The Pet Pig Podcast

Autumn Whitacre
The Pet Pig Podcast

What is it really like having a pet pig? What is the best way to prepare of a new piglet? How can I be sure a pet pig is for me? How can I care for my pet pig with confidence? What mistakes should I avoid and how do I do that? And the biggest question of all, can I really be successful with a pet pig? Whether your childhood dream is to have a pet pig, you are preparing for a pet pig, or you have had a pet pig and would like to learn why they act the way they do, this show is for you. The Pet Pig Podcast is a live - workshop style education podcast packed with actionable step by step tips that are helping thousands understand and enjoy their pet pig so much more. You can dig in, do the work and train your pig like an expert. Host Autumn Whitacre brings you two decades of experience and expertise with pet pigs. She shares everything she has learned from the best ways to prepare for a piglet to her tips to untrain bad habits and enable your pig to live a fulfilled life. Along with her best kept secrets to understanding pig behavior, she interviews pig experts and families from all over the country. With this new endeavor, she has a deep passion for supporting the pig community and bringing awareness to important issues that face pet pig families.

  1. DEC 4

    Holiday Hazards: Essential Safety Tips for Your Pig This Season

    As the holiday season approaches, many are gearing up for celebrations. This time of year can bring unique hazards for our pet pigs. Decorations can look like food, some food should not be eaten by pigs. The added excitement of having guests or gatherings can pose real risks if we are not careful. In this episode we are going to talk about some of the top seasonal dangers for pigs and simple tips to keep them safe. These reminders are helpful year round, so you can ensure that your pig stays happy and healthy and out of mischief no matter what is going on in your home. Below is a list of things to keep an eye out for this season. Listen for the tips for each of these items listed below.   The Christmas tree itself Tinsel Ornaments The cord for lights on the tree. Wrapped gifts Candles Extra cords that are laying around Different plants that people have this time of year Snow globes Snacks and alcohol  Trash Guests bags or coats Salt to melt the ice on our sidewalks   I hope these holiday tips will help you be prepared and give you a little bit of peace of mind so that you can just enjoy your time with family or just keeping warm this winter. Remember, a little preparation goes a long way in keeping your pet pigs happy, healthy and safe. ***Listen to this episode for 2 special messages from me***   Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    18 min
  2. NOV 19

    Navigating Pig Parenting Abroad: Kristen's Advice from Life with Lisa in the Netherlands

    Kristen is a German living in the Netherlands. She decided to move to the Netherlands about 4 years ago. She grew up with a lot of animals so she has always been a countryside girl. She was looking for ducks for her pond because they have a lot of snails at a horse farm and ended up seeing 2 small pigs that were abandoned by their mother. She immediately decided to foster her and that is now 2.5 years ago. Her pet pig's name is Lisa. She is a ginger pig so they also call her pumpkin sometimes. She is 2.5 years old. She is 20 kilos (40 pounds) now so she thinks she is a bit small but she is still growing. When she brought Lisa home she said it was very adventurous. The first thing they did was get her a setup for their house. The beginning was very easy and she was a very sweet pig and even to this day she is a very good pig. She was 5 days old when she rescued her so it was a lot of work but she had great advice from her rescue and her vet.    Kristen explains that Lisa is sneaky, smart. She will go outside to go potty but only do about half of it to get her treat and then will ask to go outside again to go potty to get another treat. She travels often to return to Germany so they started taking Lisa with them on their trips in their camper. She is comfortable with people she knows already but with new people she takes a moment to get comfortable but she is fine with them pretty fast as long as they are not in her space. They have been working with her to be kind to her boyfriend and new people that come into the house.    Kristen tells us that the biggest challenge is learning and figuring out a pig but once you understand them and have a routine it becomes good and is very enjoyable.   She also shares her favorite things about having a pet pig. Her biggest piece of advice is to get as much information as you can about having a pet pig and to learn what life is like at each age.    ***Listen to this episode for 2 special messages from me***   Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    36 min
  3. NOV 5

