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I wrote this post just weeks after we picked up our first-ever 10-week-old pot-bellied pig. This is my experience going through it. I’ve come a long way.
The day after Thanksgiving 2016, we drove out just my husband and me about 45 minutes away to pick up our first mini pig. The emotions were excited and a little bit scared. There was no going back now. Did I know what I was doing? I raised two pigs for the 4-H market as a kid and that was the extent of pigs in my life.
I have always wanted a potbelly pig and now that we have a country house it seems the options are endless. My husband was scrolling through Craigslist and saw miniature pigs for $100.
One reason I didn’t push a mini pig was that everywhere I saw was close to $1,000. I can’t spend that much money on a pet. I also knew the price was so high because these so-called breeders are charging a high price tag for what they call a micro mini pig.
Since I have owned three pot belly pigs for six years now, I can tell you there are no teacup pigs, and if they promise you anything about weight for that pig that is under 100 pounds run away, they don’t deserve your money.
For a quick comparison, my first pig Bentley who this blog post is about and is currently pictured above in 2023, now weighs 200 lbs, and our youngest pig who is three and is a registered Juliana pig picture below weighs 100. BUT back to the story. I love these pigs with all my heart and they are all best friends.
If you want to see my recent articles on our pigs who are now 6 years old go here.
So we pursued it.
On that drive, we were excited and a little bit scared. There was no going back now. Did I really know what I was doing?
Surely I wouldn’t really know what I was doing with a mini pig- would I?
Could it be any better to live in today’s world of technology? None of my friends have raised a miniature pot-bellied pig in their home. So I couldn’t ask them. Go to the library and get a book from 5 years ago- who does that anymore?! ( okay, I still do go to the library for gardening books and others, but not as much)
Where do we go when we don’t know how to do something? Google.
I taught myself to start a blog by Googling a LOT of it. My husband did all the home repairs and more thanks to Youtube.
So, of course, I would Google about mini pigs.
But what did I learn that Google failed to share with me?
This. All of This.
Read below 🙂
Related: How to Build a Mini Pig Pen From Pallets
Don’t Expect A Mini Pig to Act Like a Puppy
Mini Pigs are a cat and dog combined in our opinion. Take the characteristics of a begging dog that follows you everywhere you go and the characteristics of a cat that comes to you when it wants attention, and boom you have a mini pig.
It was an adjustment to get used to the fact that for the first few weeks our pig Bently didn’t want to just come by us. He didn’t want to be picked up at all. Google did tell me that one. He did climb up in our laps on the second day here, but it was on his time. Never when we called.
I have to say after having him for over a month now he follows me around just like our German Shepard Lab dog Jake. I like it. He likes it. It’s better now. Remember that mini pigs have no desire to please you as a dog does.
They will sell their souls for food. I am happy to report that he has been home with me in the time. He tends to recognize the word, No and after a couple yells of “No Bently” when he is in the cupboard he comes squealing over to us.
Check out the food we feed our mini pigs and the food that didn’t work for us HERE.
Related: Frugal Ways to Keep Your Pig Entertained in the Winter
Do Feed Your Pot Belly Pig Correctly
I see it all the time, someone buys a potbellied mini pig and has no idea what they are doing, so they hop on over to Facebook and ask questions. Breeders more often than not tell them to underfeed the pig and wean them to early and have the new owners giving them goat’s milk.
The whole process is disgusting, and this is why shelters and sanctuary are full of old pet mini pigs. Once they get too big people get rid of them. They will get big friends.
New pig parents need to know that it is okay to feed your baby pig regular pig feed. Since ours were baby pigs we have fed Purina Pig and Sow. it comes in a 50-pound bag for $21.99 at Tractor Supply.
I’ve switched to the Runnings brand of pig feed for a few months, and both of my older pigs, Bently and Olive got sick.
They’ve never had an issue with this feed and I’m not going to switch it again on them. Portion control is a good idea with pot-bellied pigs. You know they will eat whatever they want. With baby pigs, I start by feeding them a 1/4 cup of pellets in the morning and evening soaked in water.
Six years later they get one cup of pellets in the morning and night, and they still want it soaked in water. Just a little splash goes a long way.
I did try Mazuri mini pig food with Bentley when he was young because it was available at our local Tractor Supply for the first time, but the price is insane and not a frugal way to raise my animals. One 25-pound bag of Mazuir mini pig adult active is $23.99 on Chewy.
