We generally advise you bring a dog crate to take your pig home. A cardboard box usually doesn’t work well, they jump surprisingly high. If you are alone, a crate is a must. 

When you arrive home, know where your pig is going to live for the first few days. They can be hard to catch if you put them in a large area. Once they know you, they will follow you and come when they are called, but it’s important to have a small space for the first few days so you can interact easily.

Once you and your pig are comfortable, you need to have a good idea of where your pig will live. Some sleep on the bed. They are naturally clean and easier to house train than some dogs. They can learn to go up and down stairs. They can learn to use a dog door. But if your pig is going to live inside, we recommend you get a crate. Get a medium one unless you want your pig to have extra room. Pigs, like dogs, like their “cave” and since they sleep a lot, they will settle into a routine easily. Always crate your pig when you leave the house. A bored pig will open cupboards, pantries, baby gates and even shove around furniture. They may even root up the edge of carpet. You don’t need a litter box in the crate. Pigs can go as long or longer than a dog without using the bathroom.

Don’t try to buy dog beds. Pigs will shred them, not because they are destructive but because they love to burrow and they will try to get inside the bed. What works best is to buy old blankets at Good Will or even inexpensive throws. They are easy for the pig to move around and get under. In the morning it will look like there is no pig in the crate. Then they hear you and out pops a head! Throws also wash easily. Sheldon doesn’t mind clean blankets, but Sally refuses to go in her crate if we wash all the blankets at once. Leave at least one with the original smell on it and rotate the washing to keep your pig happy.

To keep a house pig from being bored when you are home, create a “rooting box.” You can fill any kind of box with plastic balls or you can build one from plywood and 2X4s and fill it with rocks. We have one with rocks and if you throw a handful of rolled oats into the box, it will keep the pig busy for half an hour on end. Pigs don’t play with toys like dogs do but they do love things like the treat cubes you can buy for dogs. Fill it with Cheerios and the pig will push it around until it’s empty. They like most “creative/interactive” dog toys and can figure out how to use them very fast.

Outside pigs need a safe pen and shelter. They are better with cold than with heat. In the hot weather it’s important for them to have shade and a pool. We use baby pools. I look silly every spring buying a dozen pools at a time. You can also go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy cement mixing troughs. They are readily available in two sizes and they are stronger and last longer than the pools. Pigs will sit and lie in the pools for hours at a time in hot weather.

A large dog house works well for mini pigs. They hold up well. We fill them with straw in the winter. Don’t worry about spreading it around, pigs generally like to do their own housekeeping and will make a burrow where they will do very well in all but a very cold climate.