Tell me if I'm crazy,but I'm dying to get a few pigs! I want to use them to till the garden (at least that's the reason I gave hubby).Really,I think they are adorable,and have heard they make good pets. Anybody else have pigs? Anyone in Texas wanna get rid of a couple of piglets?I don't even know where to look for a pig farm...there's not any in our area I know.Any suggestions?

-- Johna (marcnjohna@aol.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

I understand pigs are the best pets around. Cute and friendly when they're little and don't eat much. When they get big and you're getting tired of them, they get mean and you WANT to kill them. At least that's what I hear. ;oD

-- Laura Rae Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), February 23, 2002.

People around here, central Texas, raise pigs a lot. We hope to some day but the main problem that we've seen is during the summer when it gets so hot. Pigs must have water and shade or they will and do die from the heat.

I've never known anyone with a pig for a pet. The main rule of raising the porkers for food is don't get attached and no naming the pig! Our local Thrifty Nickel Ads always has lots of listing (in season) for piglets for sale. There is always a livestock listing in the classifieds of major newspapers. If anyone has a pig to give away, it will be a old, tough, mean, hog not a cute little piggie. They run about $35 each around here.

Good Luck to you, Nita

-- Nita Holstine (nita@phancypages.com), February 24, 2002.

Johna, buy a rototiller for the garden, if you want a pet get a dog or cat. Pigs are for eating. I buy feeders in the spring up here in Mich. and by the fall there're ready for the butcher. There're cute to a point,but after 6 months the cuteness is long gone. One exception for me is goats, I won't have any on the farm because I lean towards making a pet of them. Bill

-- Bill from SE Mich (Billshsfrm@aol.com), February 24, 2002.

Johna, You should give them a try, they are so much fun to have around. Start with weening pigs and raise them yourself, they will be gentle. If you keep them as pets, expect them to get huge! Try raising a few litters too, you can keep a few back for your freezer and sell the rest. Just don't grow old thinking "I should have tried a raising a few pigs". Go for it, you can always get rid of them if it doesn't work out. Best wishes!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), February 24, 2002.

I have a pot belly pig as a pet. We've had her since she was about 6 months old - about 5 years now. No, she doesn't live in the house altho I know people with pot bellys that do live in the house just fine. The pot bellys will stay smaller and even tho I don't spend a lot of time with our Rose she is still sweet tempered. They do need a place to cool off in the summer. Our Rose has a small wading pool that my husband made out of a plastic barrel that she "swims" in to stay cool. Pot bellys are a little more expensive than a farm pig, around here they run about $50 now. If you get one make sure you see the parents so that you'll know the eventual size. My Rose is much smaller than a lot of the pot bellys I've seen. Also I am careful not to over feed her. We give her vege scraps and her pot belly pig feed. Also, you can't give pigs any foods that have been salted as they can't sweat. They are very smart. I taught Rose to "dance" (turn in circles) in the matter of a few minutes with a handful of raisins. Even tho I haven't kept up the training she still remembers to "dance" when I bring out her feed. If I took the time I know she could learn so much more. Good luck and have fun.

-- cindy palmer (jandcpalmer@sierratel.com), February 24, 2002.

Many folks use the pigs to til. There are plenty of pig ranches around Texas; call your ag extension service and they'll tell you. 4-H/FFA kids also sell pigs. I've raised pigs for the table and it's the best eating. Of course, I'm a porkaholic!

I also have a pet hog. I've had the Hampshire since he was 4 weeks old and he's one of the best pets I've had. The barrow is almost 4 years old, between 700-800 pounds, his back is 45 inches off the ground, and he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He wasn't raised like a typical farm hog. He was raised in the house (housebroke the first day) and hitches to a cart for driving. He's now on the 30 acres with the rest of the livestock, and when he's napping, it's not unusual to find some of the chooks napping on top of him.

Pigs can't sweat (don't have the glands) so need some way to moisturize their skin. My hog started with a little plastic kiddie pool and now has an 8 foot round metal tank that's one foot high. Most of the hog ranches around here create mud holes and also hose down the hogs during the summer days. They also use fans.

My house pets and livestock always have feed available to them. The pigs have the pasture and their feed. I don't feed anything from my kitchen.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002.

Johna, Where in Texas are you? We have pigs all the time!! We have only 2 young pigs right now for sale, but they are about ready for the freezer. We normally have a litter all the time, but we put our old boar into sausage this winter and the new boar isn't doing his job!!! So we now have sows that aren't bred. He's got one more chance- then he's gonna be sausage too!!! Let me know where you are and I can see if maybe I can help with someone in your area!! susie

-- susie yeager (susiemby@samlink.com), February 25, 2002.