miniature pet pigs?

Question

I want to get a miniature pig as a pet. I dont know how much they usually cost or where to get them. and i dont want a potbelly pig. I want one that (it's cliche i know) i want one that looks like Babe. you know all pink... i dont know,.. help

Answer 1

You can't get a minature pig that is pink. The only minatures are potbellies. The pink ones are butcher pigs and are grown as big as possible- not small. They are a lot messier than a potbelly as well.

Answer 2

Ok, are you prepared to take care of this pig for the next 15 to 17 years? They are very much like a 3 year old child. You have to pig proof your home (anything at pig level is game). By the way, Babe was a commercial farm hog, less than 6 months old. A miniature pig will not look like Babe. The closest you will get to that may be a Kun-kun, and the following still applies to all mini pig breeds.

Yes, you can get a mini pig that is pink. Their skin will be pink and the hair that grows on them will be white, grey or silver or a mix of those colors.

How do I know? I have a potbellied pig, I got him when he was 4 weeks old . . . that was 15 years ago. I have been involved with NAPPA years ago, helped with the newsletter, have shown in PBP shows, have judged PBP shows, worked with a vet that had a practice that was exclusively for PBP's.

Getting a pig is not a whim, you cannot leave them alone when you go on a trip like a cat, or have a neighbor check in on them once a day while you are away (they can become very destructive if left alone too long). I know of only a handful of PBP boarding facilities in the US. It is too stressful for them to be put in a dog kennel for any extended period of time. For the last 15 years, taking a trip either involved a trip with the pig (sitting in the back of the car) or finding pig compatible pet sitters willing to stay at my house. When I lived in NJ, I had the fortune of knowing someone who had pig boarding facilities.

Mini pigs can grow to be 150-175 pounds. My guy is an average size (120 lbs), some are a bit smaller (80-90 lbs). They do not stop growing until they are 6 years old, when their growth plates finally close.

In general, they are very social animals and when possible, should have at least one companion. Not to say they can't do well as a single pet pig, but then those in the pig's household become part of the heard.

If you rent and have to move, it is VERY difficult to find landlords that will rent to you because you have a pig, no matter how much you try to convince them. If you own, you better make sure your city allows PBP.

Finding a vet to care for PBPs is also difficult. Not many like to work with them because they are so loud (the decibles are louder than a jet airplane).

If after all this, you are still convinced you want a pig, please check out all of the shelters and pig sanctuaries. There are hundreds of pigs needing homes because someone thought it would be cute or neat to have a pig and ended up dumping them because it was too hard, or they got too big.

Keep in mind, if you let a commercial hog grow to be 15 years old, they would be well over 1000 lbs, so a 100 lbs pot bellied is miniture in comparison (1/10th the size).

If you want to talk about owning a pig, let me know . . .

Answer 3

Size-
They don't come with a guarantee and if any breeder, rescuer or sanctuary owner guarantees the size, don't buy into it. They grow until they are over 3 years old and the average weight is between 90 and 150 pounds at maturity. The only way to know the true size is to adopt or buy a mature pig over 4 years old.

Life span-
average of 9 to 14 years with some living longer and some shorter

House breaking-
Yes they can be housebroke and usually easier than it is to housebreak a dog but it takes consistency. You can housebreak to litter boxes (white shavings preferably) or to go outdoors. You should start them in a small confined area with a litter box or by taking them outside every couple of hours and telling the pig to "go potty" and rewarding him with a treat and lots of praise when he does. You should not bring him back inside until he potties. Remember that baby piglets don't have strong bladders until they are about six months of age, so you must take them out regularly. If they have an accident in the house, you will need to eliminate all odor. It's best to mop or suck it up with paper towels and clean and then apply straight white vinegar (about 1/4 cup) straight onto the spot and let it air dry.

Vets-
You can log on to the NAPPA site or on to our Veterinarian Locator pages. Both have a list of vets who see and treat potbellied and other miniature pigs.


Hope this helps! :)

Answer 4

Once I saw some small pigs for sale in our locol paper. They were for sale for about $10-20 dollars. If there arent any for sale in your paper you could try calling a farm somewhere. Sorry I dont know a lot about pigs or where to buy them.

Answer 5

i have no idea