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FAQ'S AND INFORMATION SECTION

Below you will find the latest, ever growing, information on pet pig health care, behavior, training, adoption, housing, diet, and more.

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Our FAQ's and information page is a constantly growing work. The information presented here is the result of our many years of living and taking care of our own potbelly pigs, and information we have gathered from other pot belly pig Mom's, Dad's, animal rescue and sanctuary owners around the world.

In the future we hope to include more papers and reports from veterinarians that have treated potbellied pigs and have become local pig pet experts.

If your vet has had experiences with pot belly pigs, we would like to hear about their approaches and treatments. In this way, other vets and you will have a source of sound and proven information.

Please understand: We are not veterinarians. The information presented here is for educational purposes only. Any health related information presented below should always be checked out with your personal veterinarian.

Potbellied pigs (PBPs) are clean, highly intelligent and loving creatures. In fact, pigs in general are the fourth smartest animal in the world. Pot-bellied pigs require extra patience and lots of love, but more than make up for it with their personality.

Care of potbellied pigs is simple, if you have the proper knowledge before you start.

ABANDONED PIGS

Every year hundreds, if not thousands, of pot bellied pigs are abandoned, "thrown away", or die due to lack of information and knowledge.

Many are abandoned because the humans had unrealistic expectations, or were given the wrong facts (like the ridiculous statement: "a pot belly pig will stay small if you feed it less", a favorite of many unscrupulous breeders!).

This is why we strongly suggest you adopt a pig, or adopt any pet.

HOW ABOUT ADOPTING

There are many wonderful animals in rescue centers and animal sanctuaries. If you want to adopt pet pigs, check our Adoption page, or Links page.

Many potbelly pigs die due to wrong medication, wrong anesthesia, etc. We lost our first little boy this way many years ago. The reason for this is much of the information being used to treat potbelly pigs comes from treating farm swine.

In many cases, this type of treatment is deadly. You will need to make sure you have a vet in your area that is willing to learn about, handle and treat your PBP.

PIGS AND DOGS - A BAD COMBINATION

Potbelly pigs and dogs are not a good combination. Pigs are prey to dogs, which are predators. If you get a pet pig and have a dog, NEVER leave them alone together.

We have heard way to many stories about pigs being attacked by the family dog and being severely injured, or killed. Many times these are animals that have lived together for years. Normally it will be the pig that starts the problem by going after the dogs food, toys, etc.

Yes, there are exceptions to everything but do not take the chance.

Pot belly pig care, and pet pig care in general, requires different treatments and approaches than other exotic animals or more common pets, like cats and dogs.

We suggest you go through our FAQ's links to the right. There is a great deal of information here and many of your questions will be answered there.

SPONSOR A PET PIG

If, after you have read through these pages, you decide a pig is not for you, you can still sponsor a pig at many sanctuaries around the country. If this is something that may interest you, we suggest sponsoring a pig at Pig Pals Sanctuary. This is one of the best and most dedicated sanctuaries around.

Ziggy and Flower

The Joy of Pigs: Rooting Out the Truth
A nice article on pigs By Galina Pembroke

THINKING ABOUT GETTING A PET PIG?
PLEASE CONSIDER ADOPTING!

If you decide on getting a pot belly pig, PLEASE consider adopting from one of the many rescue centers and sanctuaries run by pet lovers located around the country.

We adopted our male. He was one year old when we adopted him and he is now 13 years old! He is an absolute sweetheart!! These pigs deserve to have a loving and warm home with true pet lovers.

If you would like to find out if there is animal rescue center or sanctuary in your area, check our Adoption Page or our Links Page for links to many centers around the country.

Adoption Information Page

Animal Poison Control:

• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
  888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435) Keep this number handy. $45.00 per case.

