http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jruy...tailpage#t=33s
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Enchanting.Quote:
Originally Posted by littleroundman
My brother came home with three orphan piglets in a huge holdall when rationing in UK was really bad. My mother nearly expired but the piglets grew up in our large farm kitchen. They were far easier to house train than puppies. My brother and a German POW trained one to pull a hand made cart. I used to take "pig and cart" to local shops which were about three miles away, to pick up heavy goods like the old radio accumulator batteries, as petrol rationing was very severe. Porcine powered transport was very useful in those days.
Pigs are far easier to house train than puppies and cats get used to them surprisingly quickly. The cats hissed at the piglets but never lashed out. My brother could do almost anything with his pig friends but my mother was terrified to go near one that showed its teeth. She always carried a "weapon" in the presence of pigs. A pig that threatened her got a Mars Bar, which it could not dislodge from its shark like teeth till all the delicious pig "treat and weapon" had been consumed . I was very jealous as most other children of my age had mothers who shared their sweet ration with children not pigs.
One thing I have learned, is that the danger of being attacked by a furious barking pig is greatly reduced if it gets MarsBars stuck in its teeth.
That little guy is so cute!!! I am surprised at how fast he runs for being so tiny. He goes like the dickens. I have always liked pigs. We go to the fair every year and I always go to the pig barn to see them. Pigs are very intelligent, get along with most other animals and are very clean. What worries me is that people will see these videos on micro pigs and want one and then freak when in a few years they grow to be the size of a Lab and then want to get rid of them. That is worrisome. They don't stay that size forever.
I have a friend who is retired from ATC and has a largeish property and has two pot bellied pigs. (brother and sister from the same litter) He raised them from babies and they are very tame and friendly and great pets. They get along very well with his dogs but they are also a lot of work and upkeep to keep them healthy and happy and clean up after them. They get regular visits from a vet. He has special enclosures built for them in his back yard, an inground pond for them to bathe in (it has a pump and filter and refills itself and circulates the water and even has a heater) and all sorts of things for them to climb and play in and on. They like laying in old wooden barrels for example. They have a large sandbox outside with an awning over it and he has a larger area with straw as a bed and an awning over it and awning material on three sides so just the front is open. Their skin is very sensitive and they can become sunburned quite easily. They love balls and playing with them, all kinds, tennis balls, basketballs, footballs. They also like those big knotted rope toys that dogs play with. They come in the house every day where they have blankets and dog beds and they never make a mess in there. They know all sorts of little tricks much like a dog like sit, stay, beg, roll over.
He buys them fresh veggies every few days and for fun he takes them to the local farmer's market once a week which they love. lol He has a little folding ramp that he puts against the back of his SUV and they walk right up it and down and have a bed back there to lay in and blankets when they go for rides to there or to the vet or the park or where ever. We went once with him and Talula and Franklin (hey I didn't name them lol) to shop and have lunch and they cause quite the scene and pretty much stop at every stall to eat something. Everyone knows them there now and they get petted and fawned over constantly. Feeding them is not cheap and they have a special pre-made dry chow and the veggies, fruits, whole grain breads, oatmeal (he cooks oatmeal for them!) and vitamins and all sorts of food. It's a lot of work to take care of them and keep them healthy and happy but they are remarkable animals. They will eat right out of your hand and they love mini corn cobs! He even weights them every week to make sure they are not being over fed and maintain a proper weight. They are gentle and very sweet natured and believe it or not they make great "watch dogs"! They will make a helluva noise whenever strangers come around the property. I think they are about 7 or 8 years old curently. They love to be petted and rubbed and will roll over on their backs much like a dog to have their bellies rubbed and scratched. They snuggle and love people. He takes them for walks on the trails in the canyon where he lives every day. They have harnesses and leashes. I wouldn't dare let my wife see that video, she'd want one, especially since he went to the beach and swam in the ocean. lol
My retriever Max does this, but I never imagined a pig would! lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha7d3_acGy4
When I was a kid we raised pigs. My fond memories of them is that they are hell on snakes. Where we were was rattlesnake country and quite brushy. Before we were going to clear brush, we'd fence it and turn the pigs loose and voila! no more snakes! Of course, once, I had to pick a snake head off a pig's side where it got its fangs stuck and the others ate it.