In mid-August, Erin and Andrew decided to bring home their first rescue pig. Pumba was living north of Denver, Colorado, with a family who could no longer keep him. Pumba was born in April 2014, in Kansas, and adopted at roughly 8 weeks of age. His family starting bringing him to a farm vet, who poorly advised them on proper diet. Thus, Puma developed a weight problem and incredibly dry skin. At 4 months old, the time of the rescue, Pumba weighed approximately 25lbs and was larger than Erin and Andrew’s 10month old pig, Boris.

Pumba did not know the basic joys of being a potbelly pig. For one, he was on a snack diet of dog treats (a very big no-no for pigs!). Erin and Andrew introduced him to all sorts of yummy new treats, like watermelon, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, and of course, Cheerios! In addition to having a yard, which he didn’t before, Pumba is going to slowly get back on track with his diet, exercise, and being a potbelly pig. In his first week of rehabilitation with Hog Haven, Pumba learned to thoroughly enjoy swimming–he is now obsessed with the backyard piggy pool.

Follow our blog for updates on Pumba’s story. At Hog Haven Farm, we are dedicated to making our first rescue a true success story–and spreading the word of how to properly care for potbelly pigs for current and future pig owners!