A tiny breed of pig is born the size of a teacup and is the hot new pet among British celebrities. The micro pig is about nine ounces and the size of a teacup when born, but can sell for up to £700. Breeder Jane Croft has given up her former career to breed the tiny pigs full-time.
The pigs are also good pets for people who are allergic to dogs or cats. Link -via the Presurfer
(image credit: Geoff Robinson Photography)
At two years old they are fully grown and weigh in around 40-65lb and are about knee height at 12-16in tall.
They can live for up to 18 years, but make popular pets as they are low maintenance, quiet and surprisingly clean.
‘Micro pigs make fantastic pets as they are very low maintenance. You don't have to take them for walks and they have very few health issues,’ said Miss Croft.
‘They don't make much noise, they are easy to toilet train and once they have bonded with you they are very loving
The pigs are also good pets for people who are allergic to dogs or cats. Link -via the Presurfer
(image credit: Geoff Robinson Photography)
I think they're adorable :D I wouldn't mind owning one, but I think my dogs would try to eat it O_O
This seems like it would be a good solution for someone who wants to make their own artisan sausages but doesn't have the space to raise full size pigs. Because, yes, intelligent as pigs are, they are also valuable livestock.
Great, now along with mini Dexter cows, pygmy goats and Shetland ponies, I've got another animal to add to my daydream of a mini-farm.
I think it's just fine for now. Sure, we're messing with evolution here...but the fact that we breed normal pigs at all is the exact same thing. And, as far as domesticated animals go, pigs haven't been changed so much from their original state. Pigs left in the wild quickly revert back to a natural state and they can actually survive on their own (Unlike almost all of our dog breeds.)
It would be like indiscriminately buying a dog without paying any attention to the breed. What's their temperament? What are their tendencies and behaviors?
Nothing's worse than treating living beings as fad items.
Did you read the goddamn article? They're being raised as pets, nothing else.
The piglets shown next to the kitteh in the photo are just that - piglets.
You'll notice they don't show the grown pigs. They grow up, they're a lot less cute.
"Nothing’s worse than treating living beings as fad items."
The same could be said for Paris Hilton.
i dont have 700 but if there's a celebrity who doesnt want their pigs anymore
give them to me ohhhhhhhh so cute
If you read the articles closely-these micro/tea cup pigs are 14" tall as adults-this is really nothing "new".
Micro pigs as they are being called is nothing new-other than maybe a renewed craze. A friend of mine has been raising and breeding mini pot-bellied pigs for many years. I have one of his pigs and our pig's name is Gippy. Gippy was the runt of the litter, a teeny tiny little guy no bigger than my small hand. Gippy's parents were also quite small (as mini pot-bellies go). His mother, solid white, under 14" tall and maybe 25-30 lbs at best and his father, solid black and might tip the scales at 40 lbs. They are both gorgeous, healthy and perfectly plump. Gippy, the runt, is now 2 years old and is still growing. He is not fat by any stretch of the imagination, in fact he is quite fit and is almost twice as tall and long as his father and currently weighs about 65 lbs. These are very special animals. Very intelligent and they need companionship, attention and stimulation and boundaries (ours has his own Disney DVD collection, TV and radio to keep him entertained if we can't be with him-otherwise he could be quite destructive if allowed to do so. Gippy is also well trained for indoor domestication, is leash trained and was neutered at 10 weeks of age-a definite must for male pigs as they will get quite aggressive otherwise. A pot bellied pig is truly a wonderful animal, but please know what you are getting into. Do a lot of research. They blow their coats 2x a year and it is a mess. The males have tusks and should absolutely be neutered by an experienced vet that has a lot of experience w/pot-bellies as they are different from farm pigs and need to be cared for by a vet that understands the anatomy of a pot-bellied pig. They have hooves and they need to be trimmed-this is not a fun task if you do not have a well behaved and well trained pig. While they are clean animals-they like to nest and root and make a mess and their litter boxes require constant attention. They must have fresh water at all times and require special pot-belly pig feed (like Mazuri P.B. Pig Feed). They are very sensitive and can stress easily, it can even cause death. Dippity Pig is a possible stress/allergy related condition that causes oozing from the skin usually down the spine, their hind quarters drop and can cause them a large amount of pain, they may even squeal and show discomfort. It is alarming to anyone who loves their pig so keep an eye out-especially if the pig has been exposed to anything stressful. This condition and can be usually treated by giving your piggy baby aspirin and antihistamines, dosing according to the weight of your pig. It usually clears up in 24-72 hours-but always consult your vet first before treating your pig. And check with your city to make sure you are able to keep a pot-bellied pig as some cities still consider them as livestock and may not allow them. Please also understand that the average full grown mini pig weighs from 60-120 lbs and that is quite small in comparison to the farm pig. In the breeders pursuit to create a smaller pig there may be some genetic issues and health concerns that may arise. It is important to know your breeder and make sure he/she is not compromising the health of the pig in their quest to create a more manageable pig. The best advice is don't skimp on the research and definitely go visit someone who has one before you run out and jump on the micro piggy band wagon! And after doing all that, if you decide a mini/micro PB is still right for you...enjoy him or her because they really are wonderful...but you have been warned! :)
E. Thomas & Family
of Minnesota
I like the comments above by E. Thomas & Family, they are correct and everyone should do their homework before adding a pig to the family. They are NOT a dog, I find them easier to be honest, but certainly, different when it comes to dealing with them, mostly due to the high intelligence. You are also needing to understand the mentality of a prey animal vs, predator.
If you would like more info, I am happy to share it with you.
We would also encourage adoption of an animal in need vs. purchasing.
I rescued one of these tiny beauties from a petting zoo.
Delilah was 3 weeks old when she was brought to a petting zoo and placed in a pen with 8-9 full grown pigs. the adult pigs starved and trampled her until she was "too far gone". when i found this baby in a corner unable to walk i immidiatly scooped her up and asked the owner what had happened. she said put "that" down and let it die, its beyond saving. Well me being an animal lover i wasn't going to let that happen. Delilah is now living in my family room weighing about 115 and happy and friendly as she could be. She is house trained and asks to go out when she needs to. we also have a 16 year old dog who delilah loves like her own. She welcomes whoever comes to the door with a bark just like she learned from the dog. She also sits when she knows you have a treat. Although she is great she also has some bad habits like opening the cabinet and helping herself to whatever is on the bottom shelf. I would recommend a pet pig to anyone who has time to spend training and loving one. And pig-proof your cabinet!!
-pig lover <3