Before deciding to take care of a pig, it’s important to find out what kind of activities it would enjoy.
Do pigs play? Pigs actually love their playtime. After all, they aren’t just animals that you can leave in a pen without any interaction. They are highly social animals and they need a lot of mental and physical stimulation if you want them to thrive.
What happens when you deny your pigs the playtime they need?
Pigs that are not allowed to play will feel sad and depressed. You will notice a huge change in their demeanor. They will smile less and will most likely sulk in a corner most days. You will see a noticeable disinterest in food as well.
When things get worse, they may eventually start to act out and throw tantrums. They will find ways of amusing themselves, so they would chew on rugs, walls, and just about everything they see.
This is why it is important to keep them entertained and amused. Pigs are definitely amazing pets once they see that the humans take care of them really care about giving them a happy home.
Games and Activities Your Pig Will Enjoy
Here are a few games that your pigs will enjoy. Although we often see games as physical activities, pigs would also enjoy some mental challenges as well. They are highly intelligent animals, after all.
- Skills training
Humans may see this as “work”, but pigs will see this as fun.
Teaching your pigs anywhere from basic skills to advanced tricks is a great way to fulfill not only your pig’s need for amusement, but its need for mental stimulation as well.
What can you train your pigs to do?
You can start out by teaching it basic skills like using the litter box, or obeying commands like sit or stay. These are a great way to discipline your pig as well.
From there, you can move on to more advanced skills like shaking someone’s hand, or crawling around. More advanced pigs can also be taught to go through an obstacle course or a maze.
- Playing with puzzle toys
You can find dog puzzles at your local pet stores. Although these are designed for dogs, your pig would actually have fun with these.
Try to find puzzles that also have hidden treats inside. This would make the pigs want to solve the puzzles even more. Don’t worry, they’ll know that there are treats hidden there. Pigs have an amazing sense of smell, after all.
- Playing in a kiddie pool
A kiddie pool can be quite useful when you have a pet pig as well. In inflatable one is preferred, as this gives more traction as your pigs walk or wade around. But if all you have is a hard plastic pool, that’s also okay. You can just use rubber mats with suction cups to make sure your pigs don’t slip and slide around.
Put enough water in the pool, then leave some toys and treats in it. You can opt for both floating and sinking toys and vegetables or fruits.
For the floating toys and treats, your pigs will have fun wading around, trying to catch everything that’s floating around without pushing them away. For the sinking ones, your pigs will enjoy briefly dipping their head in and catching one toy or treat at a time.
What if it gets too cold outside for a dip in the pool?
That’s okay, because you can take that inflatable pool indoors and turn it into a rooting pool for your pig!
Pigs are natural foragers, so they love digging around for treasures and treats. Just fill the pool with random stuff — crumpled paper, blankets, pillow, then throw in a few of its favorites toys in there. They’ll have fun scrounging around, looking for interesting things underneath.
- Scavenging for food
Pigs just love hunting for food. As mentioned previously, pigs love foraging, and sending them on a scavenger hunt would be the perfect way to do that.
Just scatter food all over your yard. Leave some of it out in the open, but hide the others. You can hide a piece of lettuce underneath an overturned pail for example. You can hide some apples under some rocks, or bits of carrots under some bushes.
But will your pig discover them all?
Don’t worry, they definitely will!
We did mention earlier that pigs have such an acute sense of smell. This means that no matter where you hide those treats, they would definitely find it.
It would also be interesting to observe how your pig behaves on their 2nd, 3rd, and following scavenger hunts. Because pigs have an amazing memory as well, you’ll notice that the first few places they’ll look at would be the places where you hid food the last time you played the game with them.
Be creative with the games that you’ll prepare for your pigs. Remember not to just exhaust them physically, but challenge them mentally as well.
Here are a few other activities you can enjoy with your pet pig.
Other Things Pigs Enjoy
Aside from the mental and physical activities, there are a lot of other things that pigs enjoy. Knowing what these things are in crucial in keeping your pigs fulfilled, happy and content.
Food is, of course, on top of this list. Pigs just love eating!
Of course, this is not an invitation to overfeed them. Overfeeding leads to obesity, and obesity leads to disease. Remember that the healthier your pig is, the more it can enjoy the best things life has to offer them.
Mini pigs are often given pig pellets that already have the complete nutrients they need for their age and weight. However, you can also make your own pig feed if you have the time and the know-how. Make sure you consult your pig’s vet, as your vet would know what your pig needs to stay healthy,
Your pig would also appreciate treats, but don’t overdo it. We know that pigs love popcorn, but stick to the unsalted kind. Take it easy on the Cheerios as well. You can give them bits of apples and carrots most of the time.
Pigs also love affection. Notice how pigs in pens snuggle to each other all the time? This is because they are very sweet creatures.
Just make sure that you gain your pig’s trust first before attempting to cuddle with it. Pigs often get stressed when they are held too much, especially when the person attempting to do so is someone they don’t know. They will start squealing, and usually not out of delight.
Start by stroking their head occasionally, or by giving them light and affectionate pats on the head. You can also scratch them just behind the ear. You’ll notice your pet pig warming up to you over time, and eventually, you’ll notice that it will start allowing you to hug it briefly, or to give it long belly rubs.
Related Questions
Do pigs like to be held?
Pigs normally don’t like being picked up or being held especially if it still doesn’t know you that well. Let the pig get to know you first, and over time, it will learn to trust you. Once it knows that it can trust you and that you don’t mean it any harm, only then will your pig allow you to hold it and cuddle with it.
Do pigs recognize their owners?
Pigs have amazing memories and can recognize and remember humans, especially the ones they interact with all the time. Aside from their memories allowing them to remember people, it also allows them to memorize directions, enabling them to find their way home no matter how far it may be.
Do pigs cry?
Pigs are emotional, sensitive creatures and will show you behaviors that display how it feels. They can cry actual tears, a scene you wouldn’t want to see because of how heartbreaking it can be. In the same way, pigs are also known to display happiness and has the ability to smile.