Oink Oink - Keeping A Pig for A Pet

A majority of us are meat eaters that love bacon and other pork products. However, there's been a current craze about keeping pigs as pets. It's not so much as an animal-rights thing (I'm pretty sure many pet pig owners still eat pork) then a tread. A-list celebs like Megan Fox, David Beckham, Paris Hilton, George Clooney, and Miley Cyrus have pet pigs, and do they like to talk about how fun they are as pets.

But could you take on a pig as a pet? Many still find it strange keeping an oinker at home as a companion. Before you do run off and buy the closest pig you can find, here are a few things to know about keeping them as pets.

Teacups Are Not True
You might have heard or seen videos and photos of these little, tiny, precious little pigs that are called teacup pigs circling around the net. They've definitely been a major contributor to the popularity of pet pigs, but be warned, what you see is often times not what you get with these teacup pigs.  These pigs are marketed as pigs that will never grow and weigh more than a human baby. This ads to the cuteness, making them very attractive to those looking for cute pets. However, these pigs don't stay that small for long. In fact, there really is no such thing as a teacup pig (they're also called micro-mini, Juliana, and a few other names).  There are real miniature pigs, which don't grow as large as the usual 600-pound farm pig, but they don't stay in that "teacup" size for long. So-called teacups are actually potbellied pigs who are either underfed to stunt their growth or who are sold under false pretenses.

Potbellied Pigs

The most common pet pig breed, the potbellied pigs ( Sus scrofa domesticus) are actually cousins of wild boars from Vietnam. Compared to a regular farm pig (which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds) or wild hogs (which usually weights at 450 to 700 pounds), a potbellied pig grows to between 100 to 150 pounds on an average. Some do grow to only 60 pounds, but it's still nowhere close to how small teacup pigs are being marketed.  They come in a variety of colors and are intelligent animals. This makes them easy to train, so they might just give Fido a run for his money.

Early Breeders 
Pigs are social animals, so if you're planning to have one as a pet, you might want to get another one to keep them company. But you'll have to be careful when you're caring for potbellied pigs though. These guys can start breeding when they are as young as 6 to 8 weeks old. Have them spayed and neutered or you'll have to deal with caring for more piglets.  Potbellied pigs can grow until they are 5 years old and reach well over 100 pounds. Expect your little piglets to grow and grow fast.

Feed Them Well, They Actually Need to Grow 
Some breeders try to keep pet pigs in a small size by inbreeding them until the produced offspring stay small. This can actually cause a number of heath issues from reduced genetic diversity. This is similar to how some pure breed dogs tend to develop health problems since most of them are inbreeds. Aside from health issues, it can also lead to a shorter lifespan. Other times, people also purposely underfeed their pet pigs which causes them to become underweight and starve. Malnourishment can cause heath concerns such as weak immune systems, sensitive skin and hoof problems, so make sure you're giving them enough food. Diets should include fruits and vegetables. Consult your vet if you're planning to feed them pellets.

Keep Them Happy

Aside from a healthy diet, potbellied pigs need other piggy friends as well as a good amount of space to roam around to stay happy. Pigs love to dig, root, roll around in mud, and play in water (sounds a lot like a golden retriever). Being a smart animal, they're always curious about their surrounding and will not hesitate to explore. They can also get moody and territorial, so it's important to give them their own space. Make sure they have their own dry and sheltered sleeping spot where they can enjoy hay as their bedding. Piglets burrow into a deep litter of hay to stay warm. An adult pig will be satisfied with wood shavings (not sawdust).

Mind the Expense

You might think that keeping a pet pig won't cost as much, but these little pigs don't stay small for long. It's like expecting to care of a small Yorkie but end up with a Great Dane. Not everyone can afford to handle a 100 pound pig in the house. You have to consider the price of the pig, which could be hundreds and can even reach thousands of dollars. You'll also need to budget the proper food (dog and cat kibble won't work), space needs, sterilization costs, and vet bills. Keep in mind that not all vets specializes or knows how to handle pet pigs. You might end up spending a lot when looking for a vet for them.

They Might be Illegal 

In some places, keeping a pet pig is illegal. Pigs are usually listed under the law as livestock, as in it belongs in a farm and shouldn't be running around in a residential area. Many local governments that have no or little farm areas forbid the raising of livestock, so it's best to check with your local ordinances about keeping pigs as pets. Also, condos and apartments usually won't let you keep them as pets, so keeping them as a pet in the city is going to be difficult.

