An extremely intelligent pet pig becomes a TikTok celeb after learning to communicate using buttons.
Fans have praised the now eight-month-old mini Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, dubbed Merlin, the “smartest pig in the world” for being house-trained and also able to distinguish between colors.
Mina Alaai, 25, bought Merlin in March this year for £350 and soon after began teaching him how to use the litter box and how to ask for food and walks.
The social media manager, from San Jose, California, began posting videos of her 25-pound pig on her TikTok account, @mina.alali, and quickly grew in popularity as animal lovers around the world fell in love with Merlin.
Mina said, ‘Everyone always says he’s the world’s smartest pig.
“It’s something I never expected, but he learned everything so quickly.
“I just wanted him to have good manners and to be potty trained, but it was so surprising how smart he is.
“Merlin is the most intelligent, cute, dramatic and stubborn of the pigs.”
Mina, a self-proclaimed animal lover, welcomed Merlin into her home, where he quickly became best friends with her two rats, Millie and Miracle, both one year old, and her bearded dragon Mochi, who sadly passed away last month.
Mina had dreamed of having a pig as a pet since she was little, and those dreams came true earlier this year.
She’d been putting off adopting a pig for years, but after seeing a video of a pig online, she decided she was financially ready to take the plunge.
“I’ve always wanted a pig,” she said. “The way people react when they see cute dogs is what I’ve always felt about pigs.
‘As a child I went to the petting zoo to see the pigs.
“They are so smart and so cute, and I knew I would adopt one day.”
Mina fell in love with Merlin as soon as she saw him and took him home, where she had treats, toys and a bed waiting for him.
“He was a little bigger and older than all the other pigs, and he’d been there the longest. So I decided to take him home,” Mina added.
Merlin immediately felt at home in his new environment
The extremely smart pig quickly learned to sit on command, and although he knows how to use a litter box, he prefers to walk on a leash.
Mina also taught Merlin his colors. Her most recent video shows her calling Merlin to walk to several green colored items – which he does without hesitation.
“He was incredibly easy to train. Each new trick never lasted more than a day,’ said Mina.
In order to teach Merlin to talk and communicate, Mina has bought some buttons online that can be programmed with pre-recorded sounds and messages.
Each button is colored differently and carries a different message so that Merlin can communicate his needs and desires with Mina.
These include asking for food or water, for a walk, and even for her to sing and dance with him.
Mina motivated Merlin to learn each new trick with lots of treats and kisses after successfully completing one.
Mina added: “If he did something, I would just repeat the words over and over.
“He has a button that he clicks when he’s hungry. Or if he’s thirsty, and if he pushes out, we’ll go out.
“He knows music and dance, so I’ll either start singing or pick him up and spin.”
Merlin often gets confused for a dog when they’re out for a walk – until they hear him ‘grow’ – because he likes to play with other animals, run around and wag his tail.
“The first week I felt like a famous person because everyone stopped me for pictures or to pet him,” Mina said.
“What people always comment on is how he wags his tail like a dog, and he smiles like a human when he’s happy.
“He is very sociable and loves being a pet.”
Merlin also likes to play with his rat siblings and often carries them on his back for tours of their home.
“Merlin is very careful with rats, so when I take them out to play, he takes them on his back,” Mina explained.
“It’s amazing and it melts my heart.
“I’m sure he would be good friends with all animals. I want to get a dog someday and I think they will get along and become besties.”
Mina’s videos showcasing their adventures have racked up hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, with viewers writing to Mina saying they’ve given up on the bacon after watching videos of Merlin.
Mina had previously shared videos of her bearded dragon Mochi, whom she also trained, which inspired her to train Merlin when she first adopted him.
Most recently, Mina got a tattoo in honor of the late Mochi.
She added, “I just want to make the most fun and healthy videos I can.”
You can see more of Merlin’s life with Mina on Instagram @merlinthepig or on TikTok @mina.alali
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