Mini Pig, Big World
Oliver may be a mini pig, but his heart is big and his travels are far and wide. This pig is racking up some serious miles with his humans and doggy sidekick.
“One of my college best friend’s dad rescues animals in Florida. He was given Oliver so that he would find a forever home – and he ended up as mine.”
– Sarah Nickle
Within the black hole of endless cuteness that is the world of pet influencers is a special pocket of unusual pets: mini pig Instagram. Followers dote on these adorable critters from afar, admiring their petite build, fuzzy pink exteriors and bubbling personalities. This niche pet content is cornered by the loveable, Southern-born mini pig, Oliver, and his human, Sarah Nickle. Oliver, along with his doggy sidekick, Indi, have captured the hearts of nearly 30,000 IG followers by sharing tales of their travels and the things that make their tails wag.
Ever since she was a child, Nickle dreamed of a mini pig companion, but Oliver came into her life with a little bit of serendipity. “Long story short, Oliver fell into my lap,” Nickle explained. “One of my college best friend’s dad rescues animals in Florida. He was given Oliver so that he would find a forever home – and he ended up as mine.”
Now, they travel the country together, amassing an impressive collection of map dots. “Fun fact: Oliver has driven across the country a total of six times,” Nickle boasts. They hail from Charleston, SC, but now live in the Bay Area, having traveled far and wide between the two coasts – Georgia, New York and Colorado, to name a few states.
What’s next for Oliver? Nickle shares, “This summer we will be traveling back to Phoenix for a bit. It’s about a 12-hour drive from the Bay Area [where we currently live]. We always find fun places to stop and explore along the way, so stay tuned!”
Q&A:
South: How did all of this begin? How did you and Oliver meet? Did you always know you wanted a pig?
Sarah Nickle: Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I would have a mini pig one day! Long story short, Oliver fell into my lap. One of my college best friend’s dad rescues animals in Florida. He was given Oliver so that he would find a home—and he ended up as mine. I was finishing up my undergrad at the College of Charleston at the time, so a month or so before graduating we drove down to Florida to pick Oliver up!
S: How has your relationship with Oliver evolved over time, through Instagram fame and beyond?
SN: The biggest thing that has changed with Oliver is the relationship that we have built over time. Building trust with a pig is very different compared to a dog or cat. Pigs do not show affection 24/7, so working on growing our relationship and understanding each other has been the biggest difference overtime!
S: How does Oliver spend his free time?
SN: Oliver spends most of his free time outside sunning himself. No matter where we travel, he always loves to sunbathe (with much needed sunscreen!). In true pig fashion he will eat all day, every day if the opportunity is given to him. He also loves a good belly scratch!
S: Do you ever pinch yourself when you realize Oliver has over 12.9K followers on Instagram?
SN: It is definitely wild to think that there are almost 13K individuals who look to Oliver’s page to make them smile on the day to day! That’s what we love the most about the community—making our followers smile and laugh!
S: What does Oliver’s daily diet consist of?
SN: Oliver has breakfast and dinner which consists of Mazuri mini pig food. It looks like little pellets and he loves it. Throughout the day I give him oatmeal in his indoor and outdoor toys to keep his mind busy! He is also our living compost and gets any veggie or fruit scraps throughout the day.
S: What’s next for Oliver?
SN: This summer we will be traveling back to Phoenix for a bit. It’s about a 12-hour drive from the Bay Area (where we currently live). We always find fun places to stop and explore along the way so stay tuned!
S: Is visiting all 50 states the goal? Are there any international stops planned?
SN: Visiting all 50 states would be incredible! That is absolutely the dream and it would be awesome to accomplish that within Oliver’s lifetime! We would love to make another cross-country road trip soon and visit Charleston (one of our favorite places in the US)!
Fun fact: Oliver has driven across the country for a total of six times. Unfortunately, I do not think international stops with Oliver would be possible, so no international plans in the future as of now.
Follow Oliver’s adventures on Instagram @oliverthetravelingpig.
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