Photo Credit: @hippothepiggy
Unfortunately, many people are misinformed about the term mini pig. This is mostly because of shady breeders who have used terms such as teacup and micro pigs to convey you to purchase their pigs. In reality, there is no such thing as a teacup or micro pig.
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No pig will stay mini forever
At first, your pig will be tiny and extremely adorable, but they will grow a lot in a very short period of time. Your pig will do the majority of its growth within the first year of their life and can continue growing all the way until they are 5. An adult mini pig’s average weight is 90 pounds, and height is 18 inches tall. They can even get to 150 pounds plus, so be prepared. Technically anything under 300 pounds is considered a mini pig.
Here is an example of an average adult mini pig compared to an adult Pitbull
Some breeders may give you false feeding instructions
Sometimes breeders will intentionally tell you to underfeed your pet pig. They are doing this so that you malnourish them, so they don’t grow as big as they would. But this is very dangerous and can lead to many problems for the pig. Malnourishment will cause their bone structure to become very week, which causes the pig to struggle to support their own weight.
Most pigs who have this done to them will live a much shorter life, usually only about 6 years, compared to the average 12-18 years for a normal potbelly pig. In that shorter lifespan, more than likely, they will experience many more medical problems than if they were nourished correctly, which will cost you lots of money in veterinarian bills.
If you want to learn how to feed your pet mini pig correctly, visit this article here.
Beware of breeders that may inbreed to make their pigs smaller
Yes, this is awful, but breeders will often breed siblings with each other to create a smaller pig. Sometimes, they may create a pig that will grow smaller, but this doesn’t mean it won’t come with side effects. These pigs tend to have many more medical issues and usually die at a younger age than normally bred mini pigs.
Breeders may also breed very young pigs
Mini pigs can be bred at the age of only 4 months and can keep growing all the way until they are 4 or 5. So many times, when breeders try to show you how small the parents are, they might not even be fully grown.
Mini pigs don’t stop eating
If you let them, pigs will pretty much eat forever. Making sure that food is not around for them to easily steal is a must to keep them healthy. They will get very angry when you don’t feed them at the correct times, so you need to make a schedule and stick to it.
Mini pigs gain weight fast
Pigs gain weight much faster than other pets like dogs and cats, and it’s much harder for them to lose it. That is why it’s so important to feed them right. Pig obesity leads to so many problems such as arthritis, heart issues, and many more. Check out this article here, which teaches you how to feed your pig correctly.
Mini pigs are loud
If you do end up getting a mini pig, be prepaid for constant oinking and any other noises they may make. When they’re mad, a pig’s squeal can be as loud as 115 decibels. That is about the same volume of sound as turning a chainsaw on and revving it right next to your ear. The video below is an example of what many pigs sound like the majority of the day.
Many mini pigs are abandoned or given to rescue shelters
Because of the abundant amount of lies around mini pigs, many owners don’t exactly know what they are getting into when getting one for themselves. Pig’s who are malnourished or inbred by their breeders tend to have many medical issues that are overwhelming for pig owners. These problems will often end up in the mini pig owner either abandoning their pig or giving them up to a rescue shelter.
Many rescue shelters won’t take a mini pig
If you decide that you don’t want your mini pig anymore, many rescue shelters won’t accept them. Mini pigs aren’t exactly the most common pet in the world, so rescue shelters won’t know how to take care of them properly themselves. Luckily many new shelters are being made specifically for mini pigs.
It takes a while to create a bond with your mini pig
When you first bring your mini pig home, they will be scared of you and not want to be touched. It takes a lot of time for them to trust you. Check out this article here, which teaches you how to get your pet mini pig to love and trust you.
What breed is a mini pig
To be honest, nobody really knows what breed mini pigs are. One thing we do know is that they mostly all include a Vietnamese potbelly pig in their mix.
Juliana mini pigs are not available as pets
Yes, Juliana pigs are the smallest pig breed in the world and only grow to about 20 to 40 pounds, but no breeder sells those Juliana pigs. Even if your breeder tells you that their pigs are pure Juliana, it’s probably not true, and the pig will grow much larger than 20 to 40 pounds. There are very few pure Juliana pigs left in the world today. There is a registration for Juliana pigs that breeders may use to prove their pigs are Juliana, but it is unreliable and should be illegal.
To learn more about this and why the Juliana pig registry should be illegal, visit my blog post titled the truth about Juliana mini pigs here.
Mini Pigs need constant attention
Mini pigs are herding animals, and they need relationships with others in their lives to be happy. I recommend having a different pet before getting a mini pig, especially if you can’t be around all day. Pigs have huge personalities, and without someone to give them attention, they will become very depressed.
My friend (who is on Instagram @sirkevanhamletbakonthefirst) had an incident with her pig Keven when she left him alone for the first time. Keven had destroyed her whole couch! As you can see in the image below, Keven was not very happy.
Mini pigs can have bad behavior issues
Just like what happened with Keven, pigs may destroy your house for many different reasons. When you don’t let your pig be outside, they tend to try and dig up your floor, carpet, couch, and whatever they may run into. This is because pigs have a natural instinct to root up weeds to find nutrients so when they can’t do it outside, they’ll do it inside.
Having an outdoor space is a must
Mini pigs don’t exactly enjoy being cooped up all day inside of a home. Yes, you can house train them, but they need a lot of space to run around and put their snouts in the dirt, especially when they are young. I would recommend having a fenced-in area that is at least 15 by 15 feet, preferably larger.
Mini pigs are expensive
Unless you are getting a rescue pig (which I highly recommend doing!), getting mini pigs from breeders can cost a whole lot of money. The average price for a mini pig is around $1,100, and some breeders charge up to even $2000 or more!
Along with that, there are many additional costs that will add up. On average it will cost $25 to $55 per month to feed them, $100 to $300 per year on veterinarian bills, and $500-$3000 for outside fencing. Some pigs who have been inbred or malnourished by their breeder will have additional veterinarian bill costs that will probably cost thousands of dollars.
Mini pigs might be illegal where you live
Do your research and find out the zoning laws in your city for mini pigs. You don’t want animal control showing up at your house demanding they take away your pig! If you want to know more about this, check out this article here.
You need a special veterinarian
Not all veterinarians will care for mini pigs. That is why it’s important to call your local vets and ask if they do mini pigs. Don’t buy a pig until you do this!
Mini Pig colors will change over time
Your pig may have beautiful stripes and patches at a young age, but many times it won’t stay that way forever. The hair on Mini pigs usually turns brown or grey once they have become adult pigs (usually at the age of 5).
Pigs are naturally prey animals
Mini pigs, unlike dogs, are naturally prey animals. This means that they are much more scared of new people or animals. You’re not going to be able to bring them to big parks or walks on busy roads. In most cases, they will only feel comfortable around people they know.
Having a mini pig with natural predator animals such as dogs can be very risky. There are many people who have had no problems, but I have seen many horror stories of pigs being severely injured and even killed by large dogs. I’ve also heard stories of pigs that have injured small dogs as well. Check out this article here to find out more about this.
Not many landlords will allow you to have a mini pig
Because of the chances of mini pigs rooting up your house and destroying furniture, landlords usually don’t allow them. If you are renting and your landlord accepts pets, still call them and ask if a mini pig is okay before getting one.
