Question about a Very independent pig

[lunalilly]

Background:
I have a pig who is three years old. I adopted him from a girl who was moving across the country and could not keep him. He was kept in a very small cage on pine bedding for the two years that she had him, and when it was play time, he ran around inside one of those big balls.

I have a large, open-air cage for him now with bedding made from recycled paper, and the ball is long gone. He has some respiratory problems, but the vet said that he would be okay.

He is a *very* responsible pig, and I have potty trained him. I let him run around my room (which is upstairs) and he uses his "litter box" when he must. Today, I had him downstairs because I was cleaning and reading and wanted to hang out with him. He will follow me from room to room and, if I'm sitting down, will come up to me to be pet every few minutes while he's running laps around the sofa.

Here is the problem, and the question:
I went upstairs to use the bathroom. Before I went back downstairs, I stopped to check my email. I heard something and turned around, and it was my pig! He had climbed fifteen stairs, each of which is taller than him, and came scampering into my bedroom. He has never even pretended to know how to climb stairs, or to act like he wanted to. I am now imcredibly worried that I cannot let him run around anymore, even though he loves being free-range.

Does anyone else have a pig who behaves like this? Any advice?

[Lady Chutterly]

Wow. Sounds like you have a very devoted pig there! I have no advice, just awe.

[VoodooJoint]

The poor little guy is lonely. If you get him a same sex friend or neuter him and adopt him a girlfriend he will be much happier. He follows you around because he needs company. GPs are social, herd animals and do not like to be alone. No matter how you try you cannot be with him all the time and you really aren't a good substitute for a same species friend.

[yourWHEEKismycommand]

What a cool piggy! Yeah, he needs a friend.