Pigs
Facts You Need To Know:
You will need a lot of patience.
Another necessity is a fenced in dirt yard.
Consider that a pig is just as needy as a child.
You will need someone to take care of the pig when you go on a vacation.
You cannot own a pig
if you have any other household pets that are aggressive.
A Hog Or A Potbellied Pig?
If you have your mind set on buying a
potbellied pig know this, they look a lot like baby hogs. When you are viewing a
baby pig, ask if you may take a look at his parents.
If the baby pig that you are looking at is truly a potbelly, his Mom and Dad should be
noticeably small as well.
Health A pig has very dry skin. As a result, you should not give your pig a bath unless it is absolutely necessary. To moisten his skin, massage him with a small amount of any kind of skin cream and this should help. His hooves will have
to be trimmed on a regular basis as well. You will need to ask your veterinarian one of
your pig's visits to show you how, otherwise you may injure him. Normally this is done
about every three months or so.
Food A pig will eat just about anything you give him, however, this is not a good idea. He should eat regular packaged pig food which you can find at a pet store. Purina even makes pig food. However tempting, do not give him table scraps! He will get very fat. Some pigs have actually been fed so much that their little legs can't support their bodies any longer and they have to be euthanized! Feeding vegetables
and fruit as special treats when he has done something special is just fine. Just be
careful never to over-feed your pig.
Supplies Your pig will need a
nice big soft bed. Try to get one that is washable because it will get quite dirty at
times! Believe it or not, you need to also have some kind of a blanket to cover your
pig while he sleeps too! |
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You can use any kind of large food bowl for
your pig. Always have a clean bowl of water available too...a heavy bowl is best so it
won't upset very easily.
Buy a sandbox too
(one made for a child one will do just fine).
A good sturdy scrub brush for after baths and a few times a week.
A harness and leash for when your pig is outside with you.
A large litter box.
A special sleeping
area for your pet pig, unless he is kept outside.
Carpet freshener is a basic necessity otherwise you will have a stinky house! *smiles*
With a very distinguishable pig odor.
You will need some toys for your pig to keep him stimulated so he doesn't get bored.
As long as you have
a fence, your pig will stay outside for quite a while without having to be observed.
Playing Inside
A pig will
become bored very quickly.
They love to play with laundry, blankets and sheets (they love to snuggle under them),
newspaper, and old throw pillows.
You can also find more standard toys for pigs at your local pet store if you
look around and ask the clerk there if you don't find anything appropriate.
Outdoors
When pigs are outside The will rarely get bored. They can root around in the dirt and they have the grass to snack on.
As already pointed out, you must have a fence, to both keep your pig in and keep dogs from hurting him.
Make sure there is
no harmful trash that he can get at or poisonous plants.
Be aware that your pig will more than likely ruin any landscaping that you may have. They
just love uprooting whatever they can! Keep your pig away from areas that you want left
alone.
Another thing to be aware of is that although a pig's skin is very tough, mosquitoes will bite the softer parts of him. So rub bug spray on the pig's underbelly and softer parts...get the gentlest kind you can find.
It's a good idea to
have a pool outside for your pig when it is hot outside. One that he can climb in and out
of.
Estimated Costs
pig....................................................$50
50 lb. bag of Food...............................$20
bowls.........................................$6
visit to the Veterinarian.............................$50 (estimate)
vaccines..........................................$3
fecal test................................$9
hoof trim...................$8
These figures don't encompass the cost of toys, harness, leash, or bed
Good luck with your
new pet pig!
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