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Barnyard Buddies:  PotBellies  |
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Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
 Posted - May 01 2008 : 11:09:42 AM
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| My husband and I have had pigs in the past but they were "farm" pigs for meat/show. I have been checking into potbelly pigs...there are a few in the local animal shelters awaiting adoption, there are 2 main breeders here in Texas. I was wondering if anyone has info on these little piggies! |
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Kathie
True Blue Farmgirl
2436 Posts
Kathie
Thonotosassa
Florida
USA
2436 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 11:40:43 AM
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well, for one thing.. they don't STAY 'Little' Piggies..!!!
Not for Long.. Not in OUR experiences..
Because Yes.. they ARE Cute! Yes.. they ARE Sweet..& YES!! They ARE PIGS!!
So THEY LIKE TO EAT!
& We as Mom's Just Naturally Like to Feed Our babies!
& if we have a Good Eater.. EVEN BETTER!!
so don't count on these little Chubs staying very small..
But WHAT Fun!
If you have the time & the space for them..!
What a Great Pet!
& since your used to having livestock.. you won't be dissapointed in
these guys.. they have loads of personality!
Good Luck Kiddo!
lets us know!
Kathie.. Farm Girl Sister #29
"In a World Where you Can Be Anything, Be Yourself".. |
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Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 7:10:57 PM
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Kathie,
Thanks for the input! I did read that they get pretty big! They have some older pigs needing to be adopted in the shelters and you can tell in the pics they are chubby! I think they sound quite fun. I have a guy out of Oklahoma tracking down the pigs in Texas that need adopting so we'll see(: |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 08:14:14 AM
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I have a potbelly pig! Her name is "Opal" and she is the UGLIEST creature on the planet (produced by a "backyard" breeder that had no idea what "Breed Standard" means). SHE thinks she's GORGEOUS and I don't have the heart to tell her otherwise. (she is pink with gray spots, long white hair (at the moment) one brown eye and one green eye. She's also sway backed and has a long snout (potbellies don't generally look like that at all!). But what can I say, she IS the Queen of our barnyard!!
First thing about potbelly's is you NEVER want to buy one with a CURLY tail! Potbellie's DO NOT have curly tails!! If you find one that does, it's NOT a potbelly! It's a barnyard pig, or a potbelly/barnyard cross, and it WILL get HUGE!!!
My pig has stayed fairly small. She probably weighs about 35-40lbs (maybe more, she IS fat!) and is about 18"-20" (give or take) at her tallest point. The secret to keeping a potbelly small (or at least within MANAGABLE size!) is a VERY controlled diet! My pig was given a good commercial food for MINI PIGS (ONLY!!!) throughout her growing years. She also got fruits and vegetables, but not too much at any given time.
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that commercial HOG feed is ok to give their mini pig (that's what the "breeders" were feeding the pigs on their farm where I got MY pig), but it has WAY too many calories in it. After all, it is used to fatten and "grow up" ---quickly--- pigs meant for slaughter!!! Of course, having raised pigs in the past, you know exactly how that works!!
It's ok to give them a few treats now and then, and vegetables and fruits as a regular part of their diet are good too, but cheese puffs, beer (yes, some pigs LOVE it) and all the scraps the family would normally throw out-- really should be kept to a minimum!!
We used to keep Opal confined to a specific area, but nowdays, at the age of 6 (or is it 7? maybe she's 8?) years old, she has the run of the farm. She spends her days in the hay field eating clover and whatever ELSE her little piggy heart desires. She takes naps in the sun and LOVES to harrass my husband's lab in his kennel. She's learned to turn on the faucet by the house when she gets thirsty, though there are plenty of places where she can get a drink. She prides herself on being clever.
One last thing, the boy potbelly's STINK!!! Even when they are very young. My first pig was a boy and EWWWWWW!!!! He smelled like an armpit!!! I only had him a day and a half (long story), but I had planned to have him "fixed" as soon as possible. You can get females spayed, but, since there are no other pigs around here, I opted not to have Opal go under the knife. Besides, she's a woman of her own mind, and her mind says she's NOT getting into a car without a SCREAM that can be heard in the next TEN counties!!!
Whew, didn't realize this was so long, but I had to chime in! If you're up to the task, potbellies are FUN creatures! Just remember, they live a VERY long time--- some up to 20+yrs! And they have personalities like TODDLERS!!!! They can be strong willed and very DEMANDING!!! Good luck and have fun!!! ~~~ Tracy |
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Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 4:10:06 PM
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| Thank you so much for your info! I loved reading it! I think it is so funny that the boy pig smelled like an "armpit" lol! I am currently looking for places in Texas that rescue potbellies, I have been in contact with a few so we'll see how it pans out but, I think I am really set on adopting if I can find the right piggie for us. |
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Kathie
True Blue Farmgirl
2436 Posts
Kathie
Thonotosassa
Florida
USA
2436 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2008 : 1:44:46 PM
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Just checked back to See if you'd obtained your new kid yet!
Whatcha waiting on??? CHICKEN!! Go get one!
Sheperdgirl has it down right! the key to keeping them small is allll about their feed! they really do have specific feed designed especially FOR them.. THIS is really what will keep HER nice & small..
Because if you get one already with bad eating habits.. They are hard to break.. besides.. that growing things thats already been triggered in them.. just doesn't seem to want to stop then! & they can really get humoungus!.. We had three at once.. they were already pretty nice sized pigs wehn we got them.. & ate ANYTHING & everything they wanted.. it waqs already too late! & oh MY!! Did they get Big!..
Can't really remember what my sons named theirs but my daughter named her 'Hampton' fitting for a pig we all thought..
& well.. Hampton was actually pretty funny.. & yes.. I'd say an armpit was a good description .. but we should probably add in .. the arm pit of a Skid row bum possibly too.!
Now One of my sons had a Female & the other had Another Male..
& my daughter used to just get so furious at Hampton.. Jennifer kept saying one of these days we would have gobs of baby Pigs running around.. She just couldn't wait.. then she'd storm in the back door cussing & complaining about her Stupid pig.. (Sorry have to keep it clean.. NOT that SHE did...) But it all had something to do with Hampton wanting very little to do with the nice sweet pretty little Girl Pig.. & being WAY too interested in the other Boy Pig! She would come up with ways to keep them apart.. & distracted..
But Hampton would find a way to get back to his little buddy..
Unfortunatly for him.. that was his ticket off the farm.. His wayward heart.. jennifer was too dissapointed in him.. & sent him packing so to speak.. & washed her hands with the whole baby piglet business!
My sons then lost interest in theirs too.. since the comic relief of watching their sister loose her mind daily over Charles Nelson Reily's Antics in the Barn.. So they soon found homes for their HUGE 'pot bellies' too..
Keep us up on your search girl!!
Kathie.. Farm Girl Sister #29
"In a World Where you Can Be Anything, Be Yourself".. |
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Bfriday
True Blue Farmgirl
125 Posts
Jessica
Miles
TX
125 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2008 : 3:33:43 PM
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You crack me up! lol Poor wayward pig! Put out because he had a "preference"! ha! That has me rolling! I am not "chicken" yet! I am still on the search for my new kid-no one in my area has one for adoption...might have to travel to a bigger city or check into transporting wich is probally expensive. Closes shelter where they house piggies is a good 4 hrs away. To buy a baby from a breeder is at least $700, crazy huh? I am set on adopting from a rescue, just have to find the right piggie for us! I will let you know:)
Farmgirl Sister #188 |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2008 : 11:55:03 PM
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SEVEN HUDRED DOLLARS FOR A POT BELLY PIG? Are people CRAZY? Well, ok, some people pay a $1,000 for a dog that will fit in your pocket when full grown, but COME ON!! IT's a pig! In Asia, where those animals come from, they're raised for food! Do they poop platnum or something? If so, sign me up, I want one too! (LOL)
Just kidding. Still, that's a lot of money for a pig, but then I should talk, I raise Babydoll sheep. They sell anywhere from $350 for a wether (castrated male) up to $1,000 for a colored breeding age ewe. Funny, because after awhile, a lot people realize that they are nothing more than eating, POOPING bags of wool! Ahhh... but ya gotta LOVE em'!
Hey Kathie, you're right-- the boys don't JUST smell like "armpits," "Skid Row Bum Armpits" is a more accurate description of that foul odor that seems to hover around them. (picture Pig Pen from the peanuts comics-- only it's NOT a cloud of dust, it's stinky green vapor gas!!)~~ Tracy |
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Barnyard Buddies: PotBellies |
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PotBellies
