The day after Christmas 2022 we received an email from a woman in a dire situation. Her daughter had a mini pig as a pet and, much to their surprise, they realized she was very pregnant. The momma pig gave birth on Christmas day to six piglets. Now around this time we had been having some very un-Florida weather; five straight nights of temperatures in the 20s. So the piglets were born in very extreme circumstances. Unfortunately, three of the piglets had died within 24 hours and this sweet woman reached out to us in desperation. We rushed about an hour away to meet the woman in the parking lot of a Dollar General of all places. She had a cardboard box containing two of the piglets. (It's really not that strange to see two people exchanging a box of pigs in Florida.)
We named them on the car ride over. Squid and Potato! It was a risky decision. On the one hand, giving them names means you're committed to do whatever it takes for their survival. On the other hand, losing them was very likely, and for some reason giving them names makes it that much harder when they don't make it. Squid and Potato had not eaten since they were born and they were not moving much. We had made sure to crank the heat up in the car before we arrived, because piglets at that age can't produce their own body heat and need to be kept in a roughly 90 degree temperature environment.
But let me back up. We had never rescued pigs and were scrambling to research as much as we could to try and give them the best chance for survival. Being the cautious one, I was very hesitant to rescue them, but I'm forever grateful that Shara insisted. We felt ready enough to at least see if we could help. They were very close to dying, so why not at least try?
Ok, back to the chaos unfolding. We got them home and put them in the bathroom with a space heater to ensure it would be super hot, we're talking Florida in July hot. They were SO small. What felt like under a pound each. The woman had tried to bottle feed them but had no luck. She gave us her formula and some bottles and luckily we were able to get them to take the bottle. It was such a relief. But there was much work ahead...
Newborn piglets need to be fed every two hours around the clock. This meant that Shara would sleep in the living room and get up throughout the night and care for them. We were urged to get them to transition to pan feeding as soon as possible to reduce the chances of asphyxiation. That was another hurdle to get over, but they eventually took to it and started packing on the pounds.
Fast forward a couple weeks and they were ready for their big move - a luxurious straw-filled bathtub in the guest bathroom, furnished with new toys and space to zoom around. The times between feedings were starting to lengthen too; 3 hours, then 4, then 6. We were getting into a groove and their personalities were really starting to shine. Potato was the quintessential little boy. A real wrecking ball. Squid was such a sweet little girl and liked to be held by Shara. Potato sounded like a tornado siren every time you lifted him an inch off the ground.
Anyways, it was getting time for an even bigger space. Shara found a pack-n-play online, about 6x8 feet, and it made for the perfect new home. We put down some puppy pads underneath, added yet even more toys, and set a container for them to be potty trained. When people say pigs are smart, we didn't realize just how smart until we started potty training... That is, they started potty training themselves. The time in the play pen was really fun and we could actually get in there and start interacting with them even more. They really trusted us, as exhibited by their love of climbing all over us when we lied down and curling up in Shara's lap when she sat cross-legged.
But alas, they kept growing. And growing. And then some more. Our plan was to pile a bunch of straw on the enclosed front porch, put in a heat lamp and a heating mat, and cross our fingers. It turned out great. They love their new spot and it is allowing them to get acclimated to living outdoors. We also built a little outdoor enclosed space where we take them every day so they can root, get their much needed iron and soak up some vitamin D. We taught them how to sit within a matter of minutes and now they are in the process of learning how to walk on a leash. Potato is still insisting on the tornado siren response.
In the meantime, we fenced off a really nice pasture area for them, roughly about a quarter acre, which is a lot for 2 pigs! We built them a really cute gypsy caravan style house and it's all ready for them to move in. But first Potato will be neutered very soon. This is crucial to ensure that (1) no weird incest happens at Snoot Farms, and (2) his behavior will be much less erratic. Squid will be spayed a little later, since she's still too small. When Potato recovers from that then it's moving day. We know they'll love their new digs, and we hope that they will have a long and happy life at Snoot Farms. We'll keep you posted!
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