As I said above the Purina food has been working great for six years, and it’s half the cost.
Many new pig parents are worried the pig will get fat, and it’s true they can easily become overweight it is typically with the choice of treats you are giving. If you treat your pig like a garbage can giving it all your extras, then they may get fat. Watch what you are feeding and stick to a natural diet.
Do Expect a Mini Pig to Root
From my Google searching, I was under the impression that mini pigs needed a rooting box. So my super handy husband started making a pen for him indoors until we realized we would just put him in our closet.
Ok, it’s a very weird long closet between the bathroom and our bedroom. It works. Our farmhouse was built in the 1850s so it has some quirks.
So we turned the bottom into a rooting box. I threw hay from the barn in there. Yes, they love munching on hay. I would throw treats in there ( only veggies in the beginning) for him to root around. The bottom was made out of plywood.
Then he started pooping and peeing in there. This was not good. I couldn’t have my porch where everyone enters our home literally smelling like a barn. If you need tips to get pig urine out of carpet read this.
If you really do not want a pet pig that roots- look into the Kune Kune breeds. We had a KuneKune pig for two years and she did not root up our pasture with the goats. She is a great farm option but we decided not to pursue breeding so she is at our friend’s farm where she’s an excellent mother.
The rooting box was out.
We realized he roots around the house by sniffing around. We throw towels in his room and hide treats in there. He has quickly realized the kitchen is where I prep amazing smelling food. We hang in there a lot.
So I will hide treats around the kitchen.
They have a lot of energy like a puppy. And when they want out- they squeal and scrape at the door so loud you are forced to listen.
They are stubborn like that.
I did pick up my favorite treat ball toy for him that keeps him occupied right now when it is 9 degrees here in New York. Bently loves this treat ball it, and many times, I will feed half his pellet food to him in it.
*Update I still use this same ball with our older pigs now, and they love it. I upgraded to the bigger size. For more pig toys tap here.
This will become less as the weather warms up and Bently can root around outside naturally.
More Mini Pig Stuff:
- Why I Sold My Kune Kune Pig – Our Experience & Lessons Learned
- How Much Do Potbelly Pigs Cost- Your Guide to Owning Pigs
- The Best Fencing for Your Pigs You Need Now
- How Big Do Potbelly Pigs Get + Mini Pig Facts
- Tips to Calm a Mini Pig: A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Happy and Relaxed Piglets
Do Pick Your Mini Pig Up
I think it is important to get your pig used to you picking it up. We have done this with all the animals we own, and as time goes on and they trust you more it gets easier. Know that a pig will squeal to its highest decibel when you pick it up. Bently is just like a child; he tests to see what will work.
Now there are times I go to pick him up after he has done something he shouldn’t and he lets out a pathetic squeal. Other times when I pick him just because I want to cuddle and he doesn’t he lets out his ear-piercing squeal that he knows causes me to put him down immediately.
It’s important to pick them up and have them know they can trust you. Pigs are prey animals so it is their instinct to squeal when being picked up since they are only off the ground in the wild when they are in danger.
If no matter what you are trying your pig does NOT want to be picked up that is okay. You will have to bond with your pig in others ways, by spending time, training etc.
It is important to pick up your mini pig the right way. Watch and learn how here.
Don’t Expect Your Pig to Like The Cold
I have found that younger pigs aren’t too fond of the cold. Once they get older it’s not their favorite but they can handle it just fine.
Our pig does not like cold weather. Our heat is set at 66 degrees and he loves hanging over the heating vents. He also loves leaning against the dryer when it is running and the oven.
We tried to get him to go outside when it was 45 degrees here in January by leading a trail of treats out the door and he wanted no part in it.
If your pig is driving you crazy in the winter here are my best ideas to try and keep them entertained.
The pig passed up FOOD!
Don’t expect to take your mini pig outside if it’s cold. He is perfectly happy inside at the moment. No reason to pressure, scare and have them shivering.
The person we bought Bently from said to give a half Flintstones Kids Multivitamin with Iron daily. After doing a little research I have decided to give him this twice a week. I choose to give him more iron-rich foods. Once your pig reaches maturity they do not need supplemental iron.
After talking with a local vet they too said to remember that pigs digestive system are very similar to humans. If you wouldn’t give your kids something, don’t give it to your little piggy!
*Update: I now have three pigs who are two years old and almost one and they live outside full time now. You can read the story and how to transition your pig here.
