Final Size
How big do they grow ?
Domestic micro pigs can grow to the size of an English Bulldog. Feed them too much – and they can far exceed this reality!
If you can imagine yourself with that kind of dog, you could be a great family for a pig. They are’nt the size of a Chihuahua, we compare them to a medium size dog. All the cute little baby piglets will grow. People thinks that because we called them ‘ micros and minis’ they will stay teacup size all their lifes but that is not going to happen. Breeding has made huge strides – from a 1,000lb commercial swine to a 35 to 70 pounds micro pig. However, if your expectation is to own a pet pig that only grows to 20lb – you will be a sorrly disappointed pet parent! So you need to settle up to the truth about mini pet pigs; a 50lb- pig is extremely small compared to the “original” 1,000lb pig! Pigs are deceptively heavy compared to their size. They are solid, solid little bodies. Piggies don’t bend and squish like a cat or dog can. A dog of the same physical size may weigh half as much as a piggie of the same physical size. No pig smaller than that exists. Be aware, there is a lot of scammers out there. Pigs grow untill they reach 3 years old but can be fertile at 6 months old.
Pigs are notorious for their never-ending appetites. This can cause troubles for you as a piggie parent, and without a lot of self-restraint, you could enable your piggie to become overweight – and very unhealthy. We maintain a strict feeding schedule for our piggies. To our piggies aged 1-2 year and over, we feed 1 cup of Purina or Mazuri Mini-Pigs Chow at breakfast and another 1 cup at supper time. While playing or training, we offer healthy treats such as vegetables and fruit, up to a maximum of about 3/4 cup daily. This does NOT starve our pigs – they maintain their ideal body weight. This food regime, along with play and exercise time daily, maintain a healthy body for our piggies.
It is not hard to body condition score a pig. I find the charts above to be a great tool in helping decide if you are feeding too much – or not enough to your piggie. I have always told clients that your eyes and hands are the best way to determine if you are feeding piggie enough/too much. If I can see and feel piggie’s spinal column or ribs, that is a great indicator that the amount of food fed daily needs to be bumped up a little. I know that feeding just enough is BY FAR easier than having to put piggie on a diet. Showing your piggie love by feeding it is enabling your piggie to become fat/overweight, which is one of the cruelest things you can do for your pet. Over feeding your pet (pig or otherwise) is not a way to show love. You also do not want to feed piggie just because piggie is begging or screeching. This is teaching piggie that when they make this loud noise they will get fed. Now piggie is trainging YOU!
A layer of fat around the body, so you cannot feel the spine, will make piggie look taller. So instead of the 14″ tall piggie, you may now have a 17″ or taller piggie. I cannot stress enough that feeding piggie appropriately and responsibly from Day 1 is far easier than over indulging piggie and having to put him/her on a restricted food plan. Then you will hear piggie complain!!!