Pot Belly Pigs as Pets

Most of us would never consider having pigs or piglets as pets, but pot belly pigs as pets, make for an exception. Pot bellied pigs, also known as miniature pot belly pigs, originated in Vietnam and some parts of China, and were first kept and raised as pets in sometime in 1985-1986. They are considered to be the dwarf breed of pigs and can be found in shades of black and white. They have a large snout, strong hooves. A full-grown pot belly pig weighs around 70-150lb. They live for around 18 years, and raising pot belly pigs can be quite easy with a little care and training. They tend to learn and get trained quickly, which makes them good, smart pets. Here's how you can train and care for a miniature pot-bellied pig.

How are Pot Bellied Pigs as Pets?

Temperament
Pot belly pigs, like cats or dogs, have individual personalities and bonding with them should be initiated slowly and steadily. Also, pigs are known to be intelligent as well as territorial, so keep this in mind when you start training them. Males get quite aggressive as they mature and females get territorial during pregnancy. Once they are trained well, they know how to behave and are also good at following commands. Bonding sessions should be limited as over pampering them could lead to them becoming too demanding and unruly.

Adoption
Pot belly pigs can be adopted from shelters, bought from on-line pig stores or pot belly pig breeders. Make sure you get one from a responsible breeder to avoid any kind of problem that you might face later. Be sure of the breed as many breeders try to sell pot belly piglets that are genetically inferior. You can also gather a lot of information about these pigs from the breeder before deciding to get them home as pets.

Housing
Pot bellied pigs will need some space of their own, so make sure you arrange for this space somewhere inside your house. You can also put some used blankets or pillows on their bedding to make it a little cozy for them. Make sure you clean the bedding thoroughly, at least once in a week to maintain hygiene and cleanliness. You can also place a bowl of water next to the bedding and a litter box as well, if required.

Training
Training pot-bellied pigs is the most important aspect of having them as pets. It is best that you start the training early on so that it picks up all the commands easily. It is easier to train a piglet than trying to train a full-grown pig. Apart from the usual house training, you will also need to leash train them and impart obedience training to them. Leash training them will enable you to take them out of the house occasionally without event. They should be taught to earn their treats and food. They can be trained to do various interesting activities as they are highly intelligent, this will also suffice their need for physical activity. You will need to be strict with them at times or else they could get unruly and aggressive.

Feeding
Pot belly pigs have a huge appetite and will never reject any food, in fact you may also find them begging for food at times. Their diet should be high in fiber and as low as possible in calories and fat, else they could develop obesity. There are a number of formulated food for these pigs that are available commercially, apart from which you can also feed them fresh vegetables and some fruits as well. They need to be fed only twice a day or else it could lead to you overfeeding them.

So, now that you have some information about pot belly pigs as pets, do not hesitate to adopt one as your pet. Make sure you take good care of it and consult a vet in case of any health problems that it displays. Shower it with love and care for it to be a wonderful, loving pet.