Do Train Your Pig to Learn Sit & Come
Bentley picked up things within days. It is true by just watching him, how smart he is. It took about a week for him to learn to sit all the way down, but with persistence he got it.
It is so important to train your pig to sit because you want him to know he has to work for food. You do not want your pig to get spoiled pig syndrome, this can be very dangerous to the whole family.
It is important to have each family member ask your pig to sit as well. This goes along with avoiding spoil pig syndrome and others have reported they would charge any family member who wasn’t the “leader”. I certainly want to be known as the leader but having small kids I do not want them to be charged at.
So each family member works with Bently on a daily basis.
“Come” is such an important one. In the beginning, when I tried to take Bently out on a harness and pull back on the leash it was an utter disaster.
Now two months later, we have practiced putting the harness and leash on in the house, and he is much more open to the slight pull back on the leash when I tell him to “Come”.
Check out this video I made on how to put a harness on your mini pig.
You can watch a video below on how I take Bently for a walk with a leash.
Don’t Let Your Kids Feed A Pig From Their Hands
I started off letting the girls give Bently a treat after sitting with their hands. Although they were hesitant. After speaking with a vet she recommended to not do that because a pig’s eyesight is very poor.
They can’t see and kids always have something to smell on their hands. This will result in a pig biting their little fingers. We certainly do not want that. So the girls place the treat on the floor.
We also make sure to tell our pig “ALL DONE” and show our hands empty. He has caught on to this quickly and walks away after. Before he would keep sniffing us to see if there was more food.
Do Know Your Pig Must Learn The Word No
When I was reading I went into this pig parenting thinking this pig won’t listen to a word I say unless I feed it.
Three months later I am falling more in love with owning a mini pig. Bently knows the word no quite well. Every time he tries to open the cupboard and we tell him “No” he gets down and runs away. When he has an accident in my office and he hears my tone changing and I say” Where do you go potty?” He runs to his room.
All my Googling has said that pigs do not want to please you. I can’t help but think those little acts are somewhat wanting to please. I am glad that he knows when he is doing something wrong and will listen.
Don’t Let Your Mini Pig Have Free Range of Your House
I learned this the hard way. From day 2 we let Bently roam a majority of our house. He started peeing and pooping outside of his litter box. He doesn’t just do it on the carpet, he does it in the same spot every time. We have hardwood floors and a rug in my office and the living room.
You have to remember they have smaller bladders. It has helped by only letting him have free range for a shorter amount of time and making sure he goes back to his room.
You also just like with puppies really need to make sure you get the scent out so they do not keep going back.
You can find a bunch of tips specifically on potty training here.
We have only owned our mini pig for just over 3 months now. So I know we have much more to learn and I will be sharing more with you. Today I wanted to share with you the things I think are the most important to know in the beginning. Straight from my own experience as well.
Today I wanted to share with you the things I think are the most important to know in the beginning. Straight from my own experience as well.
I would love to know your tips and tricks for living with a mini pig.
Or if you are thinking about owning one, any questions you have please ask away in the comment section below!
Again I love my pot belly pigs and they are so much bigger now, but one of the easiest animals on the farm and the smartest.
You may be interested in Checking out this comprehensive guide Mini Pig’s Owner Guide on Amazon!
Have great day friends!
11 Practical Ways to Live Below Your Means
Thanks for the “snout out” on your blog <3 Please let us know if you have any additional questions and we will help you as much as possible.
I had a potbelly pig for about 15 years. I taught him to go potty outside. When it snowed my husband dug a path for him to go. We also had a condo with heat lamp for the winter.
15 years! That is awesome. I am so glad our pig goes outside to potty now. Bently is not afraid of the snow. Even if our deck isn’t shoveled he still now goes on out, slowly but he does. Thanks for stopping by Annette.
Hi!
I just got my first mini pig ever about 3 days ago. Her name is Barbie. She’s super sweet and loves to cuddle and sleeps in bed with literally tucked into my neck. She’s about 2 1/2 months old. But here’s the problem. I work during the day and my grandmother is home with her. I keep her in my room #1 for potty training and #2 my cat is still not very fond of her. I literally can’t leave my room for 5 min without her freaking out. I’ve tried ignoring her like the breeder suggested but no one can take that shrieking for long! The min I walk back in and sit down on the bed she comes right over and lays with me and of course is silent. I’ve taken the next week off of work to spend with her but when I go back she can’t do that all day! Please HELP!
