What do Pigs Need?

Over the years, pigs have become a popular house pet. I do find them adorable myself and I’m sure our attraction has caused us to become curious about what do these creatures need? I did some research myself, now I’ll gladly share what I learned!

What do pet pigs need? Most importantly, pigs need the right food to survive just like every living thing on earth. They need enough water to keep them hydrated as well as a proper home to protect them from wind, sun and rain.

They would need a sturdy place enough to keep them away from storm or any type of natural calamities and prevent predators too. For their shelter design, make sure it stays dry and have access to the sun as they need the sunlight too. It’s important to keep their area clean to keep away parasites like flies and also for the comfort of your pig too. They are not like their bad reputation, pigs are actually clean animals. You must also ensure that there is a proper area for their bladder and mess.

Another thing they need is the right room temperature. Pigs cannot handle too much heat or too much cold especially because they are incapable of sweating! There have been cases where pigs suffered or passed away due to heat stroke or pneumonia.

In the wild, they do not have medical checkups but as your pets, taking them to the veterinarian is a necessity to check if they are not sick and treat any wound. Vaccinating your pigs is also needed.

They also need enough room or space to keep them occupied as pigs are curious animals and tend to want freedom roaming around. If they are left lonely or bored, there is a chance for them to be depressed or destructive.

If you are planning to keep them as indoor pets, you do not need to worry about providing their outdoor shelter. Just be sure to provide them with enough sunlight in the morning. Like dogs, you can actually take them out for walks! There is more you should know about pigs.

EXPLAINING THEIR NEEDS

Let’s talk about the needs that were mentioned above with more detail.

Did you know that pigs are omnivores?

Pigs can eat meat or nearly anything that we can consume, but it is strictly not allowed to let pigs eat meat as it is an easy way for them to get infected by a disease.

That is how viral diseases were transmitted to people and becomes a terrible outbreak.

It is highly advised to stay safe and stick to the proper diet recommended by other owners rather than risking both your pig and your health

Please do not feed any kind of meat to your pig.

What to feed your pig

Just like a human, a pig needs a varied diet in order to stay healthy. You may feed them assorted vegetables to provide the sufficient amount of nutrients their bodies may need.

MOST PIGS are known to LOVE cooked broccoli. They eat different kinds of fruits and vegetables and at times, they may eat acorns and certain types of nuts too.

You may feed them leftover food as long the food DID NOT HAVE any contact with meat and HAS NO MEAT at all.

Pigs eat grass and some insects

If you have a lawn or space in your backyard, you can let them outside to eat grass and dig the ground up to find a snack on their own. They find the insect underground and they have a great sense of smell to compensate for their poor eyesight.

Other than saving some money on extra treats, this can be an option. While you are saving money, you are also giving them access to sunshine and enough exercise of walking around.

This could prove as an important activity for your pig too.

NOTE: Since they have a great sense of smell, they have a sensitive nose (their snouts). It can be sensitive to touch, so please be careful when petting them.

Pigs have a tendency to play with food

Once they have had their fill, there’s a possibility that they MIGHT play with their food! As a friendly suggestion, observe how much food your pig could consume and limit it correctly to avoid a mess.

They are not greedy like their known stigma says. They get full too.

Divide the food for the day and evening as an average pig should eat at least 2 times a day.

How much water pigs drink

A regular pig could drink 5 up to 10 liters of water. This is important because as mentioned earlier, they cannot sweat and have trouble cooling off. Keeping them cool and hydrated will keep them healthy.

Make sure that the water bowl cannot be turned over as pigs can be clumsy or very playful.

Pigs are curious animals

Pigs are said to be very intelligent, could be even smarter than dogs. Since they are known to be intelligent, they tend to be curious and wander around more than other animals do.

It’s important that you give them freedom or enough space to roam around freely.

Otherwise, they may grow depressed to the point that they will not eat until they starve to death. For some cases, they can grow a bit aggressive or grumpy!

They are living beings too and deserve to live their life as freely as possible, so give them a bit of room.

An optional solution is taking them out for walks! Yes, they can be walked like dogs, too. Make sure they are protected if they attract other animals outside. Pigs are prey animals and tend to be bullied by bigger species for amusement.

Pig hygiene

Contrary to the popular belief that pigs are dirty, they are actually one of the cleanest farm animals.

Keeping them in a clean area is important for their comfort too. At first, pigs may not like baths but as long as you get them used to it, they may eventually like it.

They certainly cannot fly but they can learn how to swim! That’s one activity you might enjoy together with your pig.

Pigs need to stay cool and clean as much as possible and the only reason they like to roll around in mud is to protect them from parasites as well as to cool off when they’re exposed to too much heat.

Healthcare

It is important to get your pig vaccinated as well as spayed and neutered.

Get them checked as much as possible as there are cases when their hooves need to be trimmed to keep them from pain.

COMMON PIG BEHAVIORS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pigs are social animals.

They tend to get along well with other house pets like cats. For dogs, it may be a situational condition. They may or may not get along quickly, so please observe them carefully when putting together a pig and a dog.

Despite being social, as prey animals, they can be fearful and anxious. Pigs will prioritize flight rather than fight most of the time.

They will not attack unless they feel extremely cornered or desperate.

If you notice your pig becoming lonely or depressed, there are studies saying that giving them a companion of the same race could cheer them up. They are intelligent, so they can become emotional too.

Body language

Tail wagging is a sign of happiness and comfort. If you see your pig wagging their tail and sometimes even dashing around full of energy is a sign of contentment.

Grunting could mean a couple of things. Either they feel in danger or feeling anxious about something.

Pigs are not violent or aggressive. They do NOT develop a territorial behavior and that only happens rarely.

The only time a pig could act strange or aloof is if they were mistreated or abused in the past. This type of pet needs time to heal from their trauma, so please be patient with them.

Like any other pet or animals, pigs need proper love and care too.