    Preparing Your Pig for Winter: Tips to Keep Them Comfortable and Accident-Free

    *** This episode is sponsored by Mikko’s Choice. Mikko's Choice is a small women owned business that provides high quality CBD for your pig. Use code pigpodcast to get 25% off your first order. $5 from every sale is donated to animal rescues. Go to www.Mikkoschoice.com or email info@mikkoschoice.com for more information.***   Winter will be here before we know it. If you have a pig you probably already know that pigs naturally hate cold temperatures. They hate the wind, they hate the snow, the rain, they hate it all.  They prefer to be warm and cozy all tucked in or just laying in the sun. But, If  you live in a place that gets cold like it does here in Ohio, then we need to assume the job of keeping our pigs safe, and teach them that precipitation is not an excuse to stay inside and have accidents. We are going to go over some tips and reminders that I have for now so that we can prepare our pig for the winter time. This will result in less frustration for us and less frustration for them.    First, let's talk about outside pigs. Outside pigs need housing to escape the weather. This housing should be draft free and weather proof at the very least. This will allow our pig to have a safe, dry place to be. Some options are: A small house Straw A heat source Clear a space for them to go to the bathroom so they aren't standing in the snow They need access to clean water   Now, Let’s talk about indoor pigs: We need to motivate our pig to go out in any weather Start taking your pig outside while its still warm Help them enjoy time outside Feed them their meals outside only Do not limit water Use very good treats to encourage going outside Make it easy on them Allow your pig to cold adapt You can provide warm clothes   Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    26 min
  4. OCT 15

    CBD for Pigs: Exploring the Benefits, Dosage, and Industry Evolution with Emma from Mikko's Choice

    Emma's first experience in the cannabis plant started in 2015 when her brother and her started a delivery service for humans in LA. At that point it was only legal for medical usage, not recreationally. It was just starting to become mainstream for people. So at that time there was nothing really for animals. During the time of their delivery business her dog was diagnosed with a very severe form of cancer of the liver. The vet told her that they could do chemo or nothing and either way he probably only has a few months to live. Emma opted to not do chemo because she didn't want his last few months to be at the vet all the time and not feeling great. Her brother suggested giving him CBD to make him comfortable and they had current human customers using CBD for cancers. These human customers were seeing remissions in their cancer so they thought why not try it for animals. They figured out the dosage by giving him the same concentrated form their human customers were taking and she also gave her dog a tincture which is what her product she has now is modeled off of. Her dog was given 3 months to live and ended up living 4 years and his tumor went away. Those results were what made her dive into the plant and the industry for animals. Slowly over the next 5 years products came to the market for dogs and the better products are human grade. Emma's products are all hemp so you will not get high off of her products. In 2019 Emme launched her business, Mikkos Choice, for horses first.   Now in 2024 there are many products on the market for pets. There are many companies that dose based on weight and that is not how to dose her CBD products. Every person and animal is different so she has recommendations on her product on where to start for the dosage. There is a lot of flexibility with her product. Emma gives suggestions on what to look for when doing research on a CBD brand for your pet. She tells us the benefits for animals and some suggestions on when to give them a dose or to increase their dose. petpigpodcast is my discount code on Emma's website. Emma's Links: www.mikkoschoice.com https://www.instagram.com/mikkos_choice https://www.instagram.com/briankangal www.facebook.com/Mikkoschoice Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    49 min
  5. OCT 1

    6 Essential Fall Tips to Keep Your Pig Safe and Healthy

    *** This episode is sponsored by Mikko’s Choice. Mikko's Choice is a small women owned business that provides high quality CBD for your pig. Use code pigpodcast to get 25% off your first order. $5 from every sale is donated to animal rescues. Go to Mikkoschoice.com or email info@mikkoschoice.com for more information.***   It is the beginning of October and as such, fall is basically upon us. If you live somewhere like I do and you get to enjoy the beauty of fall and the crispness of the air, I hope that you love it as much as I do. With fall there come a few challenges when it comes to our pigs. There is 1 danger that I like to remind pig owners, especially if you live in places where there are a lot of trees. I have 5 reminders for the fall that I hope can be helpful to you for this fall. Watch out for acorns and oak leaves. With Halloween comes candy. They may eat the entire bag including the wrappers so we need to keep those things out of our pigs reach. Also watchout for sweet smelling candles that may be mistaken for food and could cause burns. Winter is coming so now is the time to allow our pig to acclimate to cold weather as the days cool down through fall. Now is the time to check your pigs hooves and get them in good condition before the winter weather comes. Don't forget that your pig loves pumpkins, apples and squash and they are readily available this time of year.    Thank you for tuning into this episode. If you are ready to take your pig knowledge to the next level don't forget to check out my courses, webinars and guides  that cover everything from pig health to training. You can also join our membership group for exclusive tips, expert advice and a supportive community for pig owners. Click the stanstore link below.   Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    14 min
  6. SEP 17