Oh dear! lol. You have to let her cry it out. Pigs are so smart and she knows exactly how to get her way. I would give her a treat ball or throw cheerios around in blanket and get her used to being without you. Is there a way to have her locked up but still able to see you? She is young too and this behavior won’t last forever. But for now I know how hard it is to deal with the squealing.
@Kyky,
Also play soft music for her or if you have a tv you can play cat videos or anything with nature and animal sounds. My pig does this, too. She doesnt care if im reading, paying bills, on the toilet: she wants to be with me! I think being alone makes them a little sad but pigs are smart and adaptable. I noticed your post is over a yr old, hope things turned out well.
I agree. Outside potty is mandatory here. My 1st Barrow was part of my life for 20 years 7 months. I could have died when it was time for him to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Now, I have a little (69#) Princess for about 2 years. I have used sleigh bells on the door and they have both learned that they are for use to go out, regardless of the temperature (SE PA). I hope you continue to have great times with your Barrow and reap the same Joy that mine have brought me.
Keith
What kind of harness do you recommend For a 25lb pig?
I would order from Pigglz.com and get a medium or even large. They have a chart on their site to meausure the pig too!
Cat/Dog mix for sure! I cannot even believe the level of commitment our pig (cisco) has to getting the food. We have had to reinforce the garbage cans and he rips open every single box, bag, and backpack in the house looking for food. He eats the pencils and earbuds every time, and boy can he jump. I’m finding it very hard to keep him from destroying everything in the house. Does anyone else have this problem?
Hi Lacie! Bently was like that too. We ended up getting a garbage with a lid and that makes all the difference. You can try putting a weight on the bottom of it so they can’t tip it over. Also, I think when they become nonstop destructive like that they are bored. Is your pig getting enough time outside?
I have a “mini” pig., Piggie Smallz. He weighs 180 lbs at 1 year old. He lives inside and goes outside to potty but in the beginning we had the same trash can problems until I bought the stainless one with the step lid. He can not get his snout under it as easy and its not as light weight.
Yes! We ended up buying that shortly after. Bently never knocked it down again.
My female pig is the same. Purses, backpacks etc. She looks for gum, earbuds, pencils, chapstick or anything that smells nice. Mine love to have lotion put on them lol.
Ohh what a special treat!
My Mia is now 4 months old. Up until now she has been great about not getting into things. I also was working overnights so everybody and fur babies were asleep when I left. I got home around 8am so that’s when breakfast was. Dinner at 6:30pm. I recently (2 weeks ago) switched to a mid day shift (I leave at 11am get home around 12am). She has been like a child in her terrible twos the last couple days. Any pointers in to help my husband not loose it babysitting Mia? Thank you.
Debbie (upstate ny, so it’s too cold to put her outside)
The sad part is this is when they start to come out of their shell. We are in upstate New York as well. It would help to put her outside for at least an hour or two a day. She needs to explore her natural instinct to look for food. The treat ball helped a lot in keeping our Benteley occupied. You can also try a rooting rug to feed all snacks in. *commissioned link –> https://amzn.to/2sA9HNK. You could also check out this article I wrote to help keep your piggy entertained in winter. https://www.thefrugalfarmgirl.com/frugal-mini-pig-toys-winter-care/
Ive had my mini pig Hank William for 8 months now. Potty training is easier when they are not allowed to free roam but kept within a room or two where their potty box isnt so far away. It only took about a week to potty train him. He also knows how to sit, lay down, and dance (spinning around in circles) for treats. My husband taught him how to get up into our bed so thats his favorite place to be even though he has his own room and bed. Ive learned his language and he has learned mine and knows when hes done something he isnt supposed to. His best friend his our pitbull who absolutely adores him and treats him as if he was one of her babies. Its adorable! But theres not a day that goes that i dont smile or giggle about the things he does! He loves to play chase with the dog and my daughter daily. He listens and acts just like a 3 year old child. He has been an absolute joy and helps to bring a little peace to my soul more and more everyday. I cant thank my husband enough for bringing him into my life!
I love that name! Yes, that is what we had to do with ours keep him in one room. It made a huge difference. I am so glad he goes outside to potty now and we are done with the litter box days. I loved hearing about Hank thank you so much for sharing.
Hi…how did you potty train and then transfer to outdoor potting? Just got my baby “Ziggy the Piggy” a couple days ago. He is in an enclosure in theiving room, but what is potty training steps? We have 3 dogs in the house largest is 16 lbs. They use pee pad and we have a dog door for the fenced in area to let themselves out. Weather determines in or out lol. Thanks.
