Pigs are misunderstood in many ways: they are thought of as messy, portly, and simple-minded. These stereotypes could not be farther from the truth- Pigs are tidy, playful, loving and intelligent, and deserving of compassion and respect.
- - Pigs are very clean animals. In fact, pigs are some of the cleanest animals around. They like to maintain separate eating sleeping and defecation areas. When given the room and freedom to decide, pigs choose to be clean and tidy.
- Pigs enjoy private time with their newborn babies. Before giving birth, a pregnant sow will remove herself from the herd and build a nest out of leaves, branches, grass, or straw to give birth on. She will care for the piglets for several days, before leading her new babies to meet the rest of the herd.
- Pigs are extremely intelligent. They are thought to be the smartest of all domestic animals. Pigs have an I.Q higher than dogs and are considered by animal experts to be more trainable than dogs or cats.
- Pigs cannot sweat. They do not have sweat glands. During hot weather they will roll around in the mud or water. Then when the wind blows over them, the water from the mud evaporates, and cools them. The dried mud acts as a layer of sunscreen. Their mucky appearance has given them the undeserved reputation of being grubby animals. Sweating like a pig, really means not sweating at all.
- Pigs have an excellent sense of smell. That is why they have been used to search out truffles (rare fungus that grows underground) and drugs, and they have even been used to detect land mines.
- Pigs love to play and exercise. They love running, digging, splashing in puddles, and playing with other pigs.
07-25-2009, 10:26 AM
Similar Threads
