside to give her a extra feed to keep her happy on the trip.....and yes i tripped over her knocked myself out and ended up at the doctors being repaired.......i actually rescued her from a neighbour who was her third owner....she was only four months old..........with the intention of finding her a forever home........any thoughts of getting one for me....have now been firmly stored away for my next life............
Heidi said…
I just have to say 2 1/2 years ago i got my little Chloe. She is my daughter. Pigs are life changing. For me it's all for the better. She is pretty heavy now. She could have grown to be 500 lbs and i wouldn't give this girl up. My girls make me smile everyday!
Unknown said…
I just have to say my Petunia is a wonderful smart loving girl. Shes three this year and around 350 lbs. She only lives indoors in the winter cause she prefers to be outside any other time. People hate that she gets them muddy but I don't mind at all, shes wonderful. I would not of thought a pig could bring this much joy into my life.
Brenda Goodbody said…
There is so much trusty in this article, but having a pig can also be a very rewarding experience. I’ve had my Jilly for six and a half years now and she is 75lbe, doesn’t get into any mischief (I leave her loose in the house when I’m at work), is very friendly, and sleeps with me at night. They are definitely not for everyone but if they are right for you they truly are the best pet you could ask for! She has changed my life for the better and I love her more than words can say. I also have a cat and a dog and everyone gets along famously.
Annie said…
I actually disagree, I don't know if we have just had great luck with our pot-bellied little baby, or if it's because she's a different kind of pot-bellied piggy. We adopted a genuine miniature Juliana Pot-Bellied piggy, when she is completely full grown, she will only be about 25 lbs, and she is absolutely wonderful!! Sure she snorts at us and roots around here and there, but she has never torn anything up, she was EXTREMELY easy to train to go potty outside, and also does great when being left with my Daschund for 9 hours a day while we're at work, they absolutely adore each other and she is the sweetest girl no matter who comes around, she just loves all the attention from people. Also, we weren't well prepared for her at all, but she has done amazing, and has been everything we were told a mini pig would be. She has all kinds of toys, and gets treats during training time every day, and she has needed little to no discipline, she tries to get a little bossy here and there, but a quick finger point and a stern "No" always does the trick. I think it may be because most genuine mini pigs, are handled and socialized with people from birth, rather than kept in a pen then ripped from their mama all of a sudden, squealing like crazy, and completely terrified. Our little one immediately bonded with me and slept on me the whole car ride home and has followed me around ever since. By the sounds of things, I think people are having these issues because they're A)getting dooped by a breeder that says they have mini pigs and they're not or B)they think they can handle a genuine pot-bellied pig, but don't do the proper research to make sure they're making the right choice. I only recommend where we went for our piggy because we got to meet her whole family before we took her home, and all of the piglets were extremely social and friendly. Not only that we got to see all of the parent piggies, and the largest was maybe 45lb and that's pushing it. People need to think about why their piggies are so traumatized and need so much time to stop being scared, breeders should be doing more to socialize their piggies, and get them ready for their new homes, rather than creating the perfect storm for you and your new baby. I wish all breeders gave the same care that Pepper had, maybe more people could keep and handle their piggies.
Unknown said…
My Talula went through tunes when she was more aggressive so
I had her fixed. I trained her to go on papers that were
Placed over a rubber mat. This worked great!
Yet I do agree that pigs should be outdoor
Trained, at the same time,
which she most definitely is!
We have a cat who is her companion
Since I’m not able to have two pigs at this
Time. She talks to us, her human family
All the time! She is very vocal! I love having a pig!!
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