Hi Kimberly! This is the best time when they are so little! I am guessing Ziggy is only a few months old? The best thing to do is to keep them confined to a smaller space with their litter box. They just can’t hold their bladders for very long at this point. I would slowly let them have more free roam of the house, but not for long periods because they will have accidents. Do you have a litter box set up for Ziggy? That would be the first step, they naturally go in it like a cat. If he poops outside of the box I always pick it up and put in their litter box to show them this is where we do this. I’m going to write a longer post on this because it’s a great question and one that is frustrating for the pig owner too!
Does he run, spin and flop down when playing? Mine did when I had 2 Keeshonden. 🙂
Oh yes he still gets so playful!
Awww. My husband surprised me with Mia, a mini potbelly. And, I agree, there is not a day she doesn’t bring a smile to my face. Love her snuggles in bed. Yes, she sleeps with us too, along with our bulldog. Needless to say, there is not much room on the bed for me, lol. And they each have their own blankets! Love hearing piggy stories.
Aww that is so sweet!
We have had our pig Peep for 2 months.. we potty trained her in 2 days with plain cherrios. She is Soooo smart. She usually sleeps in bed all night with us or one of the kids. When she wakes up we immediately take her outside and we havent had any issues. I feed her 1/2 cup of adult pellits in a.m. and p.m. and then give her a large salad mid day with spinach, unsalted sunflower seeds, a few unsalted almonds, and either two cut up strawberries or 4 or 5 cut up grapes. Omg she absolutley LOVES her salads. She wont eat any other type of lettuce so i think im going to start growing spinach because its not cheap and she eats 2 to 3 cups a day. We love her and enjoy her very much. I love that she is so clean with no smell or constant shedding. She HATES bathes BUT loves showers. One of us will get in the shower and throw a treat in like an almond or grape. She gets in and as we shower we just let her chill. Then throw her a few more treats and rinse her really good and cover her in coconut oil. It helps her skin and coat so much.
Kristy! I love meeting other pig parents! Pigs just do something to your soul, don’t they? That is so cute how she gets in the shower. I haven’t tried to give Bently a bath. He does love swimming and rolling around in our pond though. Yes Ivamec all the way! We just squirt his right over his pellets when it’s time for him to have it. I’m so glad you shared a little about your piggy. I hope you check out the blog soon as we are getting another mini pig in a few weeks and I hope to blog a lot more about it!
Try putting peanut organic butter on the shower wall! My.Elliot hated the shower, now he likes it … no squealing anymore!
I put coconut oil in his food. He’s 1 year old and we love absolutely LOVE him ❤️
Thank you for the tip Ro! They melt your heart don’t they?
We also let her get out and DIRTY its natural for them and makes them so happy. Then to the shower…. lol. Very importanat to ivamec them. We push it from the needle into a large grape or in unsweetened applesauce. And she gobbles it right up. So far we have done it once a month because we have her in the dirt outside a lot.
I have 2 minis and neved herd about ivamec what is it for???
Hi Taunia, Ivomec treats, mites, lice, and a variety of internal parasites. We give it to our pigs on their pellet food, so no injection needed. We also buy it at Tractor supply.
I will be getting a piglet mid June and planning a beach vacation first week of July taking the piglet with us of course. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t take her to the beach. My husband said she is too small and will get sick
Hi Kristin! How old will the piglet be? They tend to take a while to warm up to people and they will squeal incredibly loud when you pick them up, even as a piglet. You have to work your way up to the fact of them trusting you. Putting a harness on and training with a harness is another process that usually doesn’t happen in a few days. If your piggie gets loose on the beach how will you get her back? I would recommend bringing her home after your beach trip if possible.
Awwww, love all the stories about th piggies. Mine is a girl Pucci, she is 6 months now and the vet found her super healthy. She has her feed 2 times daily. I buy at Sharps Little Town, feed is awesome and pee and poop not bad smelling at all. She showers with me. Hates baths also. Potty trained on puppy pads. Sleeps under fleece blankets and is totally my shadow. I am disabled and makes my days happier. Pucci loves to talk to me all day long. Happy Piggies happy parents.
Aww that is precious! I love hearing stories of others who have piggies and it’s going well.
Sorry, forgot about lunch, big plate if veggies whatever is fresh and on sale. She happens to like everythig I give her. She will die for a nana when she sees one.