General Potbellied Pig Information:

• Adoption Information: Adopt or Buy? - What you need to know before you adopt, starting points on where you adopt.
• Different Breeds and Type's of Mini Pigs
• Farrowing Box - Instructions for building a farrowing box for your Momma pig and new piglets.
• Glossary: Know What Different Pig Terms Mean - Words and terms concerning potbellied pigs you may need to know.
• Harness and Lead Training - An outline of the proper way to teach your pig to wear a harness and walk on a lead.
• Height: How Tall Will My PBP Get? - Better to ask how big your pig will get. This article will answer your questions.
• Life Span: How Long Do They Live? So, what is the life span of a potbellied pig?
• Litter Box / Potty Training - If you are going to have an indoor pig, you need to read this article.
• New Pig: Preparing For and Socializing - How to prepare your house for a new pig, getting your pig to trust you, and basic training.
• Piglets: Baby Pigs, What to Do? - How young is too young to take piglet from Mom, care of piglets, feeding and more.
• Pigs, Children and Other Pets: Do They Get Along? - How pet pigs get along with children, dogs, cats, horses and more.
• Pregnancy: How to Tell & What to Do - We sure hope you do not have a pregnant pig, but just in case you do, read this article.
• Size: How Big Do PBP's Get? The Real Truth - You may be surprised by this article. Includes a formula for figuring the weight of your pet pig.
• Stairs and Ramps - It is best that your pig learn how to use ramps rather than using stairs or jumping. This article explains why.
• Traveling With Your Pet Pig - Some tips, from personal experience, on how to make your trip comfortable for both you and your pig.
• Weight: How to Weigh Your Pet Pig Without a Scale.
• Winter Health Reminder - Tips on keeping your pig healthy throughout the winter.
• Zoning: Have You Checked Your Zoning - Before you get a pig, PLEASE read this article. Do not make the same mistakes many others have made.

Diet:

• Food: What and How Much? - Proper nutrition will keep your pig healthy, happy and around a very long time.
• Treats: Which are Best? - Do not give your pig just any old treat!
• Water: How To Get Your Pig Enough Liquids - Just as important to pet pigs as it is to us. Be sure your pig gets plenty of water.

Housing and Toys:

• Farrowing Box - Instructions for building a farrowing box for your Momma pig and new piglets.
• Housing: Indoors and / or Outdoors - Tips to make your life a little easier and your pigs life a whole lot easier.
• Toys and Recreation -Some ideas to keep your pig occupied. Remember: A bored piggy is NOT what you want, especially if it is an indoor pig.

Health Care:

• Anesthetics - The right and wrong anesthetics for potbellied pigs.
• Body Temperature - What is the correct temperature for a potbelly pig?
• Eyes / Ears - What to look for, how to clean.
• Fleas / Ticks
• General Health Information - Short summaries on anesthetics, loss of appetite, body temperature, constipation and more.
• Mange Mites - What to do to get rid of mange mites.
• Sick Pig: Know the Signs - How to know when your pig is sick.

Health Care:

• Skin / Hair - Dry skin, hair falling out, scaly skin, should you give your pig a bath? The answers are all here.
• Spay / Neuter - All house pigs MUST b e spayed or neutered. Article contains health reasons why this is necessary.
• Tusks / Hooves - Should you trim the tusks? How to trim hooves. Tips on both.
• Vaccinations - Does your pig need a vaccination, how to vaccinate, what to vaccinate for.
• Vets - Choosing a Vet - Questions you NEED to ask a vet before using them.
• Winter Health Reminder - Tips on keeping your pig healthy throughout the winter.
• Worming - When to worm your pig, what to use.

Behavior / Training:

• Agression, Biting and Territorial Pigs - Why they do what they do and how to correct it.
• Harness and Lead Training - An outline of the proper way to teach your pig to wear a harness and walk on a lead.
• Introducing A Second Pig - What to do should you decide to add a second pig.
• Litter Box / Potty Training - If you are going to have an indoor pig, you need to read this article.
• New Pig: Preparing For and Socializing - How to prepare your house for a new pig, getting your pig to trust you, and basic training.
• Rooting - All pigs root. Tips on keeping your pig happy.
• Scratching - Reasons for scratching, what you can do to help.
• Stairs and Ramps - It is best that your pig learn how to use ramps rather than using stairs or jumping. This article explains why.
• Wallowing - Why it is necessary for your pig, why they do it.

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