    Snuggles in the North: Life with a Pet Pig in Canada

    *** This episode is sponsored by Mikko’s Choice. Mikko's Choice is a small women owned business that provides high quality CBD for your pig. Use code pigpodcast to get 25% off your first order. $5 from every sale is donated to animal rescues. Go to www.Mikkoschoice.com or email info@mikkoschoice.com for more information.***   Katie Ingram wears many hats: a university instructor, media professional, journalist, author and pig mom. She grew up with a variety of animals (a dog, rabbits, fish and a horse), but always wanted a pet pig. No one believed that she would have one though. Alex grew up with animals also but did not think he wanted a pet pig. Katie saw an ad for a pig and decided to get it. When they brought the pig home within a couple days they realized that they were not prepared for a pig at all. They ended up giving her to someone who was able to take care of her properly. They were devastated at having to give her up. Later on after doing research and being better prepared they started looking for another pig and ended up getting Snuggles.   Snuggles will be 4 years old in November. She used to love to cuddle but after about 2 years old she has turned sassy but is still very sweet. Snuggles knows how to dance (spinning in a circle). She also knows her left from her right so while she is dancing they will tell her to go the other direction and she will spin that other way. She knows how to give a good kiss (basically booping her nose). She knows how to get a specific ball when instructed to. She is learning how to use communications buttons.   Katie and Alex share what life is like with Snuggles and share some things she loves to do. They also share their biggest challenge of owning a pet pig and their favorite part of owning one. They share that their biggest piece of advice is to do your research and not just go with how cute a pig is because they are a 20 year commitment.    Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    44 min
  7. SEP 3

    Purina Pig and Sow Notice

    Recently the American Mini Pig Association held a Zoom meeting that some breeders were invited to attend. They are a great resource for anyone who wants to get a mini pig. They also have a very small list of approved breeders that need to follow their code of ethics and meet their standards that are quite high. There are very few breeders that actually make it on this list. I am proud to say that I am one of them. This zoom meeting that I was able to be a part of was incredible. We were able to exchange information with each other about pet pigs. These breeders were very knowledgeable about pet pigs. I love to learn so this was a great opportunity for me. In this conversation we talked a lot about what we do with our pigs. Something came to my attention and I feel the need to get this information out there to other pig owners.    One of the women in this group had the opportunity to speak to a nutritionist from Purina. Purina Pig and Sow is a food that many pig owners use. It was the only food available to me for a long time in 2004. We had trouble with some of the bags being moldy for a bit. I returned it and started to lose my trust in the brand. I had to switch to Kalmbach pig feed that I still order from Chewy.com and it gets delivered twice a month. My pigs love it and do well on it. This woman was told by the nutritionist not to feed a pig, Purina Pig and Sow because that food is not meant for longevity. At this time I am going to suggest that it might be a good idea to switch brands if you have your pig on Purina Pig and Sow. There are now several brands on the market that are good foods.    If you live in an area where you are able to order Chewy.com you can order Kalmbach and pick a food that fits your needs. They have a food called Squeals of Joy that is marketed specifically for mini pigs. Many people love Sharps mini pig food, OinkBox Mini pig food, Nature's Best Organic mini pig pellets. This might be a great time to look at your mini pigs' food and make sure that it is doing them well.    Signs to know that your pig food isn't doing your pig so well are:  Skin issues Profuse weeping of their eyes  Do not drastically change their food. Make sure you slowly transition to the new food. Overall we all want the same thing. We all want our pig healthy and to live as long as possible. So by paying close attention to the food that they are eating we are going to make sure that happens. If you need help with your pig's diet, skin or behavior please reach out to me. I have many resources to share with you to help. If there is a topic you would like to dig deeper into I have courses that I offer that dive deep into many pig topics. If you click the link below on the Stan store link I have everything I offer there in 1 place.    Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    17 min
  8. AUG 20

