I know @GoofyGoat just purchased kune kunes. The mini pig I bought my niece is now 80lbs. Which is small for an adult pig. But still bigger than we expe ted. But Hamlet is a sweetheart and is house broken. She loves him.

 

Oh pet pigs are so fun! Yes, we got two Kune Kune girls in October. They were 5 months old. They’ve very quickly become part of our crazy family. They’re very smart and easily trained (to hot wire fence, sit,speak) Kunes graze for the most part, though they do dig shallow sleep areas. Ours love their shallow pool/water bowl when it’s hot and when we fill it Keyleth likes playing in the water stream. I haven’t tried to trim their hooves yet so no help there. Hestia is really funny when we pitch her some hay, she’ll grab a chunk and toss it on her back like a ghillie suit.

 

Oh I’ll have to go out and get pictures of my poor shed my mini pig destroyed. Honestly I have nothing that great to say about them BUT I have heard wonderful things about kune kune. That they are less destructive, don’t root as much and just all around more docile and friendly. I will say though that if I had gotten my pigs fix that probably would have solved a lot of problems especially the aggression

 

My sister in law had a pot belly pig and a Juliana mini pig, both of those were destructive and really tore up the yard. I would suggest kune kunes or IPP. I have nether but have been doing lots of reading on them and they both seem overall like good pet pigs.

 

I had American Guinea hogs and they weren’t destructive towards anything and very sweet. The didn’t really root once in a while a little bit but easily fixed

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that Kunes are lard pigs. They really have a great fat ratio. I know you like making tallow soap so if you did breed then besides meat you could use the lard for your soaps😉

 

Kune Kune are known for their docility, smaller stature, friendliness towards people and easy going nature. Highly recommend their temperament, their ability to learn, the way they actively seek out human contact and agreeable nature as a good choice for a pet pig or a novice pig owner.

 

I love my Kunes. They are nice and docile low maintenance and enjoy a good belly rub. There are those who cross them with pot belly. And as a pet thats ok..but i wouldnt want to mix the breed for meat purposes. But like goats,.they are herd animald and having one..while might get along just fine..would be happier to have kune buddy.

 

When I had Kunes one season (Feb-Dec) they did great. Didn’t root up anything at all, but did have plenty of space to roam.
They loved eating puncture vine 😅

 

The youngest grandson had kunes a couple of years back and I found them delightful and extremely easy to handle based on experiences with a different and much larger breed (don't remember the type) and from being arounds hogs belonging to other people. Formed a special relationship with the boar (want to be, retained testicle) named Jiggy and he would come running whenever he spotted me. I would squat down, scratch around his face and start talking about whatever came to mind. He talked back by repeated squeals and little grunts, pig tail wagging the whole time. He was destined as seed bacon due to his inability to fertilize the sows and made tasty sausage and a fork tender loin cut.

 

We had several pot bellied pigs. They we easy on the ground and really only had one small wooded plot and an igloo dog house. They stayed in with one strand of hot wire at nose level.
This is Molly (Mala Swinka in Polish. It means little pig.) When she was a piglet we taught her tricks, like jumping or spinning on command. When she got bigger, and could no longer jump when asked, she would shrug her shoulders for a treat. She was also easily house trained.
We had two other potbellies that we got when they were adults at seperate times, Charlotte and Violet. Violet should have been named Violent! When she was in heat she was a terror, but we never had problems with any of them otherwise.

 

Thanks everyone for all the advice! Sounds like it will be a tough decision between Kune Kunes and Potbellies. We'll probably end up letting her do some research on that. We are planning on telling her on Christmas that she is finally allowed a pig. 😀

Opinions on if one pig is okay? I know they are supposed to be social animals, but this pig would be getting a lot of attention. And I see quite a lot of people with only one. My sister is outside a lot and I'm sure the pig will be coming in the house to visit. We already have a house chicken, and a pair of geese that come into spend time in the house. 😅

We had several pot bellied pigs. They we easy on the ground and really only had one small wooded plot and an igloo dog house. They stayed in with one strand of hot wire at nose level.
This is Molly (Mala Swinka in Polish. It means little pig.) When she was a piglet we taught her tricks, like jumping or spinning on command. When she got bigger, and could no longer jump when asked, she would shrug her shoulders for a treat. She was also easily house trained.
We had two other potbellies that we got when they were adults at seperate times, Charlotte and Violet. Violet should have been named Violent! When she was in heat she was a terror, but we never had problems with any of them otherwise.

What did you feed your pot bellies? I've heard some conflicting advice on feeding.

