I spent a few years of my early childhood living on a farm. I don’t remember very much from that period but I do recall being attached to many of the animals, mostly the babies. The animals were outside most of the time, when I noticed one of them missing I just figured they ran off to be with their friends in the wild. I also remember that we ate a whole lot of chicken.
Now I’m a big girl with two kids of my own. I wanted my children to have a pet but I’m not a dog person and cats make me sneeze. I read that people have been bringing miniature pot-bellied pigs home as pets and the farm girl in me got excited. Since I already ruled out having a cow in my living room, we got the pig.
Our pig, that my kids named Piggy, was still a baby when he took up residence in our home. He was very playful and curious and loved all the attention his human roommates showered upon him.
We all thought it was so cute how unrelenting little Piggy was in his search for food. Before long, Piggy knew exactly where all the food was kept. When he wanted to eat he would poke his little nose at the cupboards or give the refrigerator door a nudge. I caught him with his head inside my handbag a few times before I started keeping it off the floor.
When my kids were one or two years old they wanted to put everything in their mouth, but as all children do, they outgrew it. I’ll have you know that a pig will not outgrow this habit. We had to learn that if something fell to the floor, even a paperclip or pencil, it had to be picked up immediately or Piggy would eat it. Having a pig is like having a two year old that never grows up.
By the time Piggy was fully grown and 127 pounds, the cute and adorable things he used to do were no longer cute and adorable. Instead of nudging the refrigerator door, Piggy could now open the door and rummage inside. Try to imagine the mess when Piggy is left alone to dig in the fridge and through the cupboards.
A begging dog has nothing on a begging pig. Pigs can aggressively try to take food from your children. Keeping them out of the kitchen can be a solution but that won’t stop them from banging at the door and squealing. Piggy is a very happy pig as long as he gets his way.
A pig can be a wonderful pet if you understand the constant attention and interaction they require. You and a pig could be very happy together if your life revolves around your pig. If you have children and your life revolves around them, I do not recommend owning a pig.