Long Life

There's a misconception that pet pigs will only live up to 5 years. The truth is, potbellied pigs can live to around 12 to 18 years. Potbellied pigs can be great pets for kids since they can enjoy growing up with them. Sadly, a number of pig owners who bought their pigs under the assumption that they don't live longer than five year or have become too big for them to take care often call animal shelters to take their pet pigs. Some of them are taken in by foster homes, while stay in shelters for the rest of their years.

Whether you think their cute or you just want an exotic pet, a pet pig will turn heads. Take good care of one and you'll have a happy, contented pig to greet you when you come home.
Leave us a message for your comments and suggestions. Share this article to other pig lovers and would-be pet pig owners.

read more "Oink Oink - Keeping A Pig for A Pet"

6 Unexpectedly Intelligent Animals

Intelligence was once thought to only be present in humans. However studies on animal behavior shows that animals too have what we call intelligence. Although it’s not as administering an IQ test on a dog, animal intelligence can be observed. Animals have their own form of intelligence, and some species are smarter compared to others.

Here are some of the smartest animals.

Rats

Rats have long been used for a number of cognitive experiments to measure animal intelligence. They’re great at finding escape routes, shortcuts and loopholes. In the Chinese culture, rats are known for their resourcefulness and cunning.

Octopus

Never underestimate these eight-legged creatures. Octopus can actually get themselves out of a jar with a lid on it. They’re known to solve problems, play, navigate mazes and even have a pretty good short-term memory. These animals are very misunderstood, but researchers and scientist are now discovering more and more about their cognitive abilities.

Pigeons

A lot of people think that these birds are the “rats of the sky” because they’ve been known to spread illnesses, but these birds have done more than just spread diseases. Like rats, pigeons have also been used as subject of a number of scientific experiments. These birds can actually recognize a wide variety of images, even when a long time as passed. They identify themselves around mirrors and they can be trained to do a sequence of different actions.

Squirrel

Persistent with a good memory, squirrels have the ability to adapt to living amongst humans easily. Most squirrels show an impressive lineup of strategies and tricks that help them endure. These cleaver animals have learned that they can live off food from bird-feeders, garden plants, and whatever they can get their tiny paws on. 

Pig

You might think that these animals are just lazy and dirty, but they’re actually one of the most intelligent animals around. Both wide and domestic pigs have to ability to live and adapt to different ecological settings. You can also train them like dogs and cats. Certain pig species have also become common pets in a number of countries because of their flexibility.

Crow

Although these birds are considered a bad sign, they’re the smartest birds around. They’re very innovative, in fact some crows would even place nuts in the middle of the road so cars would run them over and break them out of their shells. Like parrots, you can also teach a crow how to mimic human language.

read more "6 Unexpectedly Intelligent Animals "

Scientists Make Piglets Glow Under a Black Light

 Scientists say they've created ten genetically engineered piglets this year that glow green under a black light.

The pigs' embryos were injected with a molecule from bioluminescent jellyfish that carries instructions to make green fluorescent protein, or GFP. This technique allows researchers to attach harmless glow-in-the-dark tags to specific proteins in animals. The scientists who discovered and developed GFP earned a Nobel Prize in 2008, and researchers have previously created glowing bunnies, frogs and even glow-in-the-dark cats in the name of science.

Source: Here

read more " Scientists Make Piglets Glow Under a Black Light"

Livestock: Pig

Of the most common livestock animals, bred into domesticity for milk or meat or fur, the pig is easily the fastest learner. The pig doesn't pass the famous mirror self-awareness test, but it can use the mirror to find the location of food that's out of sight--which might just mean the pig cares more about food than its own reflection.

Yet pigs are also incredibly quick learners, perhaps the fastest in the entire animal kingdom. From the NYTimes:

"They’ve found that pigs are among the quickest of animals to learn a new routine, and pigs can do a circus’s worth of tricks: jump hoops, bow and stand, spin and make wordlike sounds on command, roll out rugs, herd sheep, close and open cages, play videogames with joysticks, and more."

Source: Here

read more "Livestock: Pig"

Pot Bellied Pigs

Pot bellied pigs are truly misunderstood creatures, with almost everyone convinced that they’re simply eating machines that are only good at just that – eating.

But as different pet owners of pot bellied pigs would attest, these pigs are actually more than just constantly consuming eating machines, with their intelligence and capacity to adjust to moods being an established pot bellied pig trait.

The 2003 released Charlotte’s Web: Wilbur’s Great Adventure managed to focus on this pot bellied pig trait, through Wilbur’ the movie’s main character. Learning about the value of friendship from Charlotte the spider, the movie delves into the value of friendship, just as the original Charlotte’s Web storyline managed to successfully do so.

