When it comes to pigs, tininess, as with beauty, is apparently in the eye of the beholder. When compared to non-miniatures, micro-mini or teacup potbellied pigs are tiny.
Full-grown, full-sized pigs can reach seven or eight hundred pounds. Compared to that, a ninety-pound "teacup" is indeed a miniature. Unfortunately, even breeders have difficulty predicting the eventual size of a piglet. Pigs grow for three to four years and may produce offspring before reaching full size. For this reason, parent size may not provide an accurate estimate of a piglet's future size and pet buyers can be misled.
Pigs are Big
According to Nancy Shepherd of Pig O' My Heart Potbellies, former commercial pig breeder and author of the self-published book Potbellied Pig Parenting, the use of the word miniature has been misinterpreted since the beginning of the potbellied pig revolution. Ms. Shepherd tells people to expect a mature, purebred potbellied pig to weigh between 60 and 175 pounds.
Nonetheless, some pet pig sellers continue to claim that teacup potbellied pigs will top out at twenty-five to fifty pounds and grow no taller than six inches. Overwhelmed pig buyers continue to relinquish their hundred-pound pets to animal rescue shelters and sanctuaries.
Sixteen-year pig welfare professional Priscilla Valentine, author of the article Teacup Pigs or Pork Barrels?, claims to have met many, if not most, large breeders of miniature pigs, but has yet to see a full-grown pig in the range of twenty-five to fifty pounds.
Former breeder, Nancy Shepard, also claims never to have seen a naturally small "teacup" pig. She describes the small pigs she has seen as appearing unhealthy and stunted, and lacking good bone structure, conformation, and general body condition.
Pigs are Big-Hearted
Pigs can make good pets for people who appreciate pig characteristics such as a sweetness, docility, intelligence, and inquisitiveness. For this reason, some disillusioned "lap pig" owners bond with their pets against the odds and choose to cope with and adapt to the pig's increasing size.
In addition to being sweet and smart, pigs are known to be quiet, clean, non-allergenic, easily trained, and playful. On the down side, like dogs, pigs may damage property out of boredom or in pursuit of food, and some pigs show dominance aggression.
For would-be pig owners for whom size is a significant concern, Priscilla Valentine recommends steering clear of breeders who advertise "tiny" pigs and instead consider adopting a small, full-grown adult from a pig sanctuary or animal shelter. Otherwise, a pig may not be a fitting choice.
At an average of seventy-five to ninety-pounds, miniature potbellied pigs are comparable in size to the average large dog. If this size is agreeable, along with a pig's notoriously winning personality, a pig may be the perfect choice of pet.
The copyright of the article Tiny Teacup Pigs in Pet Care is owned by Sara McGrath. Permission to republish Tiny Teacup Pigs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Thank you Sara for providing guidance for those of us who nothing about
pigs. My friend introduced me to a tiny pig email and I instantly fell in
love and wanted one. If I had not read your article educating me about the
common misrepresentation in size, I might have possibly been one of the
many people you refer to who buy these pets thinking it will stay
reasonably small, but end up having to give the pet to a rescue due to the
substantial change in size. Thank you again! Michelle Hurley Animal Lover Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Jun 11, 2009 4:03 PM
Guest :
I am glad to see information like this being spread. I fell for the '45
lbs full grown' myth when I saw an adorable piglet in a pet store. It
ended up as a 10+ year love affair with a very svelte 175 lb house pig
named 'Bob' who was 4 ft long and 2 ft high and had the personality to
match. My husband and I, as stated in your article, quickly bonded to our
'baby', were able to accept the 'real' size of a potbellied pig and
adjusted our lives accordingly. Over the years, I have taken in 'fosters',
helped place pigs that 'just got too big', and tried to educate people who
wanted a "REAL miniature pig", not one of those "BIG
ones". I lost my Bob to liver failure last year, but still have three
pots that I took in as adults and love them dearly. Education is the key
to these pets living happy, healthy lives. Whenever someone asks me if
potbellied pigs make good pets, I always respond (with a smile),
"Define 'good pet.'"
Lori Driggers proud pig
parent Cedar Park, TX
Oct 7, 2009 2:07 PM
Guest :
Pot bellied pigs are wonderful. I had my beloved Wilbur for 14 years. To
me he didn't seem that large, He didn't take up anymore space than my
Rottie or Chow did (was smarter tho....lol) He weighed 125lbs, 3 ft long,
and about 2 ft tall. Just a whole lot packed on his frame!!! I used to
describe him as a genuise two year old! Sometimes to smart for his own
good. Opened doors, refrig., housebroke, as he got older the stairs were
difficult for him, so we put in a ramp! Everynight at 7pm sharp he would
fuss until you covered him up and night night he went. Would race me to
the apple tree to see who would get them off the ground first! They are
wonderful, but not for everyone. Wilbur alway's wanted to be near me and
since I was home it worked out perfectly for us. He went on vacation with
us, but I was blessed with a great family who didn't mind my pig coming
along too. It is interesting to see people's reactions at rest stops when
I'd walk him. Some even asked just what kind of "dog" is
that?.....Then shock when I said it's not a dog, he's a pig. Pigs need
their "herd" and that means you, the family, the other family
pets too. Nothing better than sitting and giving out belly rubs and
getting those grunts of thanks and if you did a really good job, a rubbery
snout on the cheek.
Oct 7, 2009 9:40 PM
Sara McGrath :
Thanks for sharing your experience with Wilbur. He sounds darling.
Oct 22, 2009 6:48 PM
Guest :
Micro/Mini Pot-Bellied Pig Info:
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. 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
