Anyone have a potbelly pig?

[georgialee]

We bought my son a 'mini' potbelly pig back in Decemeber. We were planning on keeping her inside but quickly realized that she was too messy when eating so we have her in our backyard. We're moving in may to a new house with plenty of acreage for our menagerie. I'm wondering what the best pen would be for her? Would combo panels work ok (they're like cattle panels with smaller holes on the bottom)?

Also, she follows us around pretty well and she's gotten out several times - we've always been able to corral her and get her back in the yard. If we let her out of her pen to play with her when we move will she run away? She seems so much like a dog to me it's hard to keep perspective that she's a pig... and I have no idea what 'normal' pig behaviour is. I'd love to be able to let her range but obviously not if she's going to run away or get lost.

Lastly, does she need a friend? My boys play with her as well as our dog but she does't have any other pig playmates.

Thanks

 

[ShadowRooster]

I have not ever had "pet pigs' but if you do not have close houses or roads, pigs always come home for food/water/shelter, but they do wander and they may become dog or coyote food! If the time outside is supervised, she will be fine, I think. I would not risk keeping a pig free-range, though.
As long as the pig cant push the fence over, or get under it, anything will work. Trust me, I have seen pig pens made with some odd things.
She would be happier with a friend, its not pig abuse keeping her by herself.

 

[Deanner03]

I'm no help, but I know MuggsMaggee has one...I'll send her in this direction.

 

[georgialee]

Thanks! Yes, her time out would be supervised. We'll have to come up with a special treat that she only gets when she goes back to her pen. There aren't any roads or houses nearby so I'm not worried about that, though I'm sure there's coyotes around.

 

[math ace]

Check out my avaitar - - - Yep, I have pot belly pigs!

I really recommend a friend for her. . . Another girl would be easiest.
They really do not eat very much OR they will get way too big.

My pot belly was too big in the avaitar. She has been on a diet for a couple of years and is in much better shape now. . .
A full grown pot belly pig is only going to need 1 - 2 cups of pot belly pig food per day depending on their activity level. BOTH of my girls eat less than my one dog use to.


My girls were not raised in the house. They spend their days in a larged fenced area. They come when I call. HOWEVER, pigs are FREE thinkers and have absolutely NO DESIRE To please the owner like a dog does. They are only interested in what they want! The few times my girls have escaped, They have followed me back to the pen because I had some of their favorite treats - - - apples or bannanas.

Go to you local library and check out some books on pot belly pigs. You can train them easily when they are young. One of mine "sits" on command just a like a dog.

They are clean animals by nature - - - THEY DO NOT LIKE TO EAT OR SLEEP WHERE THEY RELIEVE THEMSELVES. . . Don't make their pen too small. Their nose is very sensitive to smells. . . Mine relieve themselves at one end of the fenced in area and sleep at the other end. On a regular size city lot - - - I recommend giving a couple of them run of at least hald the entire back yard.

 

[math ace]

Pigs have no way of defending themselves - - at least girl pot belly pigs don't. They should be fenced at all times for their own protection. Neighbor dogs will kill one in a heart beat!

 

[georgialee]

Thanks for the info!

They really do gain weight easily. My youngest has been giving 'Petunia' a bit too much food the past few days and her belly is almost dragging the ground, lol.

 

[TigerLilly]

Quote:
I have had pigs (pot belly & meat pigs) & as long as you remember that they 'root' & make a pen so they can't root under & get out, you should be ok. I agree that you should NOT let her outside to free-range unsupervised! Neighboring dogs alone can take her down easily, nevermind coyotes or other large type predators.

 

[georgialee]

No, we would never have her out unsupervised. I just meant if the boys and I were outside that maybe I would let her out so she could play.

 

[Skyesrocket]

I have a six pack of pots! My oldest being a huge black neutered male that looks like some kind of hippo. The youngest being a spotted miniature male.
My pigs are let out loose everyday that I am at home...which is almost daily. They don't go very far. During the summer they roam from shade spot to shade spot and from food source to food source. Oh, and from kiddie pool to kiddie pool. I keep 3 of them set up around the yard for them.
Pigs that wander are looking for something. Usually food. Unaltered pigs will wander if looking for a mate. And young pigs will wander if bored...I found this out last summer. My two youngest made up their own game. We live on a dirt road and only get a handful of cars passing by. These two started sitting on the edge of the drive waiting for a car to drive past so they could wee-wee-wee all the way home...literally! They would sit out there half of the afternoon just waiting for a car to drive by so they could run away from it.

Pigs are social animals and, to me at least, seem happier with a buddy or two around.