Oh I live in Florida so getting too cold is not an issue. But getting too hot might be.

You would need a large area for them,with a strong fence of course..provide a shelter of some kind,loaded with straw for bedding and warmth in the winter. They need sun and love to lie in it,this is why you will also have to have an area in there that has mud for protecting them from sunburns. (that;s why pigs roll in mud)
they also love to root with their nose,digging and pushing things around are a favorite past-time for them! I gave my potbelly smooth rocks in a plastic bin with low sides to play with. also,pigs are extremely clean animals,they won't pee or poo in their houses where they will sleep...so keeping that area clean will be easy for you...I only changed the straw once a week. other than that,if you are keeping them outside all the time(I kept mine in with us like a dog!) then make sure your fencing is strong enough to hold them in,and keep large predators out. Pigs can figure out how to open gates and escape in no time! concrete blocks somewhere in their area would help file down the hoofs making your chore of hoof trimming a little less.I did mine about every 3 months. also,they love a bath...I used a kids wading pool and it worked great...just put concrete blocks for them to get up.
good luck with your pigs..I LOVE them and think they need more credit than they recieve from most people. They're HIGHLY intelligent creatures,and very sensitive to their surroundings and families..hope I helped :)

Pigs can be quite destructive if given the chance. I would suggest a concrete slab with sturdy fences that they can't get their snout under. That way you can turn them out when you want but if things get out of hand you can lock them up.

I would suggest a breed like Durocs or Berkshires in your part of the country becuase you'll have a big sunburn problem with a pink skinned pig.

The only preditory animal that I have to worry about is my dog. I live close to the city limits and have never seen anything that I would have to worry about. My dog did not intend to kill my chickens, she is still a puppy and just wanted to play. Will this be an issue with the pigs? Has anyone ever had issues with a dog killing a pig or would the pig hurt my dog? And how big of an area will they need?

Get a couple of books on general livestock keeping, try to find one on backyard pigs - try Storey Publications for their titles; check and see what publications you can get through the county extension agent (connected to the state university system); see if there is a local 4-H club, if so, ask what they can tell you; ask at the local feed store if anyone is keeping pigs - go pick their brains. I would do a LOT of research before you actually buy any pig(s).

Why do you want pigs - pets?? Do you know how big they get?Tom

If you just want a pet, then think about a pot-bellied pig - they are normally kept as pets, stay small - under 200 lbs., as I recall, maybe smaller - and can be kept inside like a dog as they will housebreak. You do have to treat them as pigs, and not just as an odd dog, though.

Tom has a very good point about regular pigs - unless you are going to eat it, at a reasonably young and smallish age, pigs, both sows and boars, can grow to be hundreds of pounds in weight. And they don't halterbreak too well - if they want to go somewhere, they GO!!!

Yes they get very big--we just took our three to the butcher--under 6 mos old and the fellow who picked them up guessed the biggest is 300 pounds!
Re a fence--very strong--we have chainlink with an electric wire about a foot inside that, all around.
FOr water we mounted a hose with a nipple waterer on a post--that worked great though the ground under it got very messy (pigs move cement blocks around quite easily!).
They had a hut with straw to sleep on and a shaded area and we made sure they had water in their mud hole, esp when it got hot. They loved being wet down with the hose.
They took care of every garden and meal scrap we gave them.
They are relatively easy (compared to chickens or an animal that has to be excercised or milked) but you need to be prepared.

Pigs are really pretty easy so don't be intimidated. They train very easily to electric fence which is easy and fast. Just two strands works great. Two of us spent about an hour with spades in hand training the new piglets to the electric and making sure they did not escape. After that, they generally respected it. BUT, be very sure to check it each day. They very quickly discover if it is not working. I am assuming you want to raise them for meat. For the tastiest and healthiest meat spend a little extra time to feed them green grass, weeds, and any scraps you might have from home or garden. This will ensure a healthy and happy pig as well. We have access to a variety of artisan breads which we feed daily. Too much white flour is not a good idea and the pigs genuinely prefer the whole grain and especially the fruit and nut breads. It is worth trying to find a good source. Pigs are great fun to raise and a delicious and economical source of calories for the farmer. In the right market they can be quite profitable too. Don't bother trying to raise or sell a comodity pig. Shoot for top quality and charge accordingly. Best of luck to you.

David

OK, do you want a free Berkshire? Where in Florida are you? Central Florida. My dog's groomer today asked if I knew anyone who wanted a pig, as she knows she can't keep it. Reality says she doesn't have the time or room for it to grow correctly. It was found on the road as a baby, no one around claimed it. About 6 months old now. Grew up with dog and kids. Loves attention. Spoiled as in she buys veggies for it. She prefers someone who would want to grow and breed her, but she isn't all that fussy, except that it be well taken care of. Let me know, email me at presmudjo @ pngusa.net. I didn't put it all together as I read somewhere spammers can pick it up on web sites.