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! :)
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