Sunday, January 16, 2011

Life With Babe-Piggly

When the weather started to get cold in October, I made the decision to bring Babe, my potbellied piggy in to live downstairs with me in my downstairs apartment. My son helped me to bring her in. At that time she weighed about 100 lbs. She has now reached about 125. We are wondering how we will get her up the stairs when Spring time comes and put her back into her outside pen. How many other piggies have both summer and winter accommodations.?

I made her a bed of a quilt and a blanket in my livingroom and at night she sleeps on a blanket beside my bed. She is just like a pink dog. She knows when I come home and starts squawking until I come down and speak to her. She follows me all around my apartment and likes to be with me in my studio/craftroom.

At first I was concerned about her toilet training. But I was in for a wonderful surprise. I read up about potbellied piggies on the internet. It said that they do not mess or wet where they eat. I layed down a tarp and over that I put a thick layer of newspaper. I placed her water in the corner and put her food on the other side of the room. She came in, went to drink, used the papers and I have had no problem with her messing anywhere else but on her papers. I put clean ones down everytime she messes or wets and I have no odor in my home.

We have very little organic matter for recycling. Left over meat is eaten by our dogs, and all other food stuffs, old veggies and fruit, etc is eaten by Babe. There are certain things she will not eat, broccoli and green peppers are just a few.

People have a poor opinion of pigs. They are not dirty but like to be clean, they have likes and dislikes and are very loving.