    High Temps and Happy Pigs: Kathy's Heat Safe Strategies

    *** This episode is sponsored by Mikko’s Choice. Mikko's Choice is a small women owned business that provides high quality CBD for your pig. Use code pigpodcast to get 25% off your first order. $5 from every sale is donated to animal rescues. Go to Mikkoschoice.com or email info@mikkoschoice.com for more information.***   Kathy has such a great perspective on Florida heat and her pigs. She has had several pigs over the last few years and has had some tragic things happen so she is going to share about that in this episode in the hopes of helping other people when they face difficult circumstances.  Kathy hopes that her tragedies can help other pig owners.  Kathy has always been an animal lover. Growing up she had so many animals and even wild ones but nothing exotic until she got a pig. Her daughter loved watching Dr. K Exotic Vet shows and Kathy was drawn to the adult pig episodes. She loved the bond that they had with their owners. She loved how intelligent pigs seemed to be. One day she decided to spend the day with her granddaughter going to look at pigs. She wanted to just look at pigs but ended up bringing one home. She believed the breeder that her pig was 6 weeks old and agreed to use her own farm vet to spay the pig because the breeder wasn't happy with her own vet. Kathy noticed that her piglet was so sweet but always seemed to be panic stricken for no reason. Kathy learned a lot through her experience with her first pig and after her death also. Kathy knew she was not going to go back to that first breeder to get a second pig. She decided that a rescue was the way to go because so many pigs need a home.  Kathy explains how she learned about PSS and what that meant for her pig. She gave us the warning signs she saw but wasn't able to get 5 different Vets to identify the issue before she passed away.  She tells us about having to surrender her second pig due to the trauma of her first pig's death. She then tells us about her pig that had issues with choking and had emergency surgery and passed away at 2.5 years old. They ended up finding out that her intestines were necrotic but they did not ever get an official answer about why that happened.  She explains how important it is to pay close attention to your pig when living in a high heat and humidity area. She gives us tips from what she has learned. She explains what we need to watch to decide if a pig should be outside or not when it comes to sunlight, temperature and humidity level. She gives some great tips on ways to keep your pig cool depending on the weather. Kathy's Links: https://www.amazon.com/GeekAire-Rechargeable-Velocity-Portable-Industrial/dp/B07MXCDTB9/ref=sr_1_5?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8HsUBxfS1MLoby8KaOwqK6elSHY0XjKBrT7djY2d-_I-Hi8l3n0ln4m9rqAtAaGXbupvvv1BTCZRzAmZWHxG3zkVWYi_kLNVd4vd65s_BPJl9ZhsCmNFX3D4tLyuAkzOES6pbQ926wM3XlSf2L3lPzkdOq-Sj5Ja5ZnM5aJ5LRA1cIwnRfgO_AtASSVQtfIiMYK4Ruzdc9JhapW3DbUcxZMGj8Lesk98D1YLEZdDYj_RCvkB33S14LKXD14SSCkBUGits9_wAPW9O-Y-LClTgCLkIm31o0HVW6Wl5_O5Rw0.vj97cXe3_TvH71p-_M6dWDXv58t_rO4K-R5lvjKZTFs&dib_tag=se&keywords=Outdoor%20rechargeable%20battery%20fans&qid=1720656071&s=home-garden&sr=1-5 Autumn’s Links:  Website: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/ Email: Autumn@autumnacresminipetpigs.com Educational Membership Group: https://www.autumnacresminipetpigs.com/support-group-subscription/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnacresminipetpigs/ Facebook:  HTTP://Facebook.com/autumnacresminipetpigs Mighty Networks: https://autumn-acres-mini-pet-pigs.mn.co/share/EPW2Ie5isMX4T0Ve YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGue5Kp5AwOXkReCGPUyImA Stan Store: https://stan.store/autumnacresminipetpigs Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hDNizT

    1h 21m

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4.9
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

What is it really like having a pet pig? What is the best way to prepare of a new piglet? How can I be sure a pet pig is for me? How can I care for my pet pig with confidence? What mistakes should I avoid and how do I do that? And the biggest question of all, can I really be successful with a pet pig? Whether your childhood dream is to have a pet pig, you are preparing for a pet pig, or you have had a pet pig and would like to learn why they act the way they do, this show is for you. The Pet Pig Podcast is a live - workshop style education podcast packed with actionable step by step tips that are helping thousands understand and enjoy their pet pig so much more. You can dig in, do the work and train your pig like an expert. Host Autumn Whitacre brings you two decades of experience and expertise with pet pigs. She shares everything she has learned from the best ways to prepare for a piglet to her tips to untrain bad habits and enable your pig to live a fulfilled life. Along with her best kept secrets to understanding pig behavior, she interviews pig experts and families from all over the country. With this new endeavor, she has a deep passion for supporting the pig community and bringing awareness to important issues that face pet pig families.

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