How to Groom a Potbellied Pig

Unlike dogs, potbellied pigs are not covered in fur; but that doesn't mean you shouldn't groom them from time to time. Potbellied pigs need to have their skin, tusks, hooves, eyes and ears maintained. Keeping up a regular grooming routine will help your pig not only look good, but feel good as well. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bathing supplies
• Hoof trimmers
• Tweezers
• Q-tips (optional)
• Grooming brush
• Emery board
• Cleaning rag
• Lotion (optional)

Take Care of Pig Grooming Needs

1. Bathe only occasionally. Pigs do not need to be bathed frequently as their skin is naturally clean. If your potbellied pig gets dirty, rinse it off with a garden hose or brush off dried dirt.

2. Use tepid water when bathing. For occasional baths, you should be sure the water is not too hot or too cold.

3. Bathe pigs in a wading pool or large walk-in shower. Use a small amount of mild shampoo diluted with water and scrub with a grooming brush.

4. Groom eyes regularly. Potbellied pigs often develop a crud around their eyes and in their eye lashes. Use a damp cloth to wipe it away daily if necessary.

5. Clean the waxy goo from your pigs ears regularly. This can be down with a damp cloth and/or Q-tips. Only use Q-tips superficially. Be as careful with your pig's ears as you would be with your own.

6. Monitor the growth of tusks. Males not neutered have tusks that grow rapidly, but tusks grow slower in neutered males. Still, they will need to be trimmed probably around every couple years. This is a job for a veterinarian, as anesthesia is required to do it.

7. Groom hooves as appropriate. Hooves can be either trimmed or filed. If you file your pig's hooves with an emery board regularly, they may not need to be trimmed as frequently. Trimming can be done by the owner or by the vet.

Tips & Warnings

• Put Cheerios in the bath with your pig. They will float on top of the water and keep your pig's attention occupied while you bathe him.
• Put a non-slip bath mat under your pig when bathing so he doesn't loose his footing.
• Apply lotion to your pig's dry skin if necessary, but test it out on a small patch first to make sure your pig is not allergic to it.
• Don't bathe her too much. Too many baths can lead to or worsen a dry skin condition with your pig.
• Check your pigs for ticks daily. Ticks are common for potbellied pigs and they can transmit Lyme disease. Use a tick powder to help prevent them, and remove ticks with tweezers when you find them.
• Use a puppy flea powder on baby pigs. Piglets are susceptible to fleas because their skin is thinner than the skin of adult pigs.