Dwarf  and Mini Pigs

Our dwarf pigs hold a very special place in our heart and home. All pigs are very special and unique animals. If you understand their personalities, and quirks, owners bond to them, like the pigs were their own children. 
              

Many owners sleep with their pigs, travel with their pigs, dress them in costumes, and share every aspect of their lives, with their companions. Piggies love to have their bellies scratched, and snuggle with their owners. Pigs are like two year old children - intelligent, curious, mischievous, and, sometimes manipulative. They are sensitive creatures that can be playful, and even humorous. They are extremely intelligent and give a lot of love and acknowledgement to their owners.

What is a "mini" pig? 

They are literally what it says, they are mini pigs! People call mini pigs lots of different names like micro minis, julianna, teacup, mini pot belly. They are all the same mini pigs, "smaller than your average" pig. 

They are super clean and litter box train easily. They have little smell to them and keep their homes clean. They are extremely psychological pets and rely heavily on their owners for mental stimulation. This is a pet that needs your attention.

Mini pigs require firm discipline from the beginning and will not be a very happy pig if they are left in a room or in a backyard all day with no interaction.

What is a "Dwarf" pig? 

A dwarf pig is a mini pig with genetic dwarfism. A dwarf pig has characteristics of genetic dwarfism. This is a genetic trait(s) that can only be passed from dwarf parents.  Characteristics are short stubby front legs, broad shoulders, long faces , rounded noses and most significantly; stunted growth. Dwarfism can occur in any color and seems to produce predominately males.  
The picture shows a normal mini piglet next to a dwarf piglet, they are of the same litter.

How do you know the piglet is a dwarf?
We have consulted pig geneticists and vets and they have determined that our pigs are displaying chondrodysplastic signs, although no DNA or Chromosome test exists to definitively test for the chromosome. Each piglet is evaluated at a young age and dwarfism can be determined by physical characteristics. 

How does dwarfism affect the pig long term?
We have successfully been breeding them since 2010, with several complications requiring a C-section, we have several females that do not meet size requirements to be bred.  There also seems to be varying degrees of dwarfism. Some piglets display very short front legs and others are taller but still have the dwarf traits. As they mature dwarf pigs do have trouble running, their front legs are very short, usually only 3-5 inches. They cannot walk extremely fast either.  This doesn’t seem to affect any of our dwarves, other than they are last to the food bowls at feeding time. At this time we are unaware of the lifespan of dwarf pigs, the oldest dwarf pig we have is Pixie and she is 7 years old.  

What should you expect living with a dwarf pig?
Dwarfs seem to be more dog-like. They are affectionate and lazy. They walk slowly so they like to take it easy and relax, especially after they become adults.  Because they have a harder time walking around they do not get as much exercise as a normal pig would. It is extra important not to overfeed them to keep strain off of their joints and to help them maintain a healthy weight. Also, their organs and rib cages are smaller, so if they are fatter than they should be this can cause breathing problems. You should not overfeed these pigs, it can be more detrimental than overfeeding a regular mini pig. 

How big and what is the size difference?
Dwarfs are not all the same. We have only been breeding them for a few years so our experience has shown that the males stay a bit smaller than the females, and they all tend to be shorter in height and in length compared to our regular mini pigs.  In a nutshell, they are dramatically more compact in body size and structure.

 

How Big EXACTLY??

Good Question! When it comes to buying a pig as a companion or ambassador, it is very important to have a good estimate as to how big they will be.

We do not want to mislead anyone, please visit our adult pigs page to see pics and info on our breeding adults. 

BEWARE, ALL BABY PIGLETS ARE SMALL WHEN THEY ARE BORN!!

As we said before, breeders use alot of different names to describe or identify their pigs. You must remember that these names and terms mean NOTHING. 

Our pigs are very small compared to the usual breeds but we don't want to give any illusions as to their adult size, you are certainly not going to get a pig the size of a chihuahua or a rabbit, this is true for all breeders- there is NO SUCH PIG. Do not call us looking for a pig the size of a rabbit or chihuahua, I will tell you to go buy a rabbit or a chihuahua instead. Do your homework to keep pigs out of shelters and off craigslist!!

No matter what size you are "guaranteed" If you are not capable of caring for a 50-100lb+ pig....DO NOT BUY A PIGLET. 

Dwarf Pig Basics 

Average Lifespan: Unkown

Gestation: 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days; with average of 6 babies

Diet: Pigs love to eat and it is very easy to over feed your pig. Dwarf pigs require specific food and diet to keep them healthy without the extra weight. We do not condone underfeeding, starving, or any manipulation or witholding of food to keep any pig or animal "smaller". We offer a special pig diet on our Exotic Supplies page. 

Habitat: Most people keep their pig inside since they are very small, clean animals and potty train very easily. Pigs are not destructive so keeping them inside will not damage any of your furniture or wires. You can also keep them outside in a fenced yard or in a wire kennel type enclosure. Pigs kept outside will need a lot more water and you will need a heat lamp in the cooler months. I recommend having an indoor / outdoor pig, this allows for more stimulation and will give your pig something to do. 

Living with Pigs

Having a new piglet is similar to having a new puppy, except they won't ruin your $200 COACH shoes and won't wimper all night. They will be cute and playful but they MUST be controlled at a young age. Do not allow your pig to jump up on people or do any other unwanted activity unless you want them to continue doing it when they are full grown. They MUST have a controlled diet or they WILL become overweight. Your pig will whine for food especially if they know you are eating, you must keep your pig on a strict feeding schedule and never feed them any table food or dog food- you will regret it! 

They are very loving and show emotion more than any animal I have ever seen. I swear my sows actually cry tears during delivery! They can get their feelings hurt and can "talk back" to you. They remember things-like the VET! They like to be treated like royalty and will eat up all praise and attention you can give them. 

I cannot say enough good things about dwarf pigs, but I think their loyalty has to be the number one attribute that they have.