Petunia's first winter at the sanctuary has officially arrived, with this past weekend's temperatures reaching the 30's Fahrenheit in Converse, TX. Some sources even suggested there was a 29' low for Sunday night, the 18th of January. Any outdoor temperature above 80' or below 50' can be cause for concern for a potbelly pig, namely for those who are young, elderly, or overweight. Though Petunia moved mountains in terms of her rehabilitation over the summer, she is still overweight to the point of fat blindness.

We moved her hut to the side of the backyard with morning sun about two weeks ago. She is our sunshine girl, and this type of sun is the calmest on the skin while still giving her the benefits of warming up. After living in a garage for two years prior to being under our care, we never blame her for soaking up the sunshine. We just work to keep her safe and comfortable as she does so. During the summer, that meant using Kid-Safe/ Tear Free Sport SPF, to keep her face protected from the SPF itself as well as the sun. With the sun being lower in the sky these winter months, we've stopped doing so daily as most of the backyard is shaded during the day (minus the garden beds but those areas are fenced off). Continuing throughout the winter, a practice from the summer we used to nourish her skin was to rub her down with aloe during a mealtime so she isn't too alarmed. We swear she loves the aloe when it's on, but not the process of applying it, haha. We also supplement her breakfasts with flaxseed for optimal skin health, as it contains omega-3s.

Spot 3 differences between the two pictures above!

As this winter has been moderate so far, with the exception of the previous and the coming weekends, we have opted to insulate Petunia's hut with pine shavings and hay nightly. Her hut keeps the wind out with a thick layered frame of wood and a tarp overtop the entire fixture. She is monitered closely everyday to ensure comfort as well as safety this winter. 

This coming summer, we plan to upgrade her area further with a more climate-controlled area to cool her in the summer as well as warm her next winter. 

With climate change rampantly rising during the very beginnings of our sanctuary, it is at times difficult to navigate what measures are best for our animals. This is why we are grateful to have a space to grow alongside them as we learn more about them, we learn how to most efficiently meet their needs. 

Overall, in these past 6-months we've had Petunia, we have noticed her attitude skyrocket, as well as her ability to care for herself grow. When we got her, she had trouble standing, did not know how to search for food or water on her own as she was mostly bottle-fed, and was overcoming withdrawals from sugar and other processed foods she had unfortunately been fed as a form of entertainment. 

At our Backyard Sanctuary for Misfits, we vow to only give updates about Petunia in a respectful manner and always revere a dignified regard for her personal space and daily care.

Let us know what you think via email, info@groovyparadox.org. 

Love & Liberation, 

Vanessa Hoo