Friday, July 15, 2005

...and this little piggy got BIG

Pot bellied pigs make wonderful pets. They take a lot of time, training & patience. But in my opinion, they're well worth the effort. They're said to be the 4th most intelligent animal. Pigs don't have very good eyesight, but they have a heightened sense of smell & sound. An interesting note: they have 2 sets of eyelids. One of Cheeta's oddities is that she likes to lie on her side & be swept with a broom. Since we belong to a PBP Club, we've gone to a few pignics & have seen some talented pigs. 1 played the piano, another pushed a shopping cart! One on Animal Planet even painted! Cheeta sits (for food), is harness & leash trained, pushes a ball, and even touches specific toys when prompted (with food, of course).
I prefer a pig over a cat or dog. Think of Morris the Cat & there you have a pig's attitude! Cheeta doesn't cough up hairballs. If she were a he, she/he wouldn't lick her/his balls. She doesn't bark (except when running) and no cat cries. (I do like dogs & cats but Tarzan's allergic)

Pot bellied pigs normally weigh between 60-175 pounds. They're called miniature because regular sized pigs easily weigh over 400 lbs. Some places claim to breed 'micro-mini' pigs & these breeders are lying! The tiny pigs they're showing as the parents are usually still piglets themselves. They usually stick 2- three month old pigs in the pen & say that's the parents. Unfortunately, the families become attached and when the pig exceeds the guaranteed limit, the heartbroken family must take them to a rescue. Cheeta is almost twice the size we were told she'd get, luckily we've been able to keep her. In the county I live in, there are over 300 pigs waiting to be rescued.

Did you know that pigs have hair? And that they shed their hair in the summertime? When Cheeta is shedding, there is a little patch of hair between her eyes, I like to spike it and call her "Ollie".
Pigs aren't really piggish. They eat uncontrollably because they don't have a thalamus. I know of some humans who might not have a thalamus. Know what I mean?
Pigs are dirty only if their owners keep them in dirty conditions. Don't misunderstand me. Pigs LOVE the mud! They can't sweat, so they lie in the mud to cool off. But they don't like to eat & poop in the same area. Cheeta goes potty in a litter box that we've converted out of a plastic 3 foot storage box. She usually just poops on her walks. That's another benefit, pig poop isn't like dog poop. As far as poop goes, its more like rabbit poop.

She goes for 4 walks a week which last as long as she wants them to.
She wears a harness as opposed to a collar, then we just clip on the leash. At the beginning of her walks, she puts her nose high in the air to catch any new scents. She doesn't like windy day walks as her sense of sound is removed & pigs are not predators, but prey. Most everybody who sees her likes her, especially children & the elderly. When she smells jacaranda's she lies down & rubs her body against the grass. she barks when she runs & that startles people. It sounds like a deep & loud WHORF! and she moves horizontally like a running back! She's got the good life here with us.

Cheeta costs us about $100 a month in upkeep. We clean her ears, trim her hooves & even wash her behind after her walks. Afterall, someone has to & she can't, right? They're a long term commitment as they live to be about 15 years old. While pot bellied pigs are becoming more recognized as domesticated, each city has their own zoning laws you must follow. Aside from zoning laws, there aren't many laws protecting pot bellied pigs. In the U.S.A. they weren't intended for food, but it's not against the law to eat one. It would be highly irresponsible not to thoroughly research pbp's prior to getting one. If you decide you want a pig, PLEASE don't buy one from a breeder. There are so many hundreds of pig rescues that are just hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Most of these pigs have been loved, trained & are simply adorable! And all the rescues I'm aware of will always accept their pig back if, at any time, you decide you don't want it. Another reason to get your pig at a rescue is because most are full grown & they're as big as they're gonna get. If you like pets but can't adopt one, most rescues can always use volunteers. :)


Some rescues:

Belly Draggers
lil orphan hammies (look at this website, its the best!)
Montana large animal rescue (and pbps)
Twilight bridge (a pbp website)

posted by jane at 10:25 PM