Has Anyone Ever Owned a Pig?

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I am seriously thinking about getting a pot-bellied pig. I keep seeing pig signs from the universe. Then today I saw a show about Hogzilla on National Geographic and learned how truly wiley pigs are.

Anyone have experience with pigs? I have a Jack Russell Terrier - who in some ways is more like a pig-cat than a dog. I think she'd get along well with a pig. Can't do cats because of allergies.



PS: No - this isn't a whim. Pets are a very serious matter. As I write this my dog is lying on my shoulders. The pig would be an indoor pig and sleep with us and be with us all the time.

No but I've always wanted one. And a skunk, but without the smell.

i like those mini pigs that are popular right now, but i bet they cost a fortune

No, I have never owned one but I do know some stuff about them.

Edit: Though I must recommend reading up about them ahead of time, just to make sure you know what to expect. Plus in some cities, potbellies might be considered 'farm animals,' and some places have certain laws against having them within that town or city's limits. So you might want to check that out beforehand.

Yes - I will definitely do the research. I also need to make sure I get one that won't grow into a hogzilla!

As far as price, I'm thinking maybe I can adopt one since there are probably a lot of (formerly) rich idiots around here who bought them and now have lost everything and have to move and can't keep their pig.

At least that's my hair-brained, pig economic hypothesis.

This little fella's cute!

I hear they're pretty smart too. They're supposed to be at least as smart as dogs, so I imagine they would be a cool pet. You could train them, and then shock your friends when they come over. Most people wouldn't expect them to be able to learn anything significant.

Lab Pet just happened upon the right post, by coincidence.

I had a pig - LOVED him. He was a sweetie and very smart. I do love animals and agreed, pets are a serious commitment.

MmeLePen, I'm sure you've heard this adage (and with truth in it): Dogs look up to their owner, cats look down on their owner (in their charming and condescending way), but pigs look to their 'owner' as on their own level.

And they do. No other way to describe. My (late) pig (miss him much) just considered me, and all humans, as 'one of his own kind.' Pigs are super-smart and have an astounding memory. My pig had access to an a very spacious indoor warehouse (heated, of course) plus the entire yard. They're really well-mannered and can easily be box trained. They're actually fastidious animals, despite their unwarranted reputation as, well, a pig.

You might consider adopting a Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pig (that was mine) since they can cost plenty otherwise. My pig was found cheap - the previous owner couldn't keep him for other reasons. Pigs are so worth it!


Just to mention, the actor George Clooney has pigs and he might have videos posted online - check. George lives in a fancy estate and his pigs are his babies.

Yeah - they're really smart! They sound a lot like my dog, the Jack Russell. Very smart, very social, and they need to be entertained or they'll wreak havoc. I think the two would be good friends. And we are already "bogged" down with our JRT - so I know the pig would get the attention it needs.

The thing that sounded cool on the NatGeo show - is that pigs are the most wild domesticated animals. Even your average Iowa pork hog will revert to a wild hog - in a few weeks - if it gets loose.

I don't know why that sounds cool - but it does. I can kinda relate to it.

I know someone who runs an animal rescue agency in GA and one of the skunks she rescued couldn't be returned to the wild due to his injuries. But he became an indoor pet and he was awesome. Just like a cat! He had his stinker thing removed so he couldn't smell up the place and he was quite cuddly.

Mme ~ I know someone who had a vietnamese pot pelly pig and she was really smart! The owner ran a petstore and Lily, the pig, had the run of the place with the owners cat. She would greet people at the door and was absolutely adorable.

I have owned pigs. However, they were not pets.

I can say this, pigs are quite a bit of work. First of all, they eat like, well pigs.
Expect to feed them much more than you can imagine.

Also, pigs by nature are rooting animals. In the wild, they will dig up roots with their tusks, and eat them. Even without tusks, domesticated pigs will dig up a yard/pen like you wouldn't believe.

Also, like humans, pigs have personalities. Some are nice, and some are mean. A mean pig is not something to have around. A mean pig will be a danger to children and small pets. A nice pig will eat out of your hand.

I would recommend a strict regimen of bathing, as their are a number of parasites that can live on pigs. If it is hot, pigs will require some water to lie in, as pigs cannot sweat.

Just my experience. I will spare you all the details regarding raising pigs for their meat.

here is one of my 2 new pigs:



https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 4290_n.jpg

My grandparents kept pigs in a pigsty. Gran once almost lost her hand, which got almost bitten off by one of her pigs.

I grew up on a farm; my parents kept pigs amongst other animals. As already mentioned they are very intelligent - I'd say on a par with dogs. Didn't know they could be house trained, which is obviously necessary if you are planning on keeping it indoors! Make sure it has plenty of toys and attention or they can become bored and start to chew on things - or on each other if they are in a group and you end up with pigs missing tails or bits out of their ears! I don't know if they are furniture friendly or if they are likely to destroy such things? Finally, if you get fed up of keeping the pig have a word with your local butcher and I'm sure he will convert it into bacon for you!

If I remember correctly from what I've read, pigs are considered the fourth most intelligent animal on Earth, behind humans, chimpanzees, and dolphins. Pigs are also omnivorous (not vegetarian, despite them grazing) so they will eat meat whenever they get the chance. Mostly in the wild they are scavengers who will feed on carrion, but they will kill and eat smaller and weaker animals if they are able.

Just some fun facts about pigs

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/potbelli ... expect.htm

I'm so jealous if you do get a pig! I've always wanted one, but I live with people who don't, couldn't give it the level of attention it would need (hurray being out of the house from 7am until 6pm!) and it would get too big for my liking.