"Chewin' the Cud" is an online journal written by Chenoa Manor's Executive Director Dr. Rob Teti

"He's a big farm pig," I was assured by his rescuer and foster home.   "You're certain that he's not a pot-bellied pig?"  I asked.   "If he is, we can't keep him since we already have two."    "Oh no...he's a big fella; he's huge."   And so, arrangements were made to transport Chenoa Manor's newest porcine member to his new home from southern Maryland after he was neutered and vaccinated.

The enormous trailer arrived late in the day on a fall Saturday afternoon, after getting lost for several hours.   I hopped aboard anticipating a truly whopper of a pig only to be greeted by a shy adult pot-bellied porcine.   Not wanting to see him have to travel several hours back to his foster home, Chenoa Manor agreed to foster him until a pot-bellied pig sanctuary could take him.  

Several weeks elapsed and with that came several "we have no room" replies from other organizations.   By that time, the shy and reserved young adult became a bit less shy, eagerly anticipating breakfast and afternoon snacks.   He also enjoyed the company of lying adjacent to Gladys through the fence in his quarantine pasture.

He was named Hernando, his quarantine was completed, and he was allowed to mingle with the residing pot-bellied divas, Gladys & Margot.   With minimal shuffling and shoving, the trio settled in nicely.  Hernando, however, proved to be like a spotted hurricane, blowing through anything and everything in his path.   With an insatiable curiosity and an unending appetite, Hernando manages to somehow get into even the most out-of-reach food item.   He inspects buckets for leftover bits of grain, will shred emptied feed sacks in case a morsel was left clinging to the side of the sack, is quick to snatch up a fallen veggie meant for one of the rabbit residents, and will tip over a trash bin in case some edible delight mistakenly fell into the trash.  

In spite of his innocently destructive ways and a somewhat aloof personality, he is an amiable little guy learning that not all people are bad.  

Posted: 3/5/2008