What Are The Proper Living Conditions For My Pig?

The living conditions of the pet pig are left up to the pet owner to determine based on his family needs. The vast majority of potbellied pigs spend at least part of their day as inside house pets. Some pigs are let outside to go to the bathroom, to spend some time grazing and to lie in the sun. Some pigs live outside during the day and are brought into the home at suppertime or to go to bed. Some pigs live outside all the time and only occasionally, if ever, visit inside. And a few unfortunate pigs are doomed to living exclusively in the house with little or no outside time. Pigs are adaptable, but they do much better if they have the same routine every day. They are creatures of habit, as are most intelligent animals.

The best indoor environment for your pig is one in which its bed and blankets are placed away from drafts and open doorways. All pigs love to build their own beds. It is wise to provide your pig with quilts and blankets that it can root around while making its "nest". When your pig's bed is just right, it will crawl under the quilt and settle in for a good sleep. If you decide you would like to give your pig a bed, choose a contoured foam bed instead of a stuffed pillow inside of a rattan or wicker frame. Stuffed pillows, especially those stuffed with small pebble type materials or feathers, are not the best option for your pig. While rooting the pillows the pig may accidentally break the stitching. When this happens all the stuffing materials spill out. You can imagine what fun a pig can have spreading the stuffing all over the room. Many people place their pig's bed in the family room, so that they can enjoy the time together. Pigs go to sleep early. When it gets dark outside most pigs put themselves to bed. Letting your pig sleep in your bed is not necessarily a good idea. When it is a small piglet it is fun to take the baby to bed, but as a grown adult pig it can get pushy about sharing its bed space. Remember the information regarding the pig's instinct to protect its nest that was identified early in Chapter Five.

Your pig's food and water bowls should be within easy reach, but in a space that is appropriate for feeding such as the kitchen or outside. Its bowls should not be placed right next to the pig's bed.

The pig that lives outside or spends any length of time in the backyard needs fencing strong enough and high enough to protect it from stray dogs and to make sure the pig does not wander off. Most pigs will gladly stay near the house, but there are a few that get so interested in following their noses that they do just that. When they look up they are lost. So, to protect your pig properly sturdy fencing is suggested. It is your decision as to exactly how much of the yard you are willing to give to the pig. Some owners allow their pig to occupy their entire yard, while others provide a smaller, secure fenced pig area. This decision can be based on the value you place on your landscaping. To place a pig in a full yard with expensive landscaping and no supervision can be a mistake. Your pig can see all those extraordinary plantings as a wonder gift you have provided for it to graze on. Should this be your circumstance, fence in part of your yard just for your pet. A fenced area, large enough for one pig, should be at least 80 square feet. The height of any external fencing that surrounds your yard should be at least 6 feet. You can use lower fencing if a surrounding higher fence protects the pig area.

The appropriate fencing materials can include picket, chain link, or wood fencing. An inexpensive alternative is to use hog paneling. An advantage of hog paneling or other sectional fencing is you can move the pig's fence around your yard to prevent the grass in its pen from becoming over grazed. The potential for your pig to push its way under the fence is greatly reduced if the fencing is placed at ground level and is securely fastened to fence posts that have been sunken into the ground. If you choose a flexible type of fencing material, then it is suggested that you put a tightened guy wire along the bottom, which is then securely attached to the fencing material and to the corner posts. You will want to make sure the gates are large enough to get garden equipment and the pig's carrier in and out of the fenced area. The gates need to be of sound construction and to have the ability of being easily and securely latched.

Within your pig's area you will need to place a shelter. This shelter can be a wooden pig house or an insulated "pigloo", as used by the family dog. For the adult pig this house should be approximately 40 X 40 inches with an entrance of at least 15 inches.