Pot Belly Pig? Anyone with experience

[Hoover67]

One of my sons has wanted one of these forever. Does anyone have any experience with them?

1. Housing requirements?

2. Can they be kept outdoors?

3. How much area do they need?

4. How destructive are they?

5. Anything else I should know?

Thanks.
Michele

 

[JenniferJoIN]

My sister has a pot belly pig that she kept in the house for a while. She never house-trained it properly, but it was a great vacuum cleaner!

I know she kept it outside in a little 'house' made of plywood. She had a heat lamp in with it, then it had a 'play area' made from a fence I bought for my rabbits.

Pot Belly Pigs will eat constantly, so you have to be careful how much you feed them or else they'll get overweight.

They are awfully darn cute though!

 

[tfpets]

There are several ways to keep a potbelly pig. Many people keep them as house pets, and yes, you have to watch their diet, because they are ummm, pigs...and they can get overweight.
I have a large potbelly pig, his name is Mouse. He lives outside in the pet area. His primary sleeping area is in a four walled structure with straw on the floor and an open doorway. He loves the mud and dirt, and must have toys to play with. He has a basketball and a tractor tire (we call it his girlfriend - long story) and he likes to push around boulders. He loves playing with bales of straw also. Mouse eats whatever I'll give him, especially wet cob and all stock feed. He lets me pet him and push him around, and scratch behind his ears. He yells when he's mad and grumbles when he thinks there are too many chickens on his back, but he would never hurt them. He used to wander our property freely, but I had to fence him in when the goats started taking him down the road, and leaving him in the neighors yard (he doesnt have a very good sense of direction).
I think potbelly pigs are fantastic, I dont see any reason not to own one? They are very good natured, intelligent, easy to feed, and you can train them to potty where you want... way easier to care for than my sons are??
Good luck,
Tina

 

[Skyesrocket]

I love my Pots! I have three that are livestock auction rescues. They are getting pretty old now and don't go outside of the barn much anymore.
1. Housing requirements?
They need protection from the heat and cold. If outside will need a dry, draft free area for winter. They love making, and remaking their beds...wether it's straw or old blankets. They will shred blankets over time. Pots get big so plan on an area for 150-200 pound animal.
They need a shaded or cool area in the summer. They do root...it's part of being a pig.

2. Can they be kept outdoors?
Yes, see above. If you have cold winters, you might consider having two so they can cuddle up to stay warm.

3. How much area do they need?
Younger pigs like to roam around and are more active. They will go for walks and the exercise is good for them. So the amount of area would depend on how often the pig can get out for exercise. If you are fencing an area in, I would think 12' x 12' should do it. Keep in mind that the pot will root and tear the area up.

4. How destructive are they?
Pigs are smart. And food driven. This leads to destructive behaviors. Give them something to do and play with. And count on spending time with them. They are personable animals are are fun to have around.
People that have them inside give them a rooting box to play in. You can put good size rocks in it, pool balls, whatever and then hide treats in it for them to root for.

5. Anything else I should know?
It's important to keep an eye on their weight. Treats should be fresh vegetables and some fruits. No potatoe chips or junk food. They always act hungry. Their is a physical reason for this, but I can't remember now exactly what it is. They are very smart. Be careful that they don't train you.
Get them used to hoof trimming while they are young. When you pick babies up they can scream VERY LOUD...ear piercingly loud. Just to let you know that they are unhappy.
Cheerios make great training food. Ummm...pigs can't look up.
They are easier to house train than most dogs. And according to pot bellied rescues, there are NO MICRO MINI Pots. Count on the adult weight being a minimum of 50 pounds....and that is a small pot.
Also, check pot rescues. There are many pigs and piglets in need of good homes. Pigs as Pets is one, you can google and find a lot more.
Good Luck! I love mine.

 

[menageriemama]

I love PBPs!!! I do not have one of my own, but I used to farm-sit for the exotic animal farm down the road from where I grew up. They had the best little pig there and I adored her. Check out www.Pigs4Ever.com for really good info

 

[the simple life]

Mine was very sweet, she housebroke alot easier than any dog I ever owned.
She was well behaved, of course they love food and will squeal if they see you eating something they want.
Mine went mad when she saw me open a can of tuna, I wouldn't even have the lid off yet and she would go nuts for it.
She lived in our house, she had her own area and bed.
If you admonished her for something she did she would run and jump into her bed.
I mean all I had to do was say no Sophie! and that was it she would run to her bed.
I would feel bad and try to get her to come out and she wouldn't. She was so stubborn that I would end up begging her to come out because I felt guilty.
I know that we were told to keep her away from citrus, the vet said it could make her sick so we never gave her any of that.I am not sure if this is fact or not, but I didn't want to risk it.
Mine weighed over 100lbs;
THey do need to go outside and root around, mine went in and out the side door as she pleased.
We put a ramp up the back of the truck so that she could walk into the truck.
They don't do stairs.
She loved shoelaces and would charge at people's shoes, it would scare the daylights out of them because they thought she was going to attack them, but she just wanted their shoelaces.

In fact, I held an elegant bridal luncheon in my yard for my SIL, rented tables, white table linens, floral arrangements, you get the picture.
All I asked my husband to do that day was to keep the pig in the house, I didn't know alot of the guests that were coming since they were my SIL co-workers, friends and relatives.
Well right in the middle of the luncheon, Sophie comes barreling through the yard, charging at peoples feet (shoelaces) under the tables and snorting loudly.
People started jumping up and screaming.
I had to catch the pig and calm everyone down.
Where I live you don't generally see pigs in people's yards so they were all freaked out.
My husband said he opened the door to come outside with some ice and she pushed past him.
Anyway, they are alot of fun and very sweet animals in my experience.
I still miss Sophie, when she past away even my vet was crying because everyone in the office had gotten so attached to her.
I would love to own another one.

 

[freshegg]

we had one and she lived in the house as far as house training they go the bathroom in the same spot so if you take a kiddy pool and cut a door out for it to go in it will. but remember the pig pics the spot. also after time we learned what times she went (2 times a day) so we put a wide plank down for a ramp at the back door and would just let her out and she would go outside. they are great vacuum cleaners. very smart too my hubby has a friend with one hes had for years and he has to chain the fridge shut cause the pig will open and clean the whole thing out. they can scream so loud if there scared too its ear piercing. Good luck

 

[wyndski]

There was one where I use to rent from and they got her from the pound. She was potty trained to go outside with the dogs and even knew some tricks. All was great until she started coming in heat and then she forgot she was potty trained.

Then she became a outside pig and was still happy. The ended up loaning her to a friend who had another female pig for her to play with. They owned a eatery and brought them scrap food.

When they got her back she was a huge pig on short sticks.

So if you keep them inside watch them when they get old enough to come in heat and be careful how much you feed them.

 

[texasgirl]

Do the females grow long teeth that need to be trimmed like the males? I know female wild pigs don't grow long teeth but wasn't sure if PBP's did.
I want to get a female next year and plan to have her spayed, I heard they make much better pets when they are spayed young.

 

[the simple life]

I had mine spayed when she was young too, she was ramming the back of my legs alot when I would standing there doing dishes or something.
It became persisitant so I called the vet and they said she needed to be spayed, they said they become like that in heat.
We had her spayed, she was fine after that.
She did not grow the tusks like the males.Nothing had to be trimmed.
Just make sure that if you get one she has plenty of room to run around, they love to be outside rooting around.
Mine slept in the house, but she played outside most of the day.