Babe...our Pot Bellied Pig

Once upon a time there was a little farm in northwestern Montana... a growing little farm, with pygmy goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, labs, miniature pinschers, birds and of course barn cats (and bad little mice they chase)!

There was only one thing missing... a sweet little pot bellied pig.  We had looked and looked, in classified ads, Craigslist, Ebay, searched out local bulletin boards, including our very active little feed store.....all to no avail.  Seems, pot bellies are tough to come by in northwestern Montana! 

When we had just about given up, one of the women gathering apples from our apple orchard, mentioned to my husband, Dave, she had a new litter of little pigs.... He could not get to me quick enough....he told me his feet barely touched the ground to get to me. He was exuberant and wanted to give me the good news!!

Needless to say, I was elated!!!  As soon as the new babies were ready for viewing, we hopped into our pickup, headed several miles along the river road to a little farm, where mama and papa pig seemed to be awaiting our arrival. They were not happy about our viewing, touching and especially taking one of their little ones!!

He was a 'hefty' 7 lbs and cute as a button!!! His pink little nose, moist, his eyes wide open, as we climbed on board and headed home.  A few squeals ensued, but  after a few strokes to calm him down, it was a relatively uneventful ride home.

Seven pounds grew in to about 60 lbs in the last six or so months.  My-oh-my, pot bellied pigs can grow large....did you know they range in size from 60-300lbs!!! So often people bring these sweet little critters into their homes, only to abandon them once they grow to full size.  Sad indeed!!!!!

We named our little one Babe.  I had fallen in love with Babe, from  the movie, and swore if I ever had a farm, I would get a piggy and name him Babe.  I also knew, we would live by the standards in the movie... everyone living together, each in it's own place, each with it's own significance; no one better than another, each important in their own contributing way. And that is how we live, day to day.

Babe was 4 weeks old, and to our surprise, the owner let us take him home that day... he was weaned already and eating on his own.  We were still concerned though and the owner gave us a large bottle of goats milk to feed him in case he would not eat.  Sure enough, he would not...he turned his little snout away from any hint of food.  Thank goodness we had stopped at the feed store and picked up a bottle just in case....

For 5 days, Babe would barely eat.... I actually had to bottle feed him, by forcing the nipple in his mouth and holding his little piggy lips closed... I also mixed up some baby food and scooped it into his little mouth with a ice tea spoon. 

On the 6th day, we figure he was getting a tad hungry...perhaps his little pot belly was running on empty....he ate and ate and ate.... and he HAS NOT STOPPED EATING SINCE THEN!!!!

That was October of 2008 and it is now May 2009... he has grown in to such a delightful, mature pig.... We neutered him when he was 8 weeks of age, so no toxic odors exude from our big piggy!!! 

He gets along well with all the other farm critters and has been bosom buddies with Zazzy our female min pin, from day one!!!  Of course he snorts and snarls at the pygmy goats when they try to hoard in on his breakfast, which consists of three way grain, alfalfa, pellets and warm barley!  Don't even try to take some of his barley first thing after he wakes up.... That is the only time he is not a happy piggy....the goats know to back off let him get his fill .....

He is a joy, pure and simple... he is smart, loving, affectionate.....an absolute delight!! Dave and I love him with all our hearts.  Thank goodness Dave mentioned to the woman picking apples last year, our desire for a little pig or we may have never met, fell in love with and added Babe to our growing little farm family!!!  Ah, life is good!!!!!

http://potbellypigofmyheart.com

http://www.petpigs.com

http://www.rossmillfarm.com