Piglet Update

The piglets are now 4 months old so I thought an update was needed.  We are now down to just 2 but don't panic, nothing untoward happened to Pickle.  We had the opportunity to sell her and as we really only wanted 2 piglets it made sense.  I was very sad to see her go as she had a fabulous character. 

So we are left with Pumpkin and Mo and I have to say they are the naughtiest piglets I think we have ever had.  A few years ago we had a piglet called Adventure Pig who used to get out and simply trot back to the house and ask to be let in again. Pickle and Mo are much worse at escaping and DO NOT come back asking to be let in.  I was beginning to think I'd need to rename them Wriggle and Limbo!  Luckily we have more gates now to block their escape route otherwise I dread to think where they would have ended up.  Even so they have ended up in our front garden, in with Boris (thank goodness he is a gentle boar but it still took a lot to get Mo out without also letting Boris out) and then the worst place of all - my vegetable patch.  Now that is hallowed ground where no piglet trotter should dare to tread.

Something had to be done. 

Something had to be done fast.

And that something was installing a line of electric fencing at piglet height.

The day after Simon fitted it we let them out and stood back to watch what would happen.  For a few minutes they mooched around before Pumpkin wandered over to where she had escaped under the fence the day before.  Now I am not sure how you write "Ouch that hurts!" in piglet but as she touched the wire she squealed and legged it back into the field.  A few minutes later Mo tried the same trick with the same result.

Now, almost a week on neither piglet has escaped and my veg patch appears to be safe.  It may sound cruel to zap them with an electric fence but it is safer than having them escape and get on the road for example.  They are intelligent creatures and now know that if they hear the tick tick then the fenceline is not be be touched.  As for names, Pumpkin is still Pumpkin but I do tend to call Mo, Limbo Mojo :)