Belly rubs! Remember, touch is important to animals
whose eyesight is weak, and we pigs sure do love to be petted! When
Mommy scratches me just right, either behind my ears or under my jowls,
my knees buckle and my back sways, then--BOOM--down I go so she can reach
my tummy! Sometimes I even fall asleep!
Chewing--pigs love to tear up books and newspapers.
I don't eat paper, but I spit it out in wads all over the house.
Mommy buys me vegetarian doggie chews to keep me occupied.
Fruits, fresh or dried--yummy! My favorites are
watermelon, strawberries, grapes, and raisins.
Conversation--yes, I talk back to people when they talk
to me! Even if I don't understand all the words you say to me, I
do understand that you are friendly and kind enough to spend time with
me :-) And I don't really expect you to understand exactly what I
say to you, either. I know that most humans don't understand squeals
and snorts and snuffles. But pigs are social creatures who thrive
on interaction, and I hope you at least understand that I enjoy your company!
Walks and outings are not only great exercise, but also
allow me to socialize with people outside of my family. Grandma Judy
thinks that one of the reasons I'm so friendly is that Mommy and my sisters
have been taking me to Petsmart since
I was a baby. I used to be very timid at first, and had be held the
whole time or I would cry. But now I march right in as if I own the
place, and brazenly ask the cashiers for a cookie!
What Pigs HATE!
Baths make me quite upset. Some pigs love the water,
but not me! When I was a tiny baby and Mommy gave me a bath, I cried
so much that she sighed, picked me up in her arms and held me close, and
stood over the floor drain in the laundry room to rinse me (and herself
in the process!)
I don't like being too hot or too cold. Pigs have
pretty much the same feel for temperature as humans do; if YOU are too
hot or too cold, then so am I!
Most pigs don't like to have their feet handled.
Mommy and my sisters give me a belly rub to get me nice and relaxed, then
Mommy very gently clips and trims my hooves. She began handling my
feet every time she gave me a belly rub, ever since I was a baby, so I'm
used to it.
Despite what you think about my farm cousins, pigs do
NOT like to be dirty at all! You see, they don't have much choice--they're
kept all together in one pen outdoors, and they have to eat and go to the
bathroom in the same place. Yuck!! They roll in the mud to
keep cool in the heat, and also to keep insects off. I'm very fortunate
to live in conditions where I don't have to do these things. I stay
cool because I live indoors, and Mommy uses Badger
Anti-Bug Balm to keep insects away. And if I can't "hold it"
until someone can let me outside, I use commercial puppy training pads
that are placed far away from the area where I eat.
COMING SOON: Mommy will give you some pointers
on pig care!