I have a mini pig named Hamlet Pigspear. He will be 2 in July. He is bell trained and will sit stay and “talk to us”. We made an area under our deck he can play in (it is quite big) and hang out in warm weather. He is pink and will sunburn, so we make sure to use sunblock. He is an amazing addition to our family.
Aww, that is so sweet. I love the name. I have heard of several people using a bell. With our new mini pig she will come as soon as you shake a bowl of food. I love it, much easier than Bently.
My pig “Penelope” is 10 months old. She bites. I don’t know what to do
Hi Vicki.
Couple things to figure out first. Are you hand feeding her treats? Is she head swiping and then biting?
How much time does she get outside to root/explore?
Hi Tasia. We want to get a pihgie, but are so unsure about the actual size they will reach. We do love on a farm, so size is not all that important. But we’d still like to know. Plus, the piglet we are looking at at the moment has Julianna blood, does that mean anything specific? Thanks for the tips!
HI Carl! That is so exciting about getting a pig. And it’s totally normal to have questions and understand their size. I think all mini pig owners wish they could predict the size of their pig but it just isn’t the case. Julianna is a smaller breed. Julianna more closely resembles a small version of a large hog or feral pig than it does the Pot Belly pig. It should be lean, longer then it is tall, and athletic in appearance. The Juliana should never be pudgy, heavily wrinkled, or sluggish in appearance. If you want a smaller pig Julianna is a good choice.
Hopefully that helps give you some insight. Mini pigs can be up to 300 lbs as well. Pigs also do not stop growing until at least 3 years of age. Another reason it is hard to tell looking by the parents because many are under the age of three. I would question and be sure it has Julianna in it. Depending on what it’s mixed with, it’s hard to say exactly what size it could be.
It really depends on what it is mixed with as to how big they get. I raise Juliana pigs and even with the ones I breed they can range from as small as 11 inches and 15 pounds up to 14 inches 65 pounds. I have really small ones though. To be considered a true mini pig by the mini pig association they should not be more then 150 pounds. They are not considered full grown until the age of 3 years. It’s important to do as much research as possible to know what you’re getting into. I always tell everyone that adopts from me that it’s like having a 3 year old child in your house that never grows up..LOL..They are so loving and intelligent but they are not for everyone.
Hi Tasia, my mini, Herby, is 2-1/2 years old. We were just at the vets and he weighs in at 69.8 lbs. His size is 12″ at the shoulder and about 20″ long. And I’ll tell you that he is an absolute love. You and your bloggers will only fall deeper in love. He’s definitely mine, he’ll test my husband much to he’s frustration at times. If I wasn’t an older person I would definitely have another! Respectfully, Sue S. from North Ridgeville, Ohio
Hi Sue! Thank you so much for sharing. Oh I am in love for sure. Bently is going to be two in a few months and we recently adopted another mini pig a few months ago. I’m loving the mini pig parent life.
I have a potbelly pig she is about 8 minths ago. She LOVES her kiddue pool but now she poops in it. Why and gow do i stop her. Lol
Hi Tammy, oh the early stages! It’s probably because she is still young and maybe gets excited? Does she have another spot nearby that she poops? I would just scoop it out of there and put in her other regular spot and put it in a spot where you want her to go. We have a compost pile with pig manure and when the pigs go for a walk by it, they always stop to poop. If that doesn’t help I would just give her time.
