They say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ but who wouldn’t love a little snuggle from one of these cuddly and adorable little piggies? They are sure to capture your heart with a single nuzzle. So when we came across this unique gift exchange created for a group of piggy sweethearts, the elves at Elfster had to know more about our smallest users with names like Georgie Porgy, Miss Piggy, Truffles and Jimmy Dean.
The Secret Piggy Valentine Gift Exchange was organized by mini pig owners Jessica Smith and Jessica Dutton, who both belong to a large Facebook community created as a forum for discussion and education. According to Smith, “We actually belong to two main groups on Facebook, Just Mini Pigs and Mini Pig Education. Each group has about 10,000 people. Not all are active participants, or own pigs. Some are there to gather information about what it is really like owning a miniature pig as a pet.”
So what exactly is a miniature pig? “There are really no actual teacup, micro or nano pigs,” explains Smith. “Those are marketing terms used by unreputable breeders. The real term would be mini pig and that is any pig under 150-200 lbs. There is the pot belly pig which is the largest. The ironic thing about pigs is they grow until they are 5 years old. Often when people sell ‘teacup’ pigs, they’re just days old. With that, there are many of us that rescue pigs. We work with reputable breeders who may have room or try to find homes on our own. It happens more then you can imagine people buy a pig and rehome it when they begin to grow.”
And being the “parent” to a mini pig may have its challenges, but also many rewards. “They are like living with a toddler,” she explains. “Pigs enjoy loud toddler toys and playing with baby toys. There are some piggy puzzles where you can teach your pig to do the puzzle and a treat will be dispensed. Pigs will do anything for a treat. Generally a Cheerio or fresh veggies. They really require work, much as a toddler. If they get bored they can be naughty. They love people and they need the companionship.”
“Many of us have our pigs indoors. They can be outside in a barn. Many people get one, fall in love and end up taking more in,” Smith says. “My pig is an indoor pig. She does go to the bathroom outside, but hates the cold. When it is warmer, she will spend time outside hanging out in the yard. She has her own ‘bedroom’ area. At night time, my pig does sleep in a very large crate in her bedroom. She puts herself to bed about 9 p.m. If you try to wake her to put her outside one last time, she will whine and cry. Pigs cry actual tears. She gets up around 6:30 a.m., then goes back to bed till about 9 a.m. Routine is very key, and they have their own routine. They know breakfast, lunch and dinner times. She knows the word Cheerio and comes running.”
But despite all the cuteness, one important note worth mentioning is the commitment a family takes on when adopting a mini pig. “I would never recommend a mini pig to a family that works away from home,” she advises. “I encourage only people that work from home or are a stay-at-home parent to think about owning a pig.”
The exchange of special treats for these smart piggies is a great way for mini pig owners all over the United States and Canada to connect on Elfster to support each other and get to know one another in a fun and personal way.
“The purpose for this [Valentine’s Day] exchange is for a secret female to send a gift to a secret male,” Smith explains. “We did not do couples, however, we will probably do it that way next year for Valentine’s. We have 44 pigs. Because there are just two of us, we did not want more than 50 pigs. The goal is for each pig to receive something for themselves, such as treat balls, treats, different things pigs like. If someone wants to, and the majority do, they include something for the humans [that is] pig related as well. We have a spending limit of up to $25 to keep things somewhat fair.”
And what are these piggies adding to their Elfster wish lists (with a little help from their humans, of course)? “The piggies have been wishing for all types of things,” she says. “Treat balls are popular. This is a ball that you can put Cheerios in, and it will only dispense a Cheerio when it rolls on a certain part of the ball. Others have asked for treat puzzles, there is a new Kong pig toy, pig treats called Whimzees. Those seem to be the most popular.”
This is the group’s first time using Elfster after hosting a previous exchange for the piggies at Christmas, which proved time consuming for the organizers who were doing everything by hand. Once they discovered Elfster, their job of pairing piggies and tracking down packages got much easier.
“Elfster has helped us a great deal,” Smith says. “We definitely plan to keep using Elfster. People already want an Easter exchange, so I’m sure we will be doing that next.” And we are glad to say the group’s Secret Piggy Easter Exchange is now up and running!
The elves at Elfster look forward to seeing the Secret Piggy group for its next exchange to celebrate their favorite four-legged friends. Are you a part of a group who shares a passion for pets? We would love to hear how your group is using Elfster, too. You can reach us via Facebook here. Tweet us @elfster or catch us on Instagram at #elfstergram. Need help getting started with your own exchange? We can answer any questions you may have at help@elfster.com.
Wish. Gift. Shop. Share.
