Are Teacup Pot Belly Pigs The Right Pet For You?
Whether you call them teacup pot belly pigs, mini pigs, teacup pigs or pot belly pigs, they are just about the sweetest little pets that you can get your hands on. Although most people picture a barnyard animal eating out of a pig trough or rolling in the mud, these are quite the contrary.
Teacup pot belly pigs are becoming incredibly popular as pets. They are quite small at maturity however they are really only teacup size when they are born. Compared to a full grown pig that typically weighs between 600 and 800 pounds, the teacup version matures between 30 and 65 pounds.
Adults end up about as tall as a cocker spaniel and are full grown around three years old. Occasionally you may find some breeders that offer full grown pigs that weight around 35 pounds but these are typically interbred with purebred juliana or mini juliana.
Tea cup pot belly pigs can live to be 20 years old so keep in mind that they are a long-term commitment. However, they are quite low maintenance and require only about the same amount of care as a dog. They are extremely popular city pets and do well in apartments providing that they are not required to climb stairs which is quite a struggle for them.
Temperament
It may be difficult to find a more affectionate and intelligent pet than the teacup pot belly pig. They have even been proven to be smarter than most dogs. Although, like a lot of other pets, they can be prone to aggression and laziness if they are not socialized and exercised regularly.
There may also be times that they will challenge their owner with dominance aggression and when this happens, they need to be reprimanded firmly, yet gently. They are quite intuitive and can be made to understand that their behavior is unacceptable with little effort. They respond exceptionally well to positive reinforcement and they should never be physically punished under any circumstance. They are also easily trained with proper motivation to perform very impressive tricks such as ride a skateboard, play golf and sitting on command.
When a teacup pot belly pig is in your home, they are quite similar to a two year old toddler. They should have toys to play with like children and as long as you keep them mentally stimulated, they will provide hours of entertainment. It is important to pig-proof your home like you would with a puppy or an infant.
Diet And Exercise
Your teacup pot belly pig needs a walk on a leash everyday and they will be prone to weight gain. If you feel that your pig is gaining too much weight you can sprinkle small amounts of oatmeal around the yard that they can search for. This way they are getting exercise, having fun and receiving a healthy snack that they love.
These adorable little pigs crave carbohydrates and are always in constant search for food. Therefore, it is imperative that if you have other pets in your home that you keep their food dishes out of reach, especially dog food. There is special feed that they should eat that is available at pet stores or it can be special ordered. Pigs are omnivores so they enjoy meats, vegetables and any food with carbohydrates.
Advantages Over Other Pets
Teacup pot belly pigs have an incredibly long lifespan and they are clean and odor-free. They are ideal for allergy sufferers because they barely shed and are non-allergenic. Pigs have no fleas, they do not bark and they are quickly trained to walk on a leash, use the litter box and perform tricks. They are very low maintenance non-destructive and are incredibly loveable.