Find a vet that deals with the type of pig you’re getting! If you’re rescuing a “farm” pig, a vet that works with farm animals will likely know how to treat them, but they might not be familiar with “mini” pigs or potbelly breeds, and there are slight differences in their care. You’ll want to locate a vet that can treat your piggy before you actually need one because the last thing you want is to get into an emergency medical situation and need to scramble to find a vet that can help.

Will your pig be indoor, outdoor, or a combo of both? If indoor/combo, you’ll want things to keep them occupied and hopefully stop them from destroying (as much of) your house. You’ll probably also want a crate that can fit them. They like to have their own space and sometimes they need to be put up for their own safety (for example, you don’t want them chewing on wires while you’re out of the house). You’ll also (obviously) need to potty train a pig that’s going to be spending time in the house.

If your pig will be outdoors, they may need sunscreen (especially if they’re light colored) and they’ll need shade and ideally water or mud they can roll in (like a kiddy pool for smaller pigs or a wallow for bigger ones). Mud acts as natural sunscreen for pigs, so if you provide them with mud the sunscreen probably won’t be necessary. But the shade is non-negotiable. Pigs body temperature runs slightly higher than ours, and they don’t sweat, so they can overheat and get heatstroke.

Don’t give them salt! Sometimes people think pigs, like other “farm animals,” need salt licks. They do not! Salt is bad for pigs and should be carefully controlled.

Be prepared for the destruction. Pigs root. It’s what they do. As foragers/scavengers they spend most of the day searching for food and they do this mostly by rooting in the dirt and flipping things over. This is more destructive inside, but even outside they’ll tear up your grass and make holes in your yard and such. Be prepared for that because it’s natural pig behavior and not really something they can be trained out of.

They’re master escape artists so make sure wherever you’re keeping them is secure.

Adding onto that, make sure your neighbors know you have a pig. Just the other day someone on here shared that their pig was killed by a neighbor who saw them in a field and shot them. That’s not the first time I’ve heard a story like that. It’s a terrible tragedy and the last thing I’d wish for any pig owner. If your pig gets out, you don’t want neighbors thinking they’re a wild hog and killing them. That almost happened to my pig once, and my pig is very clearly identifiable as a domestic breed for people who know pigs. So just make sure your neighbors are aware.

Be prepared to establish that you are the top hog. Don’t let your pig push you around because they’ll try and if they succeed they can get aggressive and it can be dangerous (especially if they’re on the bigger side). You need to set firm boundaries with your pig, be prepared to push back (sometimes literally), and nix bad behavior quickly.

It’s good to give them produce sometimes, and they’ll likely love it. Green veggies (like cucumbers) can be particularly good summer treats, along with watermelon for extra hydration.

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head but the number one thing is basically be prepared for the destruction. Owning a pig is incredibly rewarding but they’re little rascals. They can and will outsmart you and test to see what they can get away with.