Preparing your home for a new teacup pig Bedding and blankets Pigs love to have their personalized space in the home. They love their blankets and bedding. They actually need a spot which they can call as their ‘Personal Place’. They love to hide under blankets, snuggling and ‘rooting’ which is their basic instinct. Blankets are a sort of comfort to the pigs. Generally, the pigs love to drag their blankets around the house with them. They provide warmth and comfort to the pigs. It is even better to provide the pigs with numerous small blankets which could cover their body, sides and other aspects. It is fun to begin by giving them a particular area in the house and let them play with the old blankets. These small buddies are fine with old blankets and a small allotted area. Piggy fencing is done to make them secured in their own area. Teacup pigs can be given their own toys to play when you’re not around. The pigs are prone to get insulating warmth in their own area and would keep well even if you’re not at home. They can live easily in smaller homes, apartments or big houses. Water Access Pigs require water all the time. Their bodies don’t perspire and hence, water intake is important for them. Some pigs drink too much water and others might take a little. Each pig is different, as human beings are. Stainless steel non-tip bowls are used for putting water near the bedding of the minipig. Pig-proof your home Pigs are very intelligent and can figure out the almost anything. They can open the cupboards and drawers and take out things from it. They will figure out such things very soon and help themselves with finding anything. It is essential to ensure that the food pantry or other closets have childproof locks on them as the pig might eat anything from it. The home cleaning and poisonous substances can be put inside the lock. TV or videos Pigs love to get entertained. They can enjoy watching TV or videos. The working people usually put their TVs on while going to the office to keep their pigs engaged. They develop a habit of watching TV and playing. Even when the music is playing at home, it is quite attractive for the pigs. Litter Box Training The pigs are litter-box trained very easily. There are a dog and cat litter boxes available in the market and the use of these products make it easy for the pigs to poop. Pigs are basically clean animals and would understand your commands very easily. You can even use old newspapers or wood chips for handling the litter. Neutering/ Spaying It is important to have your piglet spayed or neutered. The trained veterinarians handle the task of neutering or spaying the pigs. It is a small surgical procedure having importance in the health of pet piggy. Male pigs can get large tusks, exhibit foul odor and even become aggressive without neutering. The females have lower chances of developing PMS symptoms, ovarian cancer and mammary tumors by spaying. To make pigs as pets, this little surgical process is mandatory. Caring for Hoof Pigs need your attention all the times and their physical attention is necessary to make them feel healthy from inside as well. The veterinary expert will visualize the hooves and clip them 3-5 times in a year to keep them safe. The growth of hooves is natural for pigs and trimming them will make the pigs feet in good shape. It even avoids the pigs to get deformation of joints or general stiffness. Make sure that you handle the hooves in the right way and file/ clip them for the best health of pigs. Vaccinations Pigs need vaccination shots as a part of their health maintenance. The general area near the pigs needs to be clean and disease free. If you live in a hogging area or the vet is aware of any common occurrences for pig health, it is recommended to give the piggie shots necessary for their good health. It is as per the geographic location and some shots are mandatory for every pig. You must take your pet directly to a vet to avoid any issues later on. They will maintain a chart for your pig and you can see the required dosages with the right time to get it done. In some cases, the breeders provide the list of vaccinations for the tiny pig. Feeding your little pig It is preferable to feed the mini pigs with the pellets designed only for the minipigs. This pig food is made up of the right amount of protein and has lesser fat content. Pigs would grow abruptly with too much fatty food. There are many different companies manufacturing pig products and the formulated mini pig food has all the nutrients required by the body of these animals. Your pig’s veterinarian would give you the best suggestions regarding the feed. The pigs have a general tendency to become obese very rapidly and hence, there has to be a limit to their snacks, meals and ensure that the pig has enough activity to maintain sound health. Potbellied pigs are omnivores and their diets include veggies, eggs, worms, seeds, insects and other little things. It is not easy to give them these things in the regular diet and hence, the pet food would really help. The small pallets contain everything and have an amazing taste. You can feed a variety of healthy food items for the pigs and give them breakfast and dinner. In the lunch phase, you can give them a seasonal fruit or vegetable. Gastric trouble is quite common for the pigs. Make sure that you give them the food consisting of the elements which shouldn’t blot the stomach of the pet. Cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, corns, peas, green beans, and other food items are beneficial for their body. De-worming The pigs need to be dewormed after every 3-4 months. If the pig is spending a lot of time outside or the weather is humid in your area, it is essential to deworm them and safeguard the pets from stomach infections. Ivermectin is the most preferred choice for the deworming and it even kills the mites from the pig’s stomach. What do you get with the little piggy? If you’ve made up the payment for the pig and are going to bring them home, the breeder will provide you with the most important things required as a responsible owner. There is a manual given by most of the breeders with a small packet of mini pig food. It would be sufficient for the pig for a week (or lesser) and you can get the next pack from the market or online stores. Some companies even give a blanket, bath gel or lotion for the piglet. The piggy’s date of birth, breed and vaccination card are also given to the owner for their good health. The company even provides support to chat about the pigs and discuss their problems with the breeder without any hesitation. It is essential to make the right purchase and get the baby pig from a renowned source. The reputed breeder would give all the necessary information about the pig and hand over to the owners with full concern for their little baby piggy. Books to read There are some books published for the pig owners to know more about them. For example, the book by Pat Storer named ‘Potbellies and other Miniature Pigs (Complete Pet Owners Manual) is the most useful to get information regarding nutrition and other needs. There are many other recommended books also which could give you an illustration about pigs and their behavior. It is essential to go through these books before bringing a pet home. A discussion with the people owning pigs would also help in the same way. Preparing your home for a new pet pig