Oh, I forgot to mention that Kunes are lard pigs. They really have a great fat ratio. I know you like making tallow soap so if you did breed then besides meat you could use the lard for your soaps😉

I actually make more lard soap than tallow soap, so I would love a lard pig! 😀

 

I’m sure your pig would be well cared for and spoiled. I got two, I’m really glad I did because they spend a lot of time snuggling and goofing off together. They’re best buds. This is them napping.

 

We just fed them with a pig food made at a local feed mill. I didn't do the expensive Mazuri pet pig food. They also got healthy scraps. None of them ever got too fat and they were very healthy.

 

People always say they will spend a lot of time with the animal. But you don't sleep with them and you honestly aren't out every second of the day specifically with them. I'm always a believer in a buddy.

 

😊

 

Would getting a pig each be an approach you might consider?

 

You could also consider looking around for Farm rescues or specifically Pig rescues in your area. Potbelly's are one of the most disposable pets because everyone wants a cute little tiny pig which is simply not the case despite a breeder telling you to feed it incorrectly so they stay small and unhealthy. We have a couple Pig rescues in our area that we adopted 4 from and it's really quite sad the stories that come along with it. Just a thought....you might be able to find a sweet pig or bonded pair that would be happy to have a good home and love 😊

 

I definitely see the benefits of having two, but with pasture impact being the main concern, one sounds more doable. I wonder if having a single male would be better than a single female. 🤔 I see that people who are breeding often keep a boar alone.

Would getting a pig each be an approach you might consider?

It's my second youngest sister who is the only real pig lover of the house. I'm sure we'll all love having them around but they will be her responsibility. We'll probably let her do some more research on her own to see what she thinks about having one or two.

I’m sure your pig would be well cared for and spoiled. I got two, I’m really glad I did because they spend a lot of time snuggling and goofing off together. They’re best buds. This is them napping.

They are just the cutest things ever. . . well maybe not against baby goats. 😏

 

If you get a boar, I really suggest a Kune. They’re know for their good disposition and friendliness. You’ll also have to make the choice of getting their tusks removed And related costs. Just food for thought. When I researched Kunes, I used these sites:

The British Kunekune Pig Society – The BKKPS is a non-profit setup to further the interests of Kunekune pigs, the pedigree breed and of those who love to keep them.

www.britishkunekunesociety.org.uk

Heritage Breed Pigs: Kunekune - Grit

Learn all about keeping the KuneKune pig, from its history to characteristics, to housing needs. This unique little pig will steal your heart!

www.grit.com

Kunekune pig

Always free of charge, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of Washington D.C.’s, and the Smithsonian’s, most popular tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors from all over the world each year. The Zoo instills a lifelong commitment to conservation through engaging experiences...

nationalzoo.si.edu

https://americankunekunepigsociety.org/

 

I'll be sure to pass on those resources. I had no idea that tusk removal was even a thing. Do you know if it would be more wise, as it is in goats, to have a castrated male instead of an intact one as a pet?

 

I would imagine having the testerone factory removed would result in a calmer pet.

 

I will second removing the source of male hormone production will result in a calmer and more even natured critter no matter the species.

 

Mine are litter box trained, and I have them in a tarter heavy duty vertical bar panels outside.

 

I've been MIA on TGS for a while so I'm just now seeing this but I really would recommend a KuneKune over any of the mini pig breeds if it's going to live in the goat pastures. I had a couple potbelly piglets for a short while that the previous owner could no longer care for and they dug so much that they'd tunnel out of their pen. I'd recommend a barrow or two (castrated male) rather than an intact boar or gilt. While I do keep my boar in his own pen outside of breeding season, he lives close to other pigs and still very obviously prefers having a buddy. I can't say I'd recommend keeping a single pig even if it were to have lots of human attention. Of course, whatever you decide, we need pictures!

 

That's all very helpful. Thanks so much for that. 🤗
What makes you say barrows over gilts? Same reason wethers are better than does as pets?

 

Yes, not having to deal with the drama and mood swings of heats.

 

So my sister was told that she is allowed to get a pig or two. She is extremely excited to finally be able to fulfill her dream. She's wanted pigs just as long as I've wanted goats. We got her a few books on pig care, one of which is specifically about mini pigs. So she will be doing her research on what breed and which direction she wants to go in. Basically what we're thinking is that if she decides she wants to go with kune kunes then we'll consider breeding them now, but if she wants to go with just a pet breed then we'll hold off on raising pigs for meat until later. She is so relieved to finally have a farm animal of her own to manage!😃