Anyone have a micro pig?

[Itort]

Noooo....we are "city people" and this is our first time on a farm. We won't be slaughtering anything. Just getting some pets, and boarding horses. I'll have to post some pictures. It's very exciting for us, but we won't be raising any food, except veggies.

I was warning against feeding hog feed for commercial hogs. Mazuri is designed for pet pigs and a long healthy life. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I myself can't slaughter livestock either which why I had dairy goats.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I was just looking at micro pigs there neat do tricks and potty trained does anyone have one

This is Hamlet...his specific job title is "Toe Warmer" and he takes his job very seriously...he's laying on my feet even as I type. Hamlet is a X between a Vietnamese Pot Belly and some kind of a Norwegian lab pig (bred for cancer research, I'm told) and he weighs about 40#, and is as big as he'll ever be in this pic. He knows quite a few tricks (and a few I wish he didn't!)

In this picture, we were celebrating our birthdays...my 49th, his 4th. Now, I'm 55 and he's 10...but he's aging better.

BTW, commercial hog feed will kill a mini-pig (or a full-sized pet pig), as the growth hormone destroys their kidneys (and children who eat commercially raised pork are affected by the hormone, as well). Pork pigs are slaughtered relatively young.

 

[tyguy35]

Really nice looking animal and happy belated haha

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Really nice looking animal and happy belated haha

We thank you.

 

[NudistApple]

So Terry Allan Hall, even at 10, he only weighs 40 pounds?

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

So Terry Allan Hall, even at 10, he only weighs 40 pounds?

Just did his weekly weighing...39.7#. The breeder we got him from told us the Lab pigs (that his father was) usually stay around 25-45#...Hamlet was neutered early (2 weeks old), and that may have curtailed his weigh somewhat, but mostly it's because we watch his diet and he gets plenty of exercise, through playing "snout soccer" with my son and his buddies, and by performing his tricks (his reward is one single Honey-Nut Cheerio per trick).

Also, males are smaller than females...Hamlet's sister, who my niece owns, is also on a controlled diet, but weighs around 55#.

If we allowed him to over-eat, he'd be quite a bit heavier, but might not've lived this long...a lady we know allowed her Pot-Bellied Pig, Ralphie, to eat whatever/whenever she wanted, and she got to over 250# but died of a heart attack shortly before her 3rd birthday. Ralphie was so obese that she developed some serious callousing on her belly from it rubbing the ground and got out of breath by the time she waddled the 30 yards from her favorite sleeping spot in the backyard to the back door.

 

[NudistApple]

Just did his weekly weighing...39.7#. The breeder we got him from told us the Lab pigs (that his father was) usually stay around 25-45#...Hamlet was neutered early (2 weeks old), and that may have curtailed his weigh somewhat, but mostly it's because we watch his diet and he gets plenty of exercise, through playing "snout soccer" with my son and his buddies, and by performing his tricks (his reward is one single Honey-Nut Cheerio per trick).

Also, males are smaller than females...Hamlet's sister, who my niece owns, is also on a controlled diet, but weighs around 55#.

If we allowed him to over-eat, he'd be quite a bit heavier, but might not've lived this long...a lady we know allowed her Pot-Bellied Pig, Ralphie, to eat whatever/whenever she wanted, and she got to over 250# but died of a heart attack shortly before her 3rd birthday. Ralphie was so obese that she developed some serious callousing on her belly from it rubbing the ground and got out of breath by the time she waddled the 30 yards from her favorite sleeping spot in the backyard to the back door.

That is so very, very awesome. I really hope to own a pig one day, and I've been looking for someone who legitimately owns a small pig for a while. How is his general health? I know that people often argue that mini pigs are much more unhealthy, and I'm just wondering how much merit there is to it.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Just did his weekly weighing...39.7#. The breeder we got him from told us the Lab pigs (that his father was) usually stay around 25-45#...Hamlet was neutered early (2 weeks old), and that may have curtailed his weigh somewhat, but mostly it's because we watch his diet and he gets plenty of exercise, through playing "snout soccer" with my son and his buddies, and by performing his tricks (his reward is one single Honey-Nut Cheerio per trick).

Also, males are smaller than females...Hamlet's sister, who my niece owns, is also on a controlled diet, but weighs around 55#.

If we allowed him to over-eat, he'd be quite a bit heavier, but might not've lived this long...a lady we know allowed her Pot-Bellied Pig, Ralphie, to eat whatever/whenever she wanted, and she got to over 250# but died of a heart attack shortly before her 3rd birthday. Ralphie was so obese that she developed some serious callousing on her belly from it rubbing the ground and got out of breath by the time she waddled the 30 yards from her favorite sleeping spot in the backyard to the back door.

That is so very, very awesome. I really hope to own a pig one day, and I've been looking for someone who legitimately owns a small pig for a while. How is his general health? I know that people often argue that mini pigs are much more unhealthy, and I'm just wondering how much merit there is to it.

His health, according to my vet, is excellent...from what I understand, as long as you help them from becoming obese (by pig-proofing your cabinets, refrigerators, garbage cans, etc. - that's what I meant by his knowing some tricks that I wished he didn't ), and make sure they get daily exercise, they're pretty much bullet-proof.

I have heard that the so-called "teacup pigs", due to many generations of inbreeding, are less healthy, but I don't know for a fact that that is always the case...much like buying a purebred dog, it's wise to look the parent-stock over very carefully.

As I mentioned earlier, getting a male, and getting it neutered IMMEDIATELY will keeps him from growing larger...and, as well, a male, neutered early enough, won't grow musk glands...MUCH nicer smelling if he's to be a house-pig.

And, btw, if you're offered a piglet w/ a "corkscrew" tail, rest assured that it WILL get huge...Pork piglets are sometimes sold to the unwary as pet mini-pigs, and, that young, they also look VERY cute. AFAIK, no mini-pig ever has anything but straight tails.

 

[NudistApple]

Thanks so much for all of the information!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thanks so much for all of the information!

Happy to help...and I think prospective pig-family members should know what they're in for...these are animals with the IQ of your average 5-yo, and make wonderful pets, if you are willing to allow them to be wonderful pets, but, much like sulcatas, they're really not for everybody.

Here's a great source of more detailed info...and chances are there's a mini-pig rescue near you, and that can be a great place to get one!

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/potbelliedpigs/a/pbpexpect.htm