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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Welcome back to The Pet Pig Podcast! In this episode of a two-part series, Autumn dives into one of the most common challenges pig families face — Spoiled Pig Syndrome, or SPS. Don't let the name fool you — SPS isn't a hopeless situation or a sign that you've failed as a pig parent. It's a natural result of unclear boundaries and leadership, and the good news is that it's 100% preventable and fixable.
Autumn explains how pigs view the world through hierarchy and body language, not words, and why stepping confidently into the leader role is the key to raising a respectful, relaxed, and happy pig. You'll learn the foundations of leadership, including:
• Understanding pig hierarchy and how pigs communicate respect
• How to use the "Move the Pig" technique to earn respect through calm, confident movement
• What to do if your pig challenges your authority — without fear, anger, or yelling
• Why making your pig "work for food" builds trust, patience, and self-control
• How to stop the screaming habit by breaking the reward cycle
This episode will help you understand your pig's behavior on a deeper level and give you the tools to build a strong, trusting relationship through leadership — not force.
This week on The Pet Pig Podcast, Autumn takes on one of the most emotional and misunderstood topics in the pig world: Can you support both rescues and ethical breeders? For many people, the words "breeder" and "rescue" feel like opposing sides of a battle, but Autumn makes the case that both are not only important—they are absolutely necessary for the future of pet pigs.
In this heartfelt and informative episode, Autumn unpacks why breeders as a whole often carry such a negative reputation. She shares her frustration with the many bad breeders who mislead families with myths about "teacup" or "micro" pigs, starve piglets to keep them small, or breed irresponsibly without any regard for health, temperament, or quality of life. These unethical practices have fueled mistrust and left countless families heartbroken—and countless pigs surrendered to rescues.
But Autumn also highlights the vital role ethical breeders play in protecting and preserving the future of mini pigs. Ethical breeders carefully select pairings with health, size consistency, and temperament in mind. They raise piglets with intention, provide proper weaning and care, require spay and neuter contracts, and offer lifetime support to families. With only a handful of registered breeders in the United States compared to hundreds of rescues, the balance is fragile—and without ethical breeders, the genetic line of mini pigs would quickly deteriorate.
On the other side of the conversation, Autumn shines a light on rescues and the indispensable work they do. Rescues step in for pigs who have been abandoned, neglected, hoarded, or given up when families were misled about size or care needs. They provide medical care, spay and neuter surgeries, food, shelter, and love to pigs who otherwise might not survive. Yet rescues face overwhelming challenges too: financial strain, the high cost of pig feed and veterinary care, the need for strong fencing and enrichment, and in some cases, the heartbreaking reality of becoming overwhelmed or unable to provide proper care.
What Autumn challenges listeners to see is that it doesn't have to be an either/or choice. Ethical breeders and ethical rescues are not enemies—they are allies. Breeders safeguard the future of the mini pig by raising healthy, well-adjusted piglets and educating families before adoption. Rescues protect the pigs who fall through the cracks, giving them a second chance at life. When both are supported, pigs win.
Rooting: The Instinct That Drives Your Pig
Season 4 · Episode 123
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 • Duration 15:57
In this episode of the Pet Pig Podcast, host Autumn takes a deep dive into one of the most frequent questions she receives from new pig owners: "Why does my pig root so much?" Rooting—whether in the dirt, on furniture, or on you—is one of the most recognizable and instinctual behaviors pigs display. But it's often misunderstood.
Autumn breaks down the five main reasons pigs root: to search for food, to cool off and regulate their temperature, to build nests, to communicate and bond socially, and to explore their world for mental stimulation. She explains how this behavior is not only normal, but essential to a pig's well-being.
Listeners will learn how rooting is tied to survival instincts, and how even pet pigs in loving homes will still feel the strong urge to root daily. Autumn also explores how early weaning can lead to compulsive rooting, especially on people, because piglets who miss out on rooting with their mother try to satisfy those unmet needs later in life—sometimes in ways that become frustrating or even painful for their human families.
Rooting on people may start out as cute, but it can easily become uncomfortable or even aggressive as the pig grows. Autumn discusses how to redirect this behavior early on with safe alternatives like blankets, stuffed animals, digging boxes, puzzle feeders, and outdoor rooting areas. She shares tips on using thrifted materials to build up a pig's rooting "toolbox," rotating enrichment items to avoid boredom, and creating safe spaces that satisfy your pig's natural drive to dig, nudge, and nest.
This episode is essential listening for anyone who has a pig, is considering getting one, or wants to better understand pig behavior. Rooting isn't a behavioral issue to "fix"—it's a message from your pig's instincts. When we listen to that message and meet our pigs where they are, we can create healthier, safer, and happier environments for them to thrive.
What is Earthing and Why Does Our Pet Pig Need to Do it? with Clint Ober
Season 2 · Episode 33
Friday, March 17, 2023 • Duration 54:14
Clint grew up in Montana in a rural area. His job as a child was to watch their cows and make sure that they were healthy and separate the ones that may be sick, but to also make sure the grass wasn't too short and the weeds too high. Throughout his whole life he has always looked at things in a way to figure out what caused it to happen. He left that job when he was young and went into the communications industry and helped develop the cable television industry in the hills of Montana. In that industry he learned about electrical stability to deliver a clean picture to the residents. Even in this industry he learned that everything had to be grounded in order to have electrical stability. He spent about 30 years in that industry. When he turned 50 he retired from that industry and was living in Evergreen Colorado on a mountain. He ended up having a major health issue about that time and as he recovered from it he didn't want to go back to conventional work. He wanted to do something with more value. After this health issue he decided that he did not want to own anything so he gave everything away and bought a small RV and spent 4 years traveling around the US. He ended up in Sedona Arizona and spent 2 years there. While there he ended up thinking, " I wonder if there is a consequence to humans no longer being naturally grounded, connected to the earth?" He took a big interest in that and started to do a study by grounding himself outside and then walking in the house and seeing what electrical charges happened. He eventually moved to Ventura California and started to do research with a couple students to do more research on earthing and how it affects the body.
In this episode Clint discusses:
How earthing affects humans and animals
How long should you be earthing per day
How earthing can help indoor pets specifically
Suggestions of how to help your pet earth
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Help! I Got a Piglet for Christmas!
Season 2 · Episode 32
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 • Duration 25:53
January and February every year I am bombarded with messages from people who need help with their new piglet or they need help rehoming their brand new piglet they just brought home a couple weeks ago.
I do not suggest giving someone a piglet as a gift because the owner needs to be able to do research to know what they are getting into, to make an educated decision when it comes to getting a pig.
The reason this is so frustrating for me is because there are so many pigs in rescues and sanctuaries that have been rehomed. Who is responsible for these piglets? The answer is simple. It's the breeder that is responsible. It is their responsibility to support the family and to take the piglet back and find them a new home. Unfortunately, there are very few ethical, excellent breeders out there when it comes to pigs. Look for a breeder or a rescue that is going to educate, support and provide resources for you.
What are some complaints that I get those first 2 months of every year from new piglet owners? Explain why piglets have these behaviors and how and why to correct them.
Biting
Rooting on owners body causing bruises
Screaming and squealing
Potty issues
Pigs are not an easy pet but if you put the time in and stick with it and can be consistent you will have the best pet you have ever had in your entire life.
The History and Temperament of Kune Kune with Lindsay Dennis
Season 2 · Episode 31
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 • Duration 01:04:43
Aloha, my name is Lindsay Dennis. I'm married to my best friend Micah and we have two boys, Kona who is 11 and Kai who is 9. We live on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii! We have a family ranch called Kaohe Corral where we raise cattle and Kunekune pigs. We also have horses, dogs, chickens and a donkey. We try to grow and raise a lot of our own food and be as self-sufficient as we can. We also live completely off grid, so we make all our power from the sun, heat our water from the sun, and collect rainwater for all our water sources! We're trying to raise our boys to develop farming and ranching skills that will help them to continue to be self-sufficient into adulthood. They're favorite part of it all, including mine, is the pig part!
The day after Lindsay got engaged there was an ad in the newspaper for potbelly pigs so she asked her fiance if they could go see them. She fell in love instantly and asked if she could get the pig and her fiance said yes so they got Petunia. They had Petunia for 13 years and she was unlike any animal she had ever had. After Petunia passed away they learned a lot about what to do better next time and started to research and find another pig they could get for their farm.
Lindsay first saw a Kunekune on a trip to New Zealand and fell in love with them. She decided then that some day she would get a Kunekune. But in Hawaii it is rare to find that breed. Four years ago she found an intact male Kunekune on Craigslist. They went and looked at him and she immediately fell in love with him so they got him and named him Milford. She later came across a woman on the island that had a herd of Kunekune pigs but had to move back to the mainland and asked if Lindsay would be willing to purchase her herd of Kunekune pigs so they all could stay together. They did purchase the herd and have had a few litters. Now they have 9 adult Kunekune pigs and litters of babies here and there. They sell their pigs as pets and for meat also because many people on the island are becoming homesteaders and prefer to grow their own meat.
Lindsay tells us about her Kunekune pigs and lets us in on who her favorite is and why they are.
She explains why they decided that Kunekune are a great breed for their farm. She learned that if they have the correct grass they can live off of grass alone. She also explained that they do not have the high energy that some other breeds have so they don't try to escape as much as other breeds. They also root much less often than other breeds but if you want them to root up an area they will within 4 to 5 days.. Since they live off of grass and fruit their poop is a great fertilizer also.
Beware Underaged Piglets!
Season 2 · Episode 30
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 • Duration 29:48
I am very passionate about this subject because I feel that if more people understood the problems with bringing home an underaged piglet, they wouldn't do it. So today we are going to talk about why breeders sell underaged piglets, why they are wrong, and how it sets families and pigs up for failure for the rest of that pig's life.
So first, why do breeders sell underaged piglets?
An underaged piglet is a piglet that should still be with its mother. In my opinion between 7- 8 weeks old is a good time to wean a piglet from its mother. Anything under 6 weeks old is technically an underage piglet.So why would a breeder sell an underage piglet?
Its easy money
Its less work
Its less cleaning
Less vet bills so less cost
People continue to buy from them.
What lie do these breeders use to sell their underage pigs? They say a hand raised or bottle fed piglet bonds better with the family.
What facts come with an underage piglet?
Piglets can not regulate their own body temperature for the first 2 weeks of life, so they need an outside source to keep that at 90 degrees consistently.
I pig is born with no immune system. They get that from their mothers milk.
Bottle feeding a piglet is dangerous because they easily aspirate and that can result in death.
For the first 2 weeks of life pigs eat a lot. For the first 48 hours they eat every 15 minutes to get the exact amount of milk they need.
What are some consequences of taking a piglet from its mother?
Poor nutrition
Piglets grow up to have behavioral issues and think they are in charge.
Rooting can become aggressive
The mother teaches a piglet how to be a pig
The mother teaches the piglets where they need to use the bathroom
If you find a breeder that you like, check out their social media page to be able to see a timeline of proof of the piglet's age. If they don't have a social media account I tend to feel like that is a red flag.
Meet Dr. Breslin, A Pet Pig Specialist!
Season 2 · Episode 29
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 • Duration 01:19:48
Hi I am Dr. Bridget Breslin. I grew up in Westchester County, NY with my parents and three brothers. I made my way to the Midwest during undergrad where I attended Purdue University and obtained a degree in Animal Sciences. Following graduation, I made my way to Ohio for veterinary school at The Ohio State University. I recently graduated from there this past May with my Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. I am now currently working at Fulton Animal Hospital in Canal Fulton, Ohio where I have been blessed to bring on the service of seeing pet pigs.
My love for pigs started around second grade where I decided that I wanted a pet pig ( I am not sure why). When my parents said no, I decided to protest to them by not eating pork. That trend continued into my adult years, but then on my first day of veterinary school my brother called me to tell me that he offered me to take his friend's 3 month old pot belly pig. That is when I got my pig, Penelope. She is 4 now and sassier than ever. I also have a dog Sophie who is sweet as can be and responds to all of Penelope's calls. I am so blessed to be apart of the veterinary medicine profession and hope that I can educate owners on having a pet pig as well as be able to offer excellent care to them.
She tells the story of how she ended up with her first pet pig, Penelope, and what that was like.
She tells us why she chose to specialize in pet pigs.
She tells us about her experience working with Dr Mozzachio.
She tells us where she works now and why she chose that location and what her future goals are regarding pet pig care.
She gives tips and tricks for pet pig health and navigating vet visits.
She tells us how she responds to the comment that a mini pig doesn't exist.
She discusses health issues that result from pet pig obesity and what she recommends.
She explains proper nutrition for pet pigs.
She tells us the biggest challenge to owning a pet pig.
Do pet pigs need time outside? The short answer is yes. There is a myth that pigs can live in a basement or apartment their entire life and still be healthy. In this episode we will talk about why that is an absolute crime on a pig to lock them up inside. They absolutely need time outside.
Why is it imperative for a pig's health to have time outside every day?
The first thing a pig needs is sunlight to absorb certain minerals. Pigs need Vitamin D in order to be healthy. Sunlight through a window is not the same as sunlight outside. Pigs need to be in the dirt. When they eat that dirt they get small amounts of iron and pigs are naturally deficient in iron. Fresh air is also needed so they can take deep breaths to blow out toxins. They also need to feel the elements on their skin. They need to have outside time in their natural habitat every day so they can eat grass and do the things that a pig does. Another thing they get outside is exercise. If a pig is kept inside they don't get exercise so they become overweight and unhealthy compared to a pig that has outside time daily. Being outside on different terrains also allows their hooves to be filed down a bit naturally so they may not need their hooves trimmed as often. Being outside is good for their mental health as well. During extreme cold or hot weather days we need to keep our pig safe. Ideally four hours a day outside would be amazing but it is not always possible depending on where you live.
Brandie has a family that is full of animal lovers. She has always wanted land, and the farm setting with a variety of animals. Several years ago she came across a mini-pig breeder she had bought her pet Muscovy Ducks from. From that day on she began researching and learning about mini-pigs and the care and lifestyle involved in being a pig owner.
Brandie has had Sadie for 2.5 years and she is by far the best pet she has ever owned. She says she could not imagine her family life the same without her.
The first thing she did was research. She tried to find as much information as she possibly could about pet pigs before she even got Sadie Mae.
She tells us about what life with Sadie is like and what has helped them to be successful pig owners. She also tells us what challenges she has faced with Sadie and what they do to make sure that Sadie always remembers her place in the family.
If you've ever felt pressured to "pick a side" between adopting or buying from a breeder, this episode will encourage you to rethink that black-and-white perspective. It's not about choosing rescue or breeder—it's about supporting those who are doing right by pigs, no matter their role. By working together, rescues and ethical breeders can create a stronger, healthier, and more compassionate future for pigs everywhere.
Everyone wants a pig that is going to stay tiny and I get that because they are adorable but chances are if they do stay tiny they will not be healthy and they will probably die young.
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