Hog Blog

Pliny lives in a nice, custom-built cage. It’s got three levels, with ramps connecting them, and water bottles on the top and bottom levels. The bottom is filled with paper litter and a driftwood piece, so that he can burrow into them, and the top has his food dish, as well as blankets and toys. He likes to sleep on top on warmer nights.

Pliny’s favorite feature is his wheel. It’s made from a bucket that’s been cut down and screwed to the bearing from a sliding glass door wheel. It’s large enough for him, and the solid floor keeps his feet from getting hurt.

There is a magnet glued to the back rim of the wheel. Mounted behind the wheel is a simple sensor that’s basically a reed switch soldered to a parallel port connector. The sensor is connected to a computer that polls the status of the switch. When the magnet passes by the switch, the computer records it. This is so Pliny doesn’t have to remember how many times he’s gone around the wheel!