Happy as a pig in muck
This expression was first used in Britain around 1870. People had noticed that pigs seemed to enjoy wallowing in mud. Much later, they realised that pigs cannot sweat to cool their bodies and so wallowed to cool down. The mud was also useful for ridding the skin of parasites. A number of other animals enjoy a mud bath including the hippopotamus (remember the Flanders and Swann song, ‘Mud, mud, glorious mud?’) the rhinoceros, the elephant, and the warthog.
Pigs are intelligent, sentient beings, and can experience a range of emotions. They can become congenial pets but need companionship and careful handling and socialisation. If not properly socialised, pigs can become aggressive.
In UK, a person seeking to keep a pig must register as a pig keeper, report and record the pig’s movements, and acquire a County Parish Holding (CPH) number detailing where the pig lives. If the owner wants to take his pig out for a walk, he needs to carry a special licence.
Pigs live between five and ten years, though some might live for twenty-five years. Even small pigs can weigh seventy kilos, and some breeds weigh four times as much
When a pig is happy, it may smile and wag its tail. It may also give soft grunts and come to its owner for a scratch or a stroke.
My sister loved pigs when she was little. She was fifteen years older than me so I never witnessed the porcine interaction!
Nice on jabblog
ReplyDeleteIs that your sister in that photo?
I liked little pigs shortly after they were born. I didn't like adult pigs.
ReplyDeletePigs are fun! My husband remembers visiting his grandparents. They had a pet pig and he remembers the clickety-click its toes made on the kitchen floor. They had a homestead in North Dakota. I enjoyed this and the photo of your sister.
ReplyDeleteAww I like pigs. My parents had some property and they acquired two pigs. Henny and Penny.oh how cute they were. I knew dad wanted bacon ham,and sausage from them but I tried not to think of it. Then when the dirty deed was done I received butchered wrapped packages of bacon, sausage labeled Henry and Penny. I didn’t want the meat to go to waste and I have to say, best bacon and sausage I ever had.
ReplyDeleteI never had much to do with pigs, when I went to live with mum I was already 16 and got a job right away. I didn't do a lot with animal care until near Christmas when I helped with chicken plucking. The step siblings all had animal care jobs, mostly feeding them and milking the goats. I prefer pigs when they are called ham and sliced onto sandwiches.
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