Gitti and Horsti
Two nippy mini pigs in the pig palace
Mini pig Gitti (4 years old) and her partner, mini pig Horsti (4 years old), were the favourites of an elderly couple. Due to their age, caring for the adorable pigs became increasingly difficult, so they set out to find a species-appropriate forever home for Gitti and Horsti.
The two of them have recently been living together in a barn with the pigs Lotte, Ludmilla and Frieda in the pig palace at the Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf animal visitor centre.
Woe betide if they get loose - keeping mini pigs in the garden
Mini pigs like Gitti and Horsti are cute, intelligent and also cuddly, and there are many people who would like to have these little pigs in their garden. However, there is one thing that all pigs have in common, regardless of whether they are big or small: they dig and rummage through the ground with their snouts looking for food. The run must therefore be escape-proof and you must be aware that flowerbeds or vegetable patches are a “found food” for a pig. A beautiful garden can very quickly unintentionally become a kitchen garden for happy pigs.
Mini pigs are very social animals and must never be kept alone. If they are, they show through behavioural abnormalities and illnesses that they do not feel comfortable being kept alone. In this respect, Gitti and Horsti had hit the jackpot – their owners knew all about pigs and their needs. The fencing around the run for the mini pigs must be stable and anchored in the ground. Pigs are curious and also nibble at fences, and the clever animals occasionally manage to break out of the area intended for them.
Gitti and Horsti live in their own little house in the middle of a great enclosure with a secure fence.
Gitti and Horsti get along with Lotte, Ludmilla and Frieda
Whether big or small, pigs love to eat for their lives. Gitti and Horsti have a healthy appetite and are given vegetables, fruit and other species-appropriate treats to keep them healthy and slim.
“Gitti and Horsti are a bit like little hoovers. Eating is just great. Both are still in the familiarisation phase and not yet free-range. Just like us humans, pigs don’t really like stress. At the moment they live with Lotte, Ludmilla and Frieda in a nice hutch and hide in the thickly bedded straw. Pigs like it warm. When it’s raining and cool, the five little friends agree that they’d rather leave their trunks in the barn and go back to sleep …”.
Gitti and Horsti and the new, small world of pigs
Pigs are intelligent animals. They memorise the voices of their humans and, interestingly, they communicate within the group using more than 244 different oink sounds.
We are a long way from “stupid” pigs, the only thing that applies is “You’re a lazy pig”, because pigs want to rest for up to 15 hours.
Gitti and Horsti and their new friends are a small, harmonious group in the pig palace. You get the impression that the two “newcomers” are happy and content. Let’s see what it will be like when they want to be free-range in the yard.
It would be great if they received a visit from their previous owners. The pigs are sure to recognise their previous owners immediately by their voice and smell. Until then, all the best and good luck to Gitti and Horsti in their little new world of pigs.
TIP
Live webinar - Smart as a whip!
12 May 2023, 19:30 – 21:30
Live webinar: Smart as a whip!
In Austria, 2.7 million pigs are kept on farms. In Europe, 130 million pigs are kept on farms. Their social behaviour and intelligence are largely unexplored. Yet they are smarter than we think, they differentiate between images, solve tricky tasks together and not only learn from each other but also keep a close eye on us humans. The lecture gives an insight into the current work of behavioural researchers with lots of pigs.
Dr Marianne Wondrak talks about her research series with Kune Kune pigs.
