Enrichment refers to activities or items provided to animals to encourage their natural behaviors. While it may be hard to imagine, your adorable pet potbelly pig is descended from wild boars—and despite generations of domestication, many of those wild instincts remain.
That’s why providing enrichment and mental stimulation is essential to your pig’s health and happiness. Let’s take a look at some fun, easy ways to meet your pig’s natural needs!
Rooting: A Natural Behavior
One of the most common natural behaviors pigs display is rooting—using their strong snouts to dig through soil in search of insects, roots, or other treats. The best way to support this behavior is by giving your pig access to a safe outdoor space where they can root and explore freely. But even if that’s not possible, there are plenty of creative indoor options:
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Rooting Boxes and Pools: Fill a kiddie pool or cardboard box with straw or blankets, then hide small pieces of fruits and veggies inside for your pig to discover.
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Snuffle Mats: These enrichment tools, often designed for dogs, work great for pigs too. Hide plain Cheerios or animal crackers among the fabric folds. Want to get crafty? Try making your own snuffle mat with this DIY guide.
Social Enrichment
Pigs are naturally social beings who thrive with companionship. You can promote their social side with enrichment:
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Mirrors: Install a mirror in their space so they can see themselves and their pig friends.
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One-on-One Time: Strengthen your bond by brushing, giving belly rubs, sharing snack time, or simply relaxing together.
Switching Up Their Space
Like us, pigs can get bored of the same routine and surroundings. Try changing up their environment to keep things interesting:
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Create a Mud Wallow: Install a mirror in their space so they can see themselves and their pig friends.
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Add Logs or Stumps: Ensure any wood added to their enclosure is non-toxic. Here’s a helpful list.
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Install a Livestock Brush: These large brushes can be mounted securely and offer pigs a way to scratch and groom themselves.
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Leaf Piles: Let them dig and snuffle through piles of safe leaves. (see the list above)
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New Blankets: Rotate out their old blankets for new ones to keep things fresh.
Scent Enrichment
Pigs don’t just use their noses for rooting — they also have a fantastic sense of smell! Tap into their natural curiosity with scent-based enrichment:
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Scented Toys: Spritz a jolly ball with vanilla extract or other pig-safe scents.
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Scatter Feeding: Toss food around their enclosure to turn mealtime into a scavenger hunt.
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Seasoned Hay or Food: Sprinkle in herbs like oregano, basil, or cinnamon to make meals more interesting and fragrant.
Mental Stimulation
Pigs are incredibly intelligent, and they thrive when given the chance to think and problem-solve. Here are a few ways to keep those clever brains engaged:
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Food Puzzles: Stuff a large Kong toy with Cheerios or other healthy treats.
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DIY Treat Dispensers: Drill small holes in a capped PVC pipe just large enough for bits of grain to fall through when rolled.
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Clicker Training: Pigs love to learn! Clicker training can help teach them useful skills like walking on a leash or responding to cues — and it’s a great bonding experience. Click here to learn more.
By offering a variety of enrichment activities tailored to your potbelly pig’s natural behaviors, you’ll help them live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. A little creativity and attention go a long way toward making your pig feel loved and mentally stimulated every day.
Sources:
Barnes, A. (2023, January 10). Creating an enriching life for pigs. The Open Sanctuary Project. https://opensanctuary.org/how-to-conduct-a-pig-health-examination/.
Barnes, A. (2024, December 11). Things that are toxic to pigs. The Open Sanctuary Project. https://bestfriends.org/stories/features/clicker-training-smart-pig
Del Prete, C. L. (2016, August 31). Clicker training a smart pig. Best Friends Animal Society – Save Them All. https://lafeber.com/vet/routine-care-mini-pig/.
Mini Pig Enrichment Ideas & Inspiration. Mini Pig Info. https://www.minipiginfo.com/mini-pig-enrichment.html
Perry, K. (2024, August 8). Do farm animals really need enrichment? yes, and here’s why. Farm Sanctuary. https://www.farmsanctuary.org/news-stories/farm-animal-enrichment/#:~:text=Examples%20include%20grooming%20pads%2C%20scented,and%20can%20improve%20mental%20health.
