How to Raise a Pet Pig? Practical Feeding Methods and Daily Care Tips

Nowadays, there are more and more types of pets. Besides the common cats, dogs and birds, some people have started keeping pet pigs, so how should a pet pig be raised?

1. What types of pet pigs are there?

1. Vietnamese Pot-bellied Pig

It has an attractive appearance and a docile temperament, with an average height of about 35 cm and an average weight of about 45 jin.

2. Yucatan (Mexican Hairless) Pig

These pigs come in both small and not-so-small sizes. The larger breeds can grow to more than 180 jin, while the small ones average only 45-90 jin. Their average height is 40-61 cm.

3. Juliana Pig (Painted Piglet)

Average height 25-40 cm, weight 13.5-45 jin. Like pot-bellied pigs, they have a gentle temperament and also like to play with toys.

4. Ossabaw Island Pig

Average height 35-50 cm, weight 22.5-81 jin. They get along well with people and are very intelligent. This kind of pig can live for 25 years.

2. How should a pet pig be raised?

1. Pet pigs are afraid of both cold and heat, so when the temperature is low, pay attention to keeping them warm, and when the temperature is high, pay attention to cooling them down.

Pet pigs need to live in a quiet and dry environment, with an ideal temperature of 18-29 degrees Celsius. They can live in a study, living room or balcony.

When winter comes, remember to prepare a warm nest for them, adding some blankets or quilts, and do not let them catch a cold or have diarrhea.

2. You need to prepare a dry and quiet living environment for the pet pig, which is good for its growth.

3. Young pet pigs can be fed milk powder first, and after they grow up, they can be fed other foods.

Piglets 0-4 weeks old can be fed whole milk powder. For each meal, dissolve about 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of milk powder into 100 c.c. of milk, and you can add 1 small spoonful of cream or 1 raw egg yolk to increase nutrition.

After 4 weeks, piglets can be fed dry whole milk powder, about 2 large spoonfuls per meal, and the amount of liquid milk should be reduced. This action is called “creep feeding”, and its purpose is to train the gastrointestinal tract to digest solid food.

After 6 weeks, piglets can be fed a small amount of solid food or solid food soaked in water, and they can also begin trying foods such as fruit and green vegetables.

After 1 month, piglets can eat solid food completely. Because pigs are omnivorous animals, the food should include vegetables, fruits and animal protein, such as chicken, beef, cucumber, etc., to achieve balanced nutrition and let the piglet grow up healthily.

4. Usually, you can interact more with the pet pig, so that it is more likely to be friendly with people.

However, when feeding piglets new food, they may have nutritional diarrhea. Once the owner finds that the piglet's stool is incomplete in shape and relatively loose, it needs to be sent to the vet as soon as possible.