Hello Tasia:
My husband/Michael & I researched mini-pigs on and off for 5 years before deciding to move forward with bringing one into our home. Partly because at the time they were over $3000 and because what a commitment. And at that time there wasn’t as much information. Fast forward to June 2017 when we brought Wilbur home. He was sweet as pie, cuddly and was not & still isn’t a squealer (thank goodness!) With that said…. As I mentioned above we RESEARCHED, but the fine print never told us we were adopting another baby/toddler for life. I raised 2 daughters and now have 6 grandchildren and until Wilbur showed up NEVER had to install cupboard & drawer safety latches. I always said they live in my house, my rules. Well Wilbur didn’t get that memo evidently. He was & still would be into the drawers & cabinets if we didn’t have safety latches on EVERY ONE he can reach. Before installing the latches Wilbur would know he was in trouble and would get into them and then when I say “No Wilbur” he would run to his pen, then after a few minutes when he thinks “its safe” he waddles back to the drawer or cupboard again. So we installed the safety latches for my sanity. We also have to keep him out of the carpeted areas of our home or we have to be with him at all times because he roots & eats the carpet (very quickly!) The first few months of having Wilbur I did a lot of crying because it was a full-time job, way more work than bringing home a new puppy! I am a Realtor, I thought I could have him join my 2 dogs (Gracie/Boston Terrier,) & Fina/Puggles,) in my office when I work from home. Well that turned out to be a BIG NO! He would pull anything he could reach off my bookshelves, eat the cords, pull paper out of the waste-baskets & I am pretty sure more things I am forgetting to mention…. It was so stressful. I cried daily and wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. Our dogs would watch him & when he was naughty would get as far away as possible and other times would let him snuggle with them when he was being good/sleeping. We have had many animals in our 35 years of marriage and never gotten rid of any animal, but there were so many times we were ready to get rid of Wilbur. We would contact the breeder and make arrangements and then change our minds… Give it one more chance we would say to each other. Fast forward Wilbur is now 1 year & 4 months old and we adore him. Our Grand kids love him too. Our 3 year old granddaughter & Wilbur have a special bond, she lays on his pet bed & reads to him & will often fall asleep with her head resting on him. When they say MINI-PIG well don’t think they will stay the cute adorable LITTLE piggy you brought home, they won’t. Think short legs, and long body and about the size of a Brittany Spaniel in height. I would say Wilbur weighs about 85-100 lbs now. He is not fat according to what they say the Mini-Pig should look like. Several things I will say I would do from the get-go. 1) Pick your pig up-often. 2) Touch their ears/clean them often 3) Touch their feet/hooves daily 4) Harness/leash train & walk your pig. 5) Socialize your pig with adults & children a lot. 6) Practice MTP (Move The Pig) Example if Wilbur is in the kitchen & I need him to move, he expects me to go around him, I make him move. I am the Boss, not him. 7) Make your pig work for their food/treats or they will be jerks. 8) Teach your pig to be in the areas where you are/example the carpeted areas of your home. (Until a month ago he was only allowed in the kitchen area of our house and outside) Now he has a much larger area, but still no carpet, because he will eat it so fast. 5) Train your pig to go outside to use the bathroom. (We got a bell/belt) that hangs from our sliding glass door & he rings it when he wants to go outside. It took less than 10 min. to train him to do it, it came w/instructions. And lastly, he was always a jerk & hungry on the Mazuri Mini-Pig, so I read about the Sharps Mini-Pig Food. WOW, what a difference, he is not a jerk, (He also had UTI Infections, prior, never since switching to Sharps food.) He feels more food satisfied & it ships right to my house.
I also love that I am helping a small Mom & Pop company that makes the food for what they call Tiny-Swine, I prefer to call it the” Whiny Swine”, because that is the only time Wilbur whines is when its time to eat. Something else to think about folks, if you like to travel, you need to ensure you have someone who will watch your Piggy, your normal vet most likely will not care for your piggy & whom will care for your pig when you go out of town? This has created an issue for us that we hadn’t thought of prior to our purchase. Would we buy another piggy? Probably not, because we live in the City/Suburbs with what used to be a nice yard, now only the front yard looks good the back looks well, I will keep it clean “Less than Stellar!” thanks for Wilbur and his rooting. Would I trade Wilbur, Absolutely not, we love him and love our cuddles. He talks and nudges us when we ignore him. Wilbur & I have a special bond, more so than he and my husband. At first Wilbur and my husband were closer, because I was always crying & yelling at him. It is true pigs respond to positive reinforcement better than negative. Once I switched my behavior, Wilbur became a different pig.
Respectfully,
Jolene
Jolen! I am so happy to hear your story! I love that many are finding this article about mini pigs, because pigs are near and dear to my heart. I love everything you said and am so happy others will be able to read your comment as well. You have a real life first-hand experience and everyone’s experience with a pig is a little different. I am so proud of you guys for not giving up Wilbur! Especially since you said you live in the suburbs. I can just imagine how your backyard is. What an amazing story. Thank you so much for sharing your life with Wilbur. I’m sure it will be an eye-opener for many others.
Thanks so much for your transparent reply,
We just got a 9 week old mini and i am a therapist by trade and am used to training kids and animals. I like our little piggy Glory but she screams for her food and when she wants attention and it makes me nuts! I want to change that behavior. She is crated in a huge dog crate and little box trained but has had 3 accidents on my nice rug, of course she is caught mid stream and put in her litter box immediately. The scream to get attn is a trait that i cannot tolerate she currently eats 1/2 of maIe pellets a dog and 1-2 spinach spring mix salads and we use fruit as training tools but don’t want to reinforce her squeals. Help!
