Pet Pigs and Acorns

Is it safe for my mini pig to eat acorns? This seems to be one of those questions that it depends on who you ask. I say yes, BUT the key is moderation and/or limitation...and the age of the pig might also come into play.

In cows those less than 2 years of age seem to succumb to oak toxicosis more than do older animals, however older animals are still at risk. The same seems to hold true for our pigs.

Here at my place I have about 24 oak trees within the yard and pig pens. Most of the old acorns that had not been cleaned up for years were raked up...now the pigs have to scavenge for them as they fall. The two species of oak here are the Live Oak and Laurel Oak. The senior pigs seem to enjoy them in the spring as their trees don't seem to drop too many acorns in the fall. There is one Live Oak that covers 3 pens and part of the yard...it seems to be the most popular with the pigs in the fall. Last year after Hurricane Matthew went through in early Oct. they went nuts...pun intended, with cleaning up the acorns. This year there were acorns from that tree during late August to Sept and now hardly any since Hurricane Irma. There are other trees dropping them now as I can see the pigs scavenge for them early in the morning and late in the evening. So here it is a good thing as it gets them up and walking around.

I have a friend in Texas that has a lot of ground with hundreds of oaks with millions of acorns and her pigs don't have a problem with it, but for a first timer you might want to rake them up like some people do so there aren't as many for your pig to eat. You can't possibly get them all, but it just cut's the number down. They can be fattening so that's a concern too. Or you could find a part of the yard without the oak for your pig to go in if that's possible during the time the acorns are falling.

Another friend in MS uses a shop vac to pick up the acorns on her property as one of her pigs will gorge on them and put on a lot of weight a couple of years ago...remember acorns are fattening.

On the other hand a friend in MO that ran a sanctuary would have neighbors bring in acorns for her pigs.

If you have just one or two pigs and lots of acorns you are going to want to limit their time in the yard especially if they just stand there and well pig out. Normal acorns don't seem to cause a problem other than the stomach ache that goes with eating too many of them, but the green ones tend to make them sick. A few acorns here and there shouldn't be a problem. Problems seem to arise when they eat massive amounts for long periods of time.

From The Pig Site: Whilst ruminants are more susceptible to acorn poisoning, outdoor pigs may be affected occasionally. Young oak leaves or green acorns are the major sources and signs are seen two to three days after ingestion. These include abdominal pain and constipation followed by hemorrhagic diarrhea. The kidneys may also be affected.

We also know that a hog (a non-ruminant or simple stomached animal) can tolerate a higher level of some toxins than can ruminants.

The poison in acorns (tannins) concentrates in the milk; knowing that feral (wild) hogs roam the woods, I am sure that they consume many acorns. Whether or not the tannins from the acorns concentrate in the milk of pregnant feral sows resulting in toxicity to nursing piglets, I do not know.

Why do we seem to have tons of acorns one year and not so many the next? 

Oak acorn production varies markedly year to year and by species. But every several years, like clockwork, masting oaks somehow synchronize the timing and quantity of seed production. Biologists suspect it may be some evolutionary adaptation to produce more nuts than foraging animals can eat. They aren't exactly sure how and why oaks suddenly shift into acorn overdrive, then go nearly dormant for years. It seems to happen about once every four to seven years, when oaks — even those located thousands of miles apart — produce and drop acorns en masse, in unison.

Weather alone can't explain it, scientists say.

One theory suggests oak tree masting is triggered by ideal winds. Others point to rain, drought and hurricanes. Scientists also suggest the mass acorn dumps may be something simply ingrained in the tree's genetic makeup, a hedge to guarantee germination of the next generation by flooding the ground with acorns.

Trees in canopy settings produced fewer acorns than those in more open settings, suggesting light also is a factor, the researchers found.

Some biologists speculate that hurricanes, infestations and drought also can stress oaks, possibly triggering large-scale masting, a sort of a last-ditch response to environmental stress.

Bottom line: know your pig(s) and know what they can safely handle if you have oak trees in your yard.

References:
The Pig Site
Florida Today

Quality Time With Your Pet Pig

With our busy lives and having a pet pig it's important that we remember to spend some quality time with them. Whether it's 5-10 minutes here and there or an hour or more. Make that time with them count.

For most people with an inside pig this can be an easy thing to do. Let them sit or lay with you while catching a favorite show on TV or catching up on reading. We did this for several years with Ziggy and Flower. Every afternoon we would stop what we were doing and take a break to watch a favorite show. The pigs had an hour of our attention and even learned to recognize the opening music. Take this time to love on them and groom them..they will look forward to it. Ours knew that I would be checking their ears and eyes and picking off any flakes that they had.

Years later when it was just one house pig we would go for evening walks around the property and even the cat would tag along. It was quality time that we spent together. As well as that hour with me sitting on floor in the evening with him.

Now all of the pigs here live outside and it is harder spending quality time with those that want it, especially now that life is busier. Yes there are some days when a real effort had to be made to spend that extra 5-10 minutes that they want. Rudy is that pig that is always into something and we have to wonder if he is doing it for the attention. He really just wants 5-10 minutes of our time for a belly rub and to be loved on. Gracie seems to be more independent and does enjoy a belly rub, but is always alert...never seems to really relax. Harley also enjoys a good belly rub. Of the rest 3 don't want to be touched and the other 3 will let you touch them, but are always cautious. They seem to be fine with a roof over their heads and food in their tummies.

Now with Porky who was an outside pet even before coming here seems to go through stages as to how much attention he wants. The end of summer we started taking a walk around part of the yard shortly before he was to go in his pen for the night. It is our one on one time. He hasn't been much for belly rubs until lately or letting me clean his face, but now he wants the belly rubs and puts up with me trying to clean his face...to a point. We have missed some of our walks lately with Hurricane Irma and trying to get things cleaned up, but we are continuing to bond and have our one on one quality time every evening. Remember it is about quality not quantity...make that 5-10 minutes count! They will remember.

Dottie and Porky

Pig Hair Loss

If your pet pig is over a year of  age it will most likely shed or "blow its coat". This generally happens at least once a year. Some will do this twice a year. They may loose their hair all at once or in stages. Once this shedding starts you can easily pull the hair out by the handfuls to help your pig along. This usually happens sometime in the spring or early summer when the weather starts turning warm. I've had some hold out till late summer and others that have blown their coats during the winter when it is unusually warm.

Below are a few pictures of my pigs in the middle of blowing their coats. As you can see it happens in stages and they seem to turn elephant gray when all that black hair missing. Mindy the pig that still has all her hair lost it late summer when all the others had lost it late spring early summer. 

Hansel blowing his coat.

Cindy blowing her coat and Mindy still with all her hair.

You will almost immediately see the new hair coming in.  Please remember that each pig is different and not all will get back the same amount of hair that they lost. As they get older the hair may remain short and have a patchy look to it.

When your pig is loosing it's hair it will itch terribly. You may notice him running around trying to itch on trees, walls, furniture, your leg, other pets, whatever is around!! Just help your pig along by pulling any loose hair. It will come out very easily. Also, a good scratching and/or brushing a few times a day will be appreciated. I would do this outside if I were you, unless you have your vacuum cleaner handy.

Neutering The Potbellied Pig - (For Your Vet)

This is a highly technical article, meant for vets, on the procedure for neutering a pot-bellied pig.
The following was written by my vet to help vets that are not familiar with the Potbelly pig. While we realize that most of our pet vets do know how to do this, this was written in hopes that you might give it to someone who has a vet that is not familiar with our animals.

There are still far too many cases of our pigs not surviving this operation because the inguinal ring was not closed or the pigs were done "barnyard" style which does not work on our pots like it does on the farm pigs due to more of the testicles being so close to the body of the pig. If you receive a question on this from a new pig mom maybe you can pass it along to them for their vet to read.

Hopefully we might save a life. Phyllis

NEUTERING THE POTBELLIED PIG

Smaller pigs of 150 lbs or less are masked down with Isoflurane gas and oxygen per their size. Larger pigs that are harder to handle can be done with an injection of Rompan and Telazol mixture. Rompan: 1mg per pound, Telazol: 2 mg per pound of body weight. Mixture of both can be put in same syringe and given either in the neck muscle or in the muscle over the hip.

The patient is placed in dorsal recumbency and the scrotum and the ventral side of the prepuce is clipped with clippers. Betadine surgical wash is used to prep the area and is sprayed on the surgical field.

Incision is made along the median Raphe at the base of the scrotum and the incision is continued but not through the external tunic of the testicles. The testicles are pushed cranially through the skin incision. The external tunic is pulled free of the distal scrotum.

Blunt dissection is preferred as cutting the tissue could lead to bleeding that in turn could cause a hematoma in the scrotum post op. The spermatic cord is clamped and then tied off proximally with 2-0 vicryl. The suture is transfixed and then the spermatic cord is cut distal to the clamp. This proximal end of the spermatic cord is placed back into the inguinal canal and then clamp is removed. The stump is checked for bleeding.

The exterior inguinal ring is closed with 2 or 3 horizontal mattress sutures of 2-0 vicryl.

If the external inguinal ring is not closed there is a high probability that a hernia may develop as pig recovers from anesthetic.

Inguinal Ring

Inguinal Ring

The second testicle is removed and exterior inguinal ring is closed in the same manner as above. The skin is closed with a sub cuticular continuous suture using 2-0 vicryl. Pig is then given an injection of Procaine Penicillin appropriate for his size even though sterile gloves and instruments are used. This antibiotic is given prophylatically.

Dr. Paul Myer DVM
Hawthorne Animal Hospital

CHRISTMAS FROM BENTLY BATTOE'S POINT OF VIEW

His stocking is hung with the greatest of care
Not that this means he will leave it there.
He snuffles for presents and we learned from the past,
If we don't hide them well, they will not last.

The nativity scene is set out in a row,
Why he must rearrange it we do not know.
He moves the stone animals out of their beds,
And uses the wise men to rest his head.

Maybe he feels that his scene is lacking,
For there are no porkers to give him backing.
Ben gazes at us with a baleful eye,
We can almost hear him asking Why...?

Should there not be a pig in this special scene
Of love, compassion, and man's greatest dream?
Of course, we say, you should not be left out,
As we place a stuffed pig with a big rubber snout.

Our Christmas story is different by choice,
As we feel our Bently deserves a voice.
When it comes to love and the Christmas spirit,
A pig beats a camel no matter how you hear it.

Ben knows that God in His infinite wisdom,
Created pigs for just this reason.
A laugh, a chuckle, love and devotion,
What more could we ask of God's world in motion.

We humans could learn a lesson well taught,
By porkers in general who give us this thought.
A laugh a day, a clear conscience at night,
A slight forgiven, a wrong made right.

These things so easy for our porcine friends,
seem to be hard lessons learned for mortal men.
In this season of Christmas, love and light,
Should we not try harder to do things right.

Bently watches me write this as he lays at my feet,
Thinking all of this rhetoric really is neat.
Best wishes to everyone he sends by the bunch,
And tells me; Enough already; it's time for my lunch!

Phyllis Battoe
12/94 

Purpose of the Blog

The purpose of this blog is to support pet owners of pot bellied pigs with helpful resources and inspiring stories. I also welcome comments from everyone to make this blog an active forum for discussion. Please feel free to share why you love pot bellied pigs!