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Rescued Pot Bellied Pig

22 9:18:55

Question
Yesterday I found an abandoned, mature pot bellied pig on my road, so I
brought him home (on a leash) and put him in an sheltered outdoor pen with
some hay.  Questions:  (1)  Is it OK for him to be outside?  (2)  What is the
best commercial diet for him?  (2)  What about potatoes and bread - ar they
OK?  And how do I know how much to feed him?  (3)  I can't see any evidence
of his having pooped; is that odd?  (4)  He seems to like hay for bedding and
rooting around.  Would straw be better?   Thank you very much!!  

Answer
Pot-bellied pigs are fine outdoors as long as they have a dry, windproof place to sleep, plenty of dry bedding in cold weather, and shade in hot weather, and constant access to drinking water in all weather.
Mazuri or any other name brand pot-bellied pig food is best, other options are maintenance or finish hog chow, or horse chow (NOT sweet feed), or multi-animal chow, as long as the food is fairly low in protein (14) and fat.
Pigs enjoy food of any sort, a little bread and potato won't hurt. Many people recommend giving pigs fresh fruit and veggies along with the chow. Cheerios, raisins, grapes (frozen grapes in hot weather) are good pig snacks.
How much to feed depends upon the size of the pig, the food,  the environment and the pig's activity level. Commercial pot-bellied pig foods have feeding guidelines on the package. A general rule of thumb is 2 cups per day, plus veggies or grazing time, and adjust the amount as necessary if the pig begins to gain or loose weight.
Pigs poop when stressed, so it's possible he was literally "pooped out" when you found him. Give him a little canned pumpkin right away, and if he goes more than 48 or 72 hours without pooping he may have a blockage and need to see a vet.
Again the answer depends on your area. Straw is much better in cold weather because the hollow stems trap heat. Hay is fine for warm weather.