Fun Facts About Potbellied Pigs:
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*They're good at recognizing danger and have been known to save lives
*They don't reach full maturity until around 3 years of age
*They can live up to 20 years with proper care
*They're highly trainable and can be potty-trained
*They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell, but their eyesight is poor
PIGGING OUT
Fun Facts About Potbellied Pigs
In my novel The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass, the main character Pete has a potbellied pig named Pearl, whom he rescued from the dump. Together they drive the garbage truck for the small Montana town of Sleeping Grass, leading a quiet life until...well, upheaval and shenanigans ensue as the story goes along, of course!
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I did a lot of research about potbellied pigs as I was writing and came to really appreciate this unique creature. I learned potbellied pigs weren't introduced in the US until the 1980s, as zoo animals. They were instantly popular and soon became available as pets, but it wasn't long before people began to misrepresent them as "mini pigs" or "teacup pigs" by selling them before they reached full maturity. It's true that potbellied pigs are much smaller than the standard American farm hog, but they are still typically 80-200 pounds full grown. Not exactly teacup size!
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Someday, I would love to have a pet pig, but I'm going to have to wait until my kids are out of the house. Then my pig and I will ride around with matching hats and sunglasses.