Honestly all my young pigs have squealed. It’s something pigs do. Once they are about 1.5 2 my pigs stopped that high pitch squeal. In this case for your sanity it’s okay to feed her more. Honestly these pigs love to eat and they like their bellies to be full. My pigs always behave better when they are full. There is a fine balance between them constantly getting their way and feeding them to be sure they are full. 9 weeks is so young too they are growing and developing and are using their instinct, run and squeal! You’ll get there. Just be patient. Did you try a treat ball and putting things like cheerios inside? I would do things to keep her busy while getting a little something to eat.
@Jolene Compston,
Im reading your comment several yrs later but I too have discovered Sharps minipig food and it is the bomb!!! I am transitioning from Modesto organic, beginning with 1/4c modesto and 3/4 c sharps mixture and I already see a huge difference. Her coat absolutely glistens and no more dandruff when she is scratched. Your advice is great too
@Jolene sorry, i got the ratios backward. Im at 1/4 c sharps and 3/4 c modesto. Thats why I find the difference so dramatic. Cant wait to be 100% sharps!
We are parents to Gary, he is 4 months old. We use peanut butter to get his harness on. How do you get your pig to go downstairs ?? We are building a pen for him outside. He has been only an inside pig since we got him at 4 days.
Hi Nancy. We actually have a ton of stairs off our deck. I had read others having problems with their mini pigs going downstairs. It took a couple days but Bently finally decided to come down. I let him out like usual ( this was when he was around 4 months old) and he wouldn’t go down. He saw me working around the yard and wanted to come down. The first day he didn’t bother. The second day I did the same thing and he eventually came down one step at time.
Ever since he goes up and down stairs no problem.
Hey, Tasia! We are thinking about getting a mini pig or two for Christmas. Would it be cruel to keep the pig or pigs at home with us for the first 3 months before taking him to our land/ peach/ blueberry orchard where we have a mule and 2 goats then letting them live there? Would the pigs be fine adjusting to living outside in a pin and little house for them after being in our home?
Hi Heather, I don’t think that is cruel at all. All their nautral instincts are satisfied when living outside. It’s the best of both worlds to enjoy them young in the house. And three months instead long at all. It’s also a great idea getting two at the same time. They are the sweetest and you will be in for a treat for Christmas! So glad you stopped by and keep in touch. 🙂
We picked Wyatt earp friday night and he is slowly coming around he is getting close to the piggie pad. He has made the corner of the closet his space. Wyatt is a good sleeper . I have not been holding him, should I start and for how long?
Hello Michele! Now that you have had him a few days I most certainly would try holding him. Be prepared he will squeal quite loud. The easiest way is to scoop him up and keep all four of his hooves touching on your arm and hold firmly. They are strong. I sat in Bently’s room for a while just getting him used to us and the smells. After a day he crawled right up into my lap! You can always pick your piggie up once they have decided to lay down in your lap. That is how I started with Bently.
well day four and i picked him up. Only a little squeal then while i was sitting on the floor wyatt crawled in to my lap bonding yeah. He is so smart . he used the piggie pad. We are doing good but i know we have a long way.
hello, I live in Holland and we got our first minipig. she is with us for 2 days now and sleeps in a dogbench at night. during the day she can go outside, and as soon as she ‘s used to us we will let her live outside. but she is 6 months old and wasn’t used to be pet our touched by humans so we have to be careful as she is very scared. but Lola now already comes close when we feed her. you think we can pick her up now or wait till she is coming to us and not run away when we try to pet her? she already potties outside when i open the door. (no chance to escape as we have a fence). great to read your blog! maybe i will start a dutch version🐷😀. Love, Janine.
Hello Janine! I love that you have found my blog. Oh, my heart skips a beat knowing you have a little one. They are so precious at this age. It doesn’t last long so enjoy it while you can. It is a great idea that you are keeping her inside getting used to you now and putting her outside once she is older. I would keep trying to sit down on the floor and maybe have some treats in your hand and get her to come to you on your own. You can for sure go ahead and try to pick her up, but she will squeal, ever so loudly. It is normal for her to squeal each time you pick her up. What ends up happening is they will want to cuddle with you, on you any which way they can once they trust you.