Kirby is a pot bellied pig

Pigs have always fascinated me and the more I learned about them the more I wanted one. Let me make very clear that before getting Kirby I did a lot of research. I spoke with breeders for hours wanting to be sure that not only was a pig right for us but that we would be right for a pig. I feel very strongly that once a pet is part of the family it is here forever.

We had lots of time to prepare the house for Kirby. We built a small pen in one corner of the family room with nonslip floor and a potty box. The first few weeks after Kirby arrived we spent a lot of time in that little pen letting her climb all over us getting to know us and trust us. She was so tiny and so smart. She used her potty box right from the start and there were only a few accidents and those were really my fault.

We would never have added a pig to the family while Mishca was alive. Mishca was a special dog who had a very low tolerance for other animals. It wouldn't have been fair to throw a pig into her life. She barely tolerate Mallomar when he lived in the house for a winter. She loved the parrots because they constantly dropped food (still do but now Kirby cleans up after them).

Kirby is now ten times the size she was when she arrived. The growth rate is a bit shocking. She is just more pig to love. Pigs grow for the first three years and Kirby will be one one March 17th. We're looking into stronger furniture.

Every night after Kirby has her dinner it is cuddle on the couch time. It used to be that Kirby could fit all on my lap bot now it is just the front legs and head and those front legs are about all I can take. But I wouldn't give up cuddle time even if she just lays next to me it is my favorite time.

We don't want Kirby to get overweight, not because we want her to be small but because overweight pigs can develop many health issues. It would be so easy to let Kirby over eat. She thinks she is hungry all the time 24/7. She gets a special pot bellied pig food morning and evening. We put her food in a ball that she has to roll around to get the food out. If she were wild she would have to forage for food and root around so we make her work for it too. If there isn't grass (winter) she gets a salad, lettuce, carrots, celery and other veggies if we have them. She also cleans up food that the parrots throw which is basically a few grapes and snap peas. Then Kirby has a rooting box with rocks in it that we will sprinkle bird seed for her to root around and eat. From the look of her poo all the seeds just pass right through and it keeps her busy for hours.