Pigs Baron and Gunner are 2 happy campers
Who says a pig can’t be treated like part of the family?
Jody and Joe Filkins of Norco wouldn’t think of leaving their two family pets — who happen to be pot-bellied pigs — home so they could get away for a long weekend at the beach.
Baron, a pot-belly farm mix, is 3 years old and weighs 160 pounds, and Gunner, a purebred pot-belly, is 4 years old and weighs 125 pounds. And they both seem to fit right in as part of the family, including accompanying the Filkins in an RV adventure.
The pigs and their human companions were found enjoying the sunshine over the Presidents Day holiday at Newport Dunes, where they set up camp.
“There is no such thing as a ‘teacup’ piggy,” Jody Filkins said. “People breed them and sell them as ‘a cute little thing and tell you they’re not gonna grow.’ But, people gotta do their homework.”
She said both Baron and Gunner are rescue animals who needed to live in an area where it’s zoned for livestock, so Norco suits them well. She also noted a potbelly can weigh up to 500 pounds, with the average growing to 100 to 200 pounds.
“They need to be neutered and spayed because if they’re not fixed they become hormonal and not very nice,” Jody said. “And then they do not make good pets.”
She also pointed out that pigs and dogs do not get along, especially if unattended, but chickens and cats are OK, as far as the swine are concerned.
Baron and Gunner’s diet typically consists of high fiber, easily digestible feed like pot-belly pig pellets and Timothy hay, but since they are spoiled, they occasionally get a treat like a pinch of a sandwich or a fragment of a corn chip, Jody said.
Newport Beach resident Sharon Seal was taking a Saturday afternoon walk around the Newport Dunes when the pigs standing by the fenced area near an RV caught her eye.
“At first glance I thought it was a white Labrador retriever leisurely playing in the assigned RV area,” Seal said. “As I walked closer, I realized it was a pig. [Then I saw it was] not one, but two. I’d never seen a farm animal grazing in the RV park before.
“The owners reassured me they were friendly and also very intelligent. And they were, they came up to the fence when you called their name with their tails wagging!”
Jody said her pigs travel very well, “even though Baron gets car sick, so he has a bed near the front of the RV. And we make sure we cut off [meals] before we start driving.”
Their RV, having been “pig-proofed,” also has a special ramp installed to ease getting in and out.
At home, Baron and Gunner pretty much have the run of the house, even though at first the couple swore they would never allow them on the furniture.
“They sleep on a bed, sofa and chair,” Jody said. “Baron likes to snuggle close to me on the chair.”
Husband Joe, who at first was not at all keen to take on pigs as pets, said Baron and Gunner have a special “potty regimen.” A dog bell on the door allows them to ring for assistance when they want to go outside.
“They make 20 different sounds. They talk back and tell you all about it,” Jody said. “They bark like a dog when they are excited and nervous.”
They also cry like a baby, she said.
“It’s like having a 2-year-old child … high maintenance. They have the same toys as a toddler and baskets of toys.”
The pigs require training and discipline, she said, especially in their younger years.
“They get bored and eat furniture and chew on walls, and why they need to be entertained or have toys,” said Jody, describing their favorite toy as an ABC talking airplane with buttons they like to push to make it talk and move.
“They are amazing,” Jody said.
“They are pretty adorable,” Joe agreed.
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