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| Muzzleloader |
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Muzzleloader
Little "Muzzie" arrived at M2A Farm in September, 2008, needing a forever home after living in at least 3 other places during his short 5 months of life. He now lives in the house with our golden retriever, Okay, and bichon/shi tzu, BB Gun. Muzzie seems to think he's a dog, walks on a leash and goes outside just like his canine "brother and sister". He loves to curl up in a child-size sleeping bag to go to sleep. Pigs love to make nests and will shred whatever material or bedding they're given, so we go through many resale shop sleeping bags.
He is an excellent "mini vac" and keeps the kitchen floor crumb-free. We didn't know whether he'd stay small or grow up to be as big as our couch, but at 3 years old, he's 105lbs. and will probably remain about that size. That's still very small compared to an 800+lb hog. He's short, but VERY solid, yet he isn't obese. We watch his weight and allow him time to run and play outside. He's very fast and can be difficult to catch. Fortunately, he usually comes when we call, especially if he thinks he might get something to eat.
In order to keep Muzzleloader healthy, his special diet of Mazuri brand pot belly pig pellets for senior/elder pigs is given to him in a hard plastic cube designed for dogs. He has to roll it around to get a little bit at a time. As a treat, we give him "pig-sy dust", uncooked regular rolled oats (long-cooking oatmeal) which we sprinkle on the floor/ground. He manages to find all the pieces with his amazing sense of smell. Muzzie also takes turns with the house dogs catching air-popped popcorn. He loves apples and other fruits and vegetables as a treat and "sits up" in order to get them.
No one should get a potbelly pig or any other animal as a pet until they've done extensive research on what is necessary to provide a good home for them. There are horror stories of people getting these animals on a whim, with tragic consequences. Muzzleloader was lucky, despite the fact that at one point in his life, he was actually won in a bet.
Potbelly pigs need special care and veterinary attention. It is difficult to find a vet who will care for them. They have special nutritional requirements and should not be fed "anything and everything". Overfeeding or underfeeding each cause problems. Pigs are very food-motivated, eating even when they aren't hungry. Pigs can suffer back injuries and broken legs. They can become ill if exposed to drafts. They can become constipated without sufficient water. Pigs cannot sweat and can easily overheat. They are subject to sunburn. Their hooves need to be trimmed periodically.
They should never be kept unsupervised with dogs since they don't have the same body language and a misunderstanding with a dog can have tragic consequences to the pig. Pigs are prey animals and even the friendliest dogs can be predators.
Pigs can be very temperamental. They are often "pig-headed" and stubborn. They are very smart, which can sometimes be frustrating to both the owner and the pig. They need things to do to keep them from getting bored. They don't have particularly good eyesight and can easily become startled and frightened. They can be very vocal. Pigs can bite.
Potbelly pigs can live about 10 years or more. That's a serious commitment. Please think long and hard before bringing one of these animals into your life. There are far too many piggies who have suffered because of someone's ignorance.
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