{"id":2697,"date":"2016-02-11T11:33:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-11T19:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/petcarefacts.com\/?p=2697"},"modified":"2016-02-11T11:36:16","modified_gmt":"2016-02-11T19:36:16","slug":"reasons-to-own-a-pot-bellied-pig","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/history-and-society\/reasons-to-own-a-pot-bellied-pig","title":{"rendered":"Reasons to Own a Pot-Bellied Pig"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2698\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pawversity.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vietnamese-pig.jpg?resize=650%2C433\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vietnamese-pig.jpg?w=650&amp;ssl=1 650w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vietnamese-pig.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Not everyone is suited to own a dog or a cat.\u00a0 But for many, even the idea of a gerbil, a lizard, or a parakeet doesn\u2019t sound appealing either. Instead of jumping right to exotic pets that may be expensive to keep and provide a stable and balanced life for, maybe owning a pot-bellied pig is a good option! (Admit it, a part of you has always wanted to adopt a runt like Wilbur from <em>Charlotte<\/em><em>\u2019s Web!) <\/em>Here are some reasons to consider getting a pot-bellied piggy for a pet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. They are intelligent animals<\/strong>. Potbellied pigs are naturally observant creatures, who accept training when the commands are consistent, clear and well-rewarded. Some pot-bellies have even been trained to wipe their feet before entering a room, and can master dozens of tricks if their trainer is patient and persistent. (Be wary though- these animals can also learn negative behaviors, so be sure that you keep rules consistent!)<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">My mom feeding a pet pig <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cheerios\">@cheerios<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/NqA2yY1G9L\">pic.twitter.com\/NqA2yY1G9L<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Neil (@NGC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NGC\/status\/605904731504902145\">June 3, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>2. They are easy to feed.<\/strong> Pot Bellied pigs can eat fruits and vegetables, and must have a meal twice a day. They have to be careful not to eat too much fructose-high fruits, and do well with a veggie rich diet. With portion control and balance, a pot-bellied pig is considered an \u201ceasy keeper\u201d which means they do not need large portions to get the nutrients they need!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p>\nMe feeding my friend&#8217;s pet pig a few years ago. Good times. via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/etcPB?src=hash\">#etcPB<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Aww?src=hash\">#Aww<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/iNxQixBZGw\">http:\/\/t.co\/iNxQixBZGw<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/LCI9M1GHhg\">pic.twitter.com\/LCI9M1GHhg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Merry Christmas 2015 (@etcPB) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/etcPB\/status\/576862736426131456\">March 14, 2015<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">still yellow watermelon&#x1f61d; for our little piggies&#x1f601;&#x1f601;&#x1f601; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/watermelon?src=hash\">#watermelon<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/fruit?src=hash\">#fruit<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/animal?src=hash\">#animal<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/pet?src=hash\">#pet<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/pig?src=hash\">#pig<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/piggy?src=hash\">#piggy<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/KmBL3aCiWN\">pic.twitter.com\/KmBL3aCiWN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Piggy (@PigsTrough) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PigsTrough\/status\/476630146070618112\">June 11, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>3. They get along well with other pets<\/strong>. For multi-pet families a pig is a great addition! Pot-bellied pigs can go on long walks and meet other animals without a problem. Because they are used to farm life, and being surrounded by livestock, pigs generally don\u2019t mind the company of cats, dogs or humans for that matter!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p>\nMy baby girl and her pot bellied pig Hernando <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/srcOF2dHeH\">pic.twitter.com\/srcOF2dHeH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 KimberleyBrommer[PB] (@MamaBrommer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MamaBrommer\/status\/676836991590260736\">December 15, 2015<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Pennsylvania Shelter Pig And Dog BFFs Are Inseparable, And Need Home <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LVPTB7AAJa\">https:\/\/t.co\/LVPTB7AAJa<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/arin_twit\">@arin_twit<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/goodnews\">@goodnews<\/a>) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1aLcSDx1HU\">pic.twitter.com\/1aLcSDx1HU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Erst (@Erst11101) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Erst11101\/status\/668461423123533825\">November 22, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>4. They can be housebroken!<\/strong> Pot-bellied pigs can be potty trained and respectful of boundaries as they have excellent memories that help them retain commands. Some pigs even have been known to housebreak themselves! Despite the reputation for being mud-lovers, pot bellied pigs are actually decently hygienic pets that prefer to eliminate outside or in a litter box.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p>\nEdmonton family loses battle to keep Eli the pet pot-bellied pig at home <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/JpmIXMp511\">http:\/\/t.co\/JpmIXMp511<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/1meEIyVbJH\">pic.twitter.com\/1meEIyVbJH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Metro Edmonton (@metroedmonton) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/metroedmonton\/status\/623608729624309760\">July 21, 2015<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>5. The celebrities love them!<\/strong> (Granted, this is not a great reason to justify buying a pot-belled pig per se,\u2026 but it is a fair point!) George Clooney famously had a large pig named for many years; celebrities have proven to be pig fanatics for decades!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I want a pet pig. Like George Clooney <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WuUjP9FPA7\">pic.twitter.com\/WuUjP9FPA7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 dylan olsen (@DJOhLyan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DJOhLyan\/status\/660082675940626432\">October 30, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p>\nAnn Blyth feeding her pet pig Porky, in the 1940s. <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/Z7dwIQqPf1\">pic.twitter.com\/Z7dwIQqPf1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mark Pahlow (@mcpheeceo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mcpheeceo\/status\/627812109053636608\">August 2, 2015<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>*Note:\u00a0 Be careful to do your research about caring for a pot-bellied pig before you purchase one. Some breeders promise \u201ctea cup pigs\u201d when their animals really grow to enormous sizes. Make sure you have read reviews, seen references, as well as the parents of the pig you are considering for purchase. Some pig breeders agree to take the pig back if it exceeds the weight of 150 or 200 pounds (and therefore is larger than a typical potbellied pig).\u00a0 Don<\/em><em>\u2019t sign up for something you can<\/em><em>\u2019t handle! <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not everyone is suited to own a dog or a cat.\u00a0 But for many, even the idea of a gerbil, a lizard, or a parakeet doesn\u2019t sound appealing either. Instead of jumping right to exotic pets that may be expensive to keep and provide a stable and balanced life for, maybe owning a pot-bellied pig [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-society"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vietnamese-pig.jpg?fit=650%2C433&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5xKys-Hv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petrofile.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}