In What Kind of Places Can Pigs Live?

There are two kinds of pigs: feral pigs and domestic farm pigs. California released domestic hogs into the wild in 1769. North Carolina released European wild boars in 1912. Many feral pigs are a result of domestic pigs breeding with wild pigs. Feral and wild pigs can live anywhere from marshlands to mountain ranges.

  1. Where Wild Pigs Live

    • Wild pigs eat a variety of foods from grains to carrion depending on the season.

      The North American wild boars have longer legs and snouts than domestic pigs. Wild pigs roam free throughout the southeastern United States from California to Florida and south to the Virgin Islands. The Eurasian Wild Pig lives in forests and cleared agricultural lands of southeast Asia, especially Malaysia and Singapore. The Eurasian wild pig forages on mollusks, arthropods, tubers and roots.

    Where Feral Pigs Live

    • Feral pigs live in places that bear beech nuts, hickory nuts and acorns as well as salamanders, frogs and snakes.

      Feral pigs can be any size or color depending on what types of swine are bred in the area. Because pigs have simple stomachs, they forage on grasses and roots and live in forest areas near water and moist soils. Feral pigs sleep on beds made from grasses and twigs. In some areas such as Wisconsin, feral pigs threaten agricultural production and have been known to feed on lambs.

    Where Domesticated Pigs Live

    • Domesticated pigs feed on corn and grains.

      Domesticated pigs can live on commercial or private farms. If pigs are kept in stalls rather than in free-range paddocks, commercial farmers must provide a minimum space for sows, boars and nursing sows. Commercial farmers keep pigs in pens or stalls. Pens offer the pig room to turn around, whereas a stall does not. If given free-range space, pigs may be kept on hay, natural grass or slotted flooring.

    Where Companion Pigs Live

    • Companion pigs can be a standard size breed or a small pot-bellied breed.

      Companion pigs can live comfortably in a backyard pen, but because pigs are nearly hairless they need to have protection from the cold and rain. Because pigs do not sweat, they also need shade from the sun and heat. Depending on the natural environment a companion pet can be kept in a barn, stall or ark.