[Gpdd] [CARE] Male pigs - also, Peruvian hair styles!

Janna Willard janna.willard at gmail.com
Mon Feb 6 11:34:15 EST 2012


Penny brought up a really good point or three in her last post on this
subject. :)

First of all, of course, I agree that boars' "pigsonalities" are more
interesting, and they are definitely more outgoing than a lot of sows. I
have had outgoing sows before, but my darlings were always the quiet ones
(especially my Princess, who had PTSD).

I also find that boars are often easier to catch, and depending on their
temperament they can be easier to cuddle with. For example, if I want to
have a nice quiet cuddle time with one of my boys, I'm going to catch
Bubble or Squeak, not Batman. I love my Batman, but he is incredibly
inquisitive and active, so if I need some quiet piggy loves he isn't the
one I want. (If I want nose kisses, however, he's the one to go for.) A lot
seems to depend on how they have been socialized, too, though. Batman was
cuddled and given a lot of people-attention when he was at the SPCA, so he
is really friendly and loves to be petted. He still runs from "the hand,"
of course, but he does stay still for pets. The other two seem to have not
had quite as much attention so I am having to do more taming with them than
I did with Batman.

And it is definitely something that you have to decide based on your
personal circumstances! I tend not to concern myself with things like
temperament when I'm choosing a pig, as they usually come to me because
they need a good home, and I am not supposed to have more than two (I snuck
in the brothers because they lived together and both needed a new home -
and nail trims - and my husband loves me and will do things like letting me
have three guinea pigs because he loves me). As long as I am able to
adequately care for the animals and house them properly, I'm not too
concerned about numbers or temperament.

I was thinking that a Teddy would probably be a great idea for a person
with low vision, because the fur is so textured. And if the other was an
Abby or a smooth-haired, you'd be all set. I imagine a Peruvian might be a
bit of a stretch, given the need for hair trimming. (I am still trying to
find the best way to trim the brothers' hair so they'll look all manly but
won't end up with mats. Is Peter Gurney's information available online, or
does anyone have a link with pigtures of completed cuts? They're pets, not
show animals, so I won't be wrapping the ends or anything. I just want them
to be happy and comfy and still somewhat manly!)

-Janna, Batman, Bubble & Squeak (the brothers), Juniper (the husband), and
Roy (the cat)

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be
normal." Albert Camus
"I want to remake the world; anything less is not worth the trouble." Karen
Cushman



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