When one thinks of getting a pet, pigs are not usually what enters our minds. Pigs are often associated with being messy, dirty, and smelly. Perhaps this is because of how we see farm pigs are raised and the environment they grow up in. But if you are in for the challenge, raising a pet pig might just be for you.
What people don’t know is that like dogs, pigs can be successfully house and leash trained. They are actually quite fun to work with. However, it is no easy task raising a pet pig. Their needs are different from raising cats or dogs.
Here are some tips from Animal Health Care blog on raising a pet pig.
Is It Legal?
First things first: You have to find out if it is legal to raise a pig in your neighborhood. Some neighborhoods prohibit the ownership of a pet pig, so this needs to be researched and verified by those who want to raise pigs. If it is legal, then you’re good to go.
How to Keep Your Pet Pig Healthy and Happy
Pigs are naturally very social creatures (as unlikely as that may sound). That means you can’t simply stuff them in the backyard and feed them once a day. If you want your pet pig to be happy, you need to spend time interacting with it so you can assert yourself as the leader. Otherwise, it will become spoiled and even aggressive. Pigs are also very smart. They might do all sorts of tricks to escape their fence or when they are bored. It is important to come up with ways to keep your pig from being bored.
You also have to make sure your pig has a place to wallow. Wallowing in mud puddles, though quite a messy activity, actually helps regulate your pet pig’s body temperature. Pigs cannot sweat, so wallowing allows them to cool down especially during hot weather months.
Read the full article here to find out more about taking care of a pet pig.