Pet Pigs in the City

My two pigs coming out of their shed in our backyard

 “Mini pigs” can and do weigh up to 300 pounds. Farm hogs usually weigh 200-700 pounds or more fully grown. People see pictures of cute piglets and want to own one. But these piglets grow up to be over 100 pounds of stubborn pig and they can’t be managed by their owners. So they get brought to rescues or sanctuaries if they are lucky.  Many of these rescues are overcrowded and turn away people looking to get rid of their pets.


My pig sleeping on the floor with a blanket on top of him

People are sometimes told that if they want to keep their pig small they should just not feed it so much. This is actually starving their pet, which is not at all good for its health or happiness. And sometimes the pigs will just grow anyway.


If you are adopting a pig, it is probably fully grown or close to it, so you know the size of your pet. You should also be aware that pigs can have really big personalities! They have been described as 100-pound toddlers. They can be stubborn and throw tantrums. They can be really funny and amazing, but don’t expect that you can control them!


Legal Issues

Before I got my pigs I checked with the city to be sure I could legally keep them. Most cities have laws prohibiting keeping livestock. I was told that there were no laws for or against pet pigs in my city, so it was OK to have them. As long as I wasn’t planning on eating them, in which case they changed from pets to livestock. So…not a problem. 


I don’t have to license or register them, or anything. Every city and county is different, so if you are considering adopting pigs, make sure to check out the laws. Some people have had to rehome their pet pigs because pet pigs of any kind were prohibited where they lived. Some people fight those laws and even get the laws changed, but some people are forced to give up their pet..

Caring for Pet Pigs

My pig playing in a pile of leaves

Some people keep their pet pigs indoors all the time. Personally, I can’t imagine that. They can be very destructive if they are bored, lonely, or just feel like being destructive. They will topple over furniture and garbage cans, eat through wallboard, get into cabinets or refrigerators and eat everything they can.


Pigs need to root, or dig with their noses. You can get rooting mats, rooting bins, or other toys that provide them with rooting activities, but there is nothing like being in a yard and rooting through dirt, looking for bugs.

My pig coming in from the outside

I have a pig door that leads to my yard. They go in and out of the house that way. They can’t do stairs, so their inside time is limited to one small floor of the house. They have a little pig shed outside. I keep blankets on the floor. It is usually recommended that you keep straw in a pig house. This helps to keep them warm in the winter and gives them a nice spot to snuggle in. People in my house were allergic to the straw so I replaced it with blankets.  I also have a heater, installed towards the ceiling. Having a heater in your pig house can be a dangerous source of fire, so it is not recommended. But that’s what I do and I make sure that it is well attached to the top of the house.

My pigs eating salad

I give them pig food and they have water bowls. I get juice pulp from a nearby juice store and I get buckets of vegetables that a produce market has culled from their shelves. The pigs enjoy all of this. I limit treats like fruit and Cheerios because my pigs are already too fat.


An art show of my pig's paintings

I have trained them to dance and paint. I also used to take one of my pigs for walks all the time. The other pig would never leave the front yard, but people loved seeing me walk my pig Petunia on a leash. He hasn’t wanted to go for a walk in a while and no amount of cajoling or treat-giving has been able to change his mind.


My pig walking in front of a wine store

Pigs don’t really need baths, but I brush them and scratch them, put lotion on them, and use dog wipes when they look dirty to me.


Pigs need you to be the boss and if you don’t assert yourself, they will bully you. Believe me, you don’t want a 150-pound animal with tusks trying to bully you. I stamp my feet, yell, and nudge their side if they are acting dominant towards me and it calms my pigs right down. Other pigs might need more work in this area and still others might not have dominance issues at all.

Conclusion

Pet pigs can be a lot of fun. You have to be sure that it is legal to have pigs in your area and you have to be sure that you are able to handle the very large personality of your pig. Somepeople keep their pigs indoors all the time, but I think my pigs enjoy their indoor/outdoor life. If you are interested in adopting other barnyard pets, you can go to my Chickens, Ducks, and Geese page. If you want to explore other pets, go back to the best pet for me page.

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