The pleasure of a pet pig

Oink! Oink! A Juliana pig just became part of my family. My cousin Jack went to Maryland to buy her for $850. She was raised on a farm. Her name is Pebbles.

She is a pinkish shade of white with black spots and red highlights. She has light pink hooves with two tiny pointy toes in front and two in the back. Pebbles has two big nostrils that together make a big, cute snout. Her dark eyes crinkle as she squeaks and squeals.

Yummy! Pebbles is thinking as she munches on some snacks. She likes to eat blueberries, Cheerios, carrots, lettuce and pig kibble. She eats breakfast, an afternoon snack and dinner each day. As she eats, her two front paws are in the bowl, and her head is digging in deep so she doesn't miss a morsel.

Pebbles sleeps on her cozy cushion inside her gated pen. She sleeps during the day while we're at school and all through the night.

Clean, clean! Wash, wash! Scrub, scrub! Pebbles is not that hard to take care of, but she is a big responsibility. She must be given a bath three times a week. She needs her eyes cleaned and drops put in her ears. We lotion her up, and brush her teeth. Her hooves should be cleaned daily. It's also important to keep her pen tidy.

Now for the fun part . . . playing with Pebbles! When she runs and wags her tail we just have to chase her. She spins and shows off as if she's in a circus act. She nibbles on her toys and oinks with joy.

Now you understand why my cousin Jack wanted a pig as a pet. Maybe someday, you'll have a pig as part of your family.