Though not as commonly kept as domestic pets like cats and dogs are, pot bellied pigs bear attributes which make them ideal as household pets. They are highly trainable and quite intelligent, as well as generally playful and quite interactive with people.

A pig sty may be classically described as smelly and unkempt, but the truth about pot bellied pigs is that they are actually clean creatures which are odor-free. The association of pigs with being dirty hails from the ascribed production-inclined conditions of pig stys, where pigs aren’t kept as pets, but rather as food commodities.

With an average lifespan somewhere between 12 to 18 years, pot bellied pigs, with all their attributes and characteristics, make for great domestic pets, even with their voracious appetites, a trait which remains to be true about pigs.

Their appetites may come as a downside for some pet owners, but as their intelligence and companionship traits would define them as great pets, true pet lovers can simply consider their diets as part of the pleasures of keeping a pet pot bellied pig.

Pot Bellied Pigs Video

 

read more "Pot Bellied Pigs"

Pig Wallpapers

 

 

 Read more Pigs info

read more "Pig Wallpapers"

Pigs

Pigs were seen in a different light in the 1995 hit Babe, directed by Chris Noonan starring James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski and Christine Cavnaugh.

Touching up on the challenges encountered by sheep dogs and sheep herders, the movie tells the story of a smart pig who found a way – an avenue – where he didn’t have to become dinner.

A touching tale which speaks of the value of being polite and nice, Babe, though more than 10 years old, remains to be a popular wholesome family film which parents and their kids can enjoy on the same grounds.

The same goes with households who keep pigs as pets.

Pigs in the House!
Though not exactly considered as a mainstream or exotic pet, there are households which keep pigs as pets, oftentimes allured by the pig’s natural charm and intelligence.

Far from being the dirty “mud caked” animals they are often described to be in movies and in stories, pigs are actually quite clean, generally quiet and are typically non-allergy-inducing. They are also odor free, and, as the movie Babe somewhat showed to extreme degrees, are highly trainable.

However, though they exhibit traits similar to dogs (minus perhaps their general non-allergenic status), pigs as pets require different treatment, particularly when food is being talked about: they tend to eat a lot.

Most pet pig owners who fail to recognize this pig trait encounter damages in the house, particularly when pigs are not fed enough, and they are headstrong in the search for food. Also, pigs get easily bored, so attention from pet owners must be duly given to them.

But apart from the feeding and attention rudiments involved in keeping pigs as pets, pigs in households are quite unique additions, responsive and interactive to the activities of members of the family.

Though their care and upkeep is very different compared to cats and dogs, having a pig as a household pet can be good as having a cat or dog around, with the plus of having a not-often-encountered type of pet at home.

Pigs Pictures

 Pigs images

 Pig image

 Pig picture

 Pigs Wallpaper

   Pigs Wallpaper

  Pigs Wallpaper

  Pigs Wallpaper

   Pigs Wallpaper

Pigs Video

read more "Pigs"

When Protests Are Too Much

Here is something you don’t hear about everyday: 500,000 pigs faced the risk of dying in Santiago, Chile because the delivery of food and water for them was made difficult by protesters.

An AFP report tells of the plight of half a million pigs in a pig-farm in Freirina, which is located some 500 miles from Santiago. The situation came to be after a number of protestors/demonstrators were objecting to the foul odors known to hail from the facility, which then led to rioting, with the reported burning of two police automobiles being the riot’s bigger “casualties”.

More than 20 arrests had already been done, but this didn’t stop protestors from cutting off road access to the pig-farm. The result was – half a million pigs, without their proper feeding and care regimens, were dying.

The facility, owned by Agrosuper, had to be temporarily closed and was declared as a sanitary alert area, given the health and sanitation risks linked to the half a million pigs’ condition.

It is reported that there were problems with the facility’s ventilation system, which had caused the “reflux” of odors which riled up locals into vehemently protesting against the continued operations of the facility.

Reports tell that locals and officials of the facility have undergone negotiations, in resolving the concerns and issues related to the whole incident.

A casual observer would be quick to think that the whole situation could have been better handled, without any sanitation risks or property damage ensuing from the situation. But far be it for anyone to judge others, the story tells a lot about how hot heads and not thinking straight could cause for unnecessary incidents and problems.

Bottom line, it pays to keep cool, especially when half a million pigs is involved.

read more "When Protests Are Too Much"