At first, you need to know that there is no such thing as a mini pig. Even the smallest pigs grow up to be at least 100 pounds. If you compare this with a normal pig, who can grow up to be around 600 pounds, you can say that the 100-pound pig is small. But it is not a mini pig. The mini pigs who are the size of a human baby, are only this small because they are underfed. Even these pigs eventually grow up to be a normal size pig. Even if you think ‘but the parents of this mini pig are small as well’, don’t be fooled. Pigs can get children when they are only 3 months old! This means that the parents of a pig are not fully grown! A pig can grow till it is 2 years old! At least, his or her skeleton can. So do not buy a pig if you think it will stay the same size at is when you buy it at 2 months old!
Pigs also need to have a lot of space for their own! A pig can not live in an apartment, well it can, but it makes them unhappy, and possibly very angry! The natural habitat of a pig consists of mud, water and grass. A pig needs a lot of space to live properly. An other important aspect that a pig needs to have is a buddy. A pig will get very unhappy and angry if he or she lives alone. A pig simply needs someone to play with, and a person does not suffice. And imagine a 100-pound pig, which is aggressive. A big, angry pig can break a lot of things in a tiny apartment!
And then there is the price tag. It can be very expensive to have a pig as your pet. Not only is the purchase of the pig itself fairly expensive, the food is too! A pig eats a lot, because it needs to grow to the correct size! If you have a relatively small pig, it needs a lot of food to become healthy. Adding this to the high vet bills, which are higher than you would think, a mini pig needs a lot of care and attention, and you can see that it is not cheap to own a mini pig! If your home is already well fit to house a pig, you are lucky. If this is not the case, you have to spend even more money!
Creating a sort of meadow for the pig, with enough mud and water, is a necessity!
Okay, so these are the things you should know before you buy a pig. But we need to put the things we just told you in the right perspective. You can think; wow 100 pounds, we can’t handle that! But you should know that the weight of a pig does not says as much about the size as it does about a dog. For instance, pigs’ weight can be a lot denser than the weight of a dog. This means that a 100-pound pig is a lot smaller than a 100-pound dog.
I think that the main thing you should know is, a mini pig does not exist in the way the most people think they do. There are different sizes of pigs, and of course, there are smaller types of pigs. But there is no fully grown pig of the size of a human baby! A teacup pig, does not fit in a tea cup! So think carefully. Can you, and your house handle 2 100-pound pigs? Because you need to own at least 2 pigs, if you want your pigs to be happy, as you have read before.
So if you have enough space, money and time, a pig (actually, 2 pigs) can be a suitable pet. But owning a pig can not be compared to owning a dog. It takes a lot more knowledge and time. This means that you will have to do a lot of research and consult certain people before you purchase a pig. Talk to a vet, for instance. Let him or her give you some advice about your ideas. Maybe let someone come to your house so this person can judge if your house is well fit to house a pig.
Hopefully, you have learned something from this article. Do not just buy a mini pig because someone promises you that it stays the miniature size that it is at that moment. This only happens when a pig is underfed and therefor, unhealthy. If you do have the resources to give proper care and love to a pig, don’t hesitate. Pigs are very intelligent and sweet creatures, if they are handled correctly!
