Alexis T. was looking for a name that would capture the large presence and personality of her pot-bellied big. She found inspiration in one of the biggest names in hip hop: The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie Smalls. Thus, Piggy Smalls was born—and last year, he got his crown as the first exotic pet to win a “Wackiest Pet Name” title.
Piggy spends his days searching for snacks, snuggles and social outings. “He’s a pig,” Alexis laughs, “so, naturally he likes to eat.” But when Piggy isn’t searching for snacks, he’s looking for attention from his piggy parents. “He’s real sweet. He likes when we rub his belly or rub his face; he likes to follow us around. He loves when we make him mud pits when it’s hot outside.”
One of Piggy’s favorite activities involves exploring the neighborhood. “He likes to go on walkabouts if the gate is open,” Alexis explains. “He visits all the neighbors [and] has his whole social life that I didn’t even know about. People tell me way after the fact, ‘Oh, yeah, your pig comes over and hangs out all the time.’”
Alexis chatted with us about pig parenting, pet naming and her Wacky Pet Names experience. Here’s what she had to say.
What was it like being a Wacky Pet Name nominee?
“Word got out pretty quick,” Alexis says. “A lot of people that know about Piggy that are fans of him to begin with, so I know that they campaigned pretty hard for him.
“I do post a lot of him [on Facebook]. I did post on there to all my friends to, you know, ‘Please vote for him,’ and then had them share … I work at a pretty large veterinary hospital, and everybody there knows about Piggy, so I told all of them to spread the word.” Her efforts paid off big time.
She continues, “We’re so happy! We love Piggy so, so much—it makes me almost cry just how much I love Piggy. So, you know, for him to win is really cool. We couldn’t have done it without everybody that voted. Thank you, guys!”
How did you choose a pet name for your exotic pet?
When it comes time to name a new pet, Alexis suggests finding inspiration from a variety of different sources: “Think outside the box. Use human names, character names. Inspiration comes when you least expect it.”
Of course, it also doesn’t hurt to have a theme. She continues, “My friend actually came up with the name Piggy Smalls,” Alexis says. “Because he kind of fits with our group: So, the horse is named Funkmaster Flex, and the donkey is named Don King—so, Piggy Smalls just kind of fit right in with the crowd. And it suits him. Now, he’s the Notorious B.I.G. I guess with how big he is, but we still call him Piggy. [The name] definitely suits him—he has a lot of attitude! And, like his namesake Biggie Smalls, the ‘Smalls’ is quite ironic. We estimate he weighs about 500 lbs.”
Any other pet parenting advice?
“Being a veterinarian, I’ve seen firsthand a lot of things that can happen to these guys that we love so much,” Alexis says. “I’ve seen the costs associated with veterinary medicine. We’re getting closer and closer to providing the same quality of care as human medicine, and that quality of care comes at a cost.”
She continues, “Nationwide was the only [pet insurance] that insured pet pigs, and I’m very grateful.… Having the pet insurance to me is just like peace of mind knowing that I’ll never have to not be able to provide something for my pets because of the cost. I’ve used it for Piggy. I’ve used it for other pets, and I’m grateful that I have it, and to me it’s just—it’s so worth it.”
Testimonial provided by an actual Nationwide member. Views expressed by the member belong solely to the member and not Nationwide, its affiliates, or employees. Actual insurance plan availability and coverage may vary.
