[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Every few years, television and print media will run with these stories of these "cute" "tiny" "miniature" pigs for pets! Have you seen the stories? Looking to buy a "teacup" pig?
If these stories have peaked your interest in buying one of these "lap" pigs as pets, please read on:
Paris Hilton buys a "Teacup Pig",
Paris Hilton does a photo shoot almost 2 years later, see what her piggy looks like now, well over 100+ pounds!
Below are some true life stories of rescued Pigs that ended up at sanctuaries with multiple health issues because they were sold as "teacup" or "micro mini" pocket pigs. Not only do sanctuaries and rescues get pigpets dumped on them because of lack of allowed zoning or owners not able to provide for the specialized needs of potbelly pigs as pets, but a LOT of pigs are sold as "miniature lap" pigs and of course, when they can't sit on your lap anymore or be picked up and put under your arm... they end up going to a sanctuary! Most city shelters are not equipped to hold, much less adopt out potbelly pigs so they have very few choices, most of the time they get euthanized. Is that fair to any pet?
If a breeder, any breeder is ethical, they will always allow you to come and see their pigs and property and will ALWAY take their animals back should you not be able to keep them no matter what the circumstance!
If you buy it from a pet shop or feed store or even a swap meet, do you think they are there to take their animals back when promises aren't kept? So why burden a sanctuary! Make an informed decision before purchasing any animal! Why not adopt and give a special pig a second chance at life!
Read this article from people who have experienced this lie first hand!
Swilber's Story
Swilber arrived on January 12, 2002, from Baldwinsville, near Syracuse, NY. Starved beyond belief, I was shocked when he came out of the car. I'd spoken to his people several times and we'd emailed each other to arrange his arrival, but I never had any suggestion that his condition was life threatening. They were well educated, articulate professionals and sounded like caring owners on the phone. I'd actually postponed his arrival until after the holidays to give me time to prepare a stall for him. Another couple of weeks and he'd likely have died. When talking to his owners, there was no indication that he was so ill...only that they were selling their house and buying a condo and he "had to go because you can't sell a house with a pig in the basement". At 3 1/2 years, he'd spent his life in the dark, on concrete, with no sunlight, exercise, or good diet. To get him outdoors he had to be carried up the stairs, so he never got out. Though they supