Dudley is a great example of why there is no such thing as a mini-pig. Dudley is a combination of two "small" pig breeds, the American Guinea Hog and the Juliana. When we first brought him home as a baby we thought he could be a house pig, like many people do. He quickly made it clear he wasn't having any of that, and is much happier living outside. Thankfully, we had the space for him. Many people that get mini-pigs and become overwhelmed end up taking them to local shelters or rescues, which have seen an increase in surrenders in recent years. Because we got Dudley from a small hobby farm as a baby he's our only pig who got to keep his tail. Dudley's breed is prone to obesity, and while we are working on keeping him on a healthy diet he has been known to break open doors and push over fences to get to the duck food, one of his favorite snacks.

Fun Fact: Dudley might be the most sensitive animal at the Menagerie, and he easily gets he's feelings hurt if you ignore him. He loves belly rubs.

Penny came to us after Dudley moved outside and made it clear he wanted a porcine companion. It was the Spring of 2020 and COVID was in full swing, meat processors were shutting down and farmers were trying to get rid of piglets by the truckload with nowhere else to take them. Molly drove hours into rural Colorado and picked that saddest, sickliest piglet she saw. We weren't sure if Penny was going to make it at first, but now she's a robust member of the family. Penny was kept with hundreds of other piglets, and her tail was docked short right after she was born. Her and Dudley quickly became good friends, and even though she's much bigger than him now, she still thinks of him as her big brother and lets him boss her around. Penny has structural concerns from poor genetics and is prone to arthritis. It's important that we manage her weight closely and keep her lean so that she is able to maintain her mobility.

Fun Fact: Penny is a Yorkshire cross pig, the most common pig kept in the United States and the pigs you would see at large factory farms.

Boris and Winnie came to us from a family that was breeding them and using their piglets for meat. At 4-5 years old pigs are generally too large and arthritic to continue breeding, and older pigs don't taste as good, so these two were no longer wanted. We're still getting to know Boris, but so far he's a gentle giant who loves treats and scritches behind the ear.

Boris and Winnie came to us from a family that was breeding them and using their piglets for meat. At 4-5 years old pigs are generally too large and arthritic to continue breeding, and older pigs don't taste as good, so these two were no longer wanted. We're still getting to know Winnie, but she seems a little more shy and reserved than Boris. She loves wallowing in mud!