Baby pigs are so cute and just look like they are the or would make the perfect pet. And they are for the right people but they are not the pet for everyone. Babies grow up. They root and can become destructive if not given the proper stimuli to entertain themselves or others. No pet is maintenance free and all will from time to time require a specialized veterinarian to treat them.

Below is a prime example of someone purchasing a pet potbellied/miniature pig without doing their homework. This was found on Craigs List on the Internet.

Last year my husband and I decided we wanted to get a pot bellied pig. I’ve always wanted one and he agreed to let me have one 🙂 or so I thought. Don’t get me wrong. We love our little guy but I thought I did enough research on them to be some what knowledgeable regarding taking care of them, there food, vet needs etc. etc.. Hmmmmm Well I was some what mistaken. Since getting our little guy….which is a little over a year now we’ve spent approx. $1,500.00 on him! I see a lot of pot bellied pigs on here and I think people do not comprehend how much money it costs to care for these animals. I know I didn’t. The original cost of our little guy was the standard $50.00. We brought him home….he was so cute! Well we had bought him a dog kennel for him to live in…in the house. Then we started to let him out in the yard to go potty and low and behold……he started to dig up our yard!!!!!! Well of course we can’t have that….So then we bought him a 10×10 dog kennel for in the yard. There that fixed that problem. We bought him a nice big dog house to be in and a pool and even gave him a little patio of concrete to keep his hooves trimmed down. Hmmmm next it didn’t take long to realize that he needed neutered right away!!!!!! I had no idea they were so…..loving at such a young age. 🙂 So I figured without the FOA coupon a dog costs about $100 to $150.00 depending on the size to be spayed/neutered so I was thinking to get him neutered and oh yes don’t forget his tusks trimmed. Yes that is needed done as well I thought about $200.00. Hmmmm wrong again….It was $400.00. HUH !!!! Well it had to be done. Then about that time all my dogs started to get sick and I took one of them to the vet to find out that all my dogs somehow got worms!!!!!!!!!!! Guess how that happened? Well they were on Meds every month for that but obviously it didn’t work. Needless to say I was told that my little guy had been wormed. Hmmmm not true I guess. So….$400.00 later to have all of them wormed and the vet visits etc. Now….I read that taking your pot bellied pig for walks and letting him walk on concrete etc. will keep his hooves trimmed. Hmmm not so again! I tried to get him to let me work with his feet and that of course was not happening. So back to the vet for his pedicure. Hmmm $128.00 for that HUH again! But again….it had to be done. But when I got him back…my animal was unable to walk!!!!!!! The vet said he knew about these animals. Again wrong. Now I had to find another vet. We hauled our little guy to another vet who also supposedly knows about these pigs. My little guy injured and unable to walk in the back of our truck in his house….All the x-rays and tests and endless supply of meds etc etc and back home with him not knowing what really happened with the first vet but knowing my little guy was crippled now. And by the way….that will be $450.00 for the emergency visit! What the H ……. It took 5 months of us giving our little guy physical therapy and now after all that with the back breaking work outs to get him up and moving and walking and outside. He is know able to walk again. Not totally normal but good enough that he can get outside to go potty and hang out a little bit. But guess what….His hooves need trimmed…….again because with all of his injuries we didn’t want to mess with his feet because he wasn’t able to really walk or move to much and now I see his tusks are growing back in!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG so back to the new vet who assures me she knows what she’s doing and for the mere price of $303.00 they will be happy to trim his feet and tusks for me 🙁 So just a warning for all those who have always wanted one of these animals…..He is great and we love him but….you better have an endless supply of money and patience…..because you will certainly need them.

This is just a normal example of some of the things that can happen. If you educate yourself first, you can have a happy well adjusted pet pig and a happy home without it breaking the bank. With of course the absence of any illness. And remember, that just like humans, our pigs, dogs and other types of animals, age and with the aging process comes changes to our bodies as well as those of our pets. So please do both yourself and the pig you want to adopt a favor and study up first.

With the age of Internet comes a vast world of information to help you make an informed choice. If we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. We want you to be happy with the pet pig you adopt or buy so that they remain in your home a long time. If you need to locate a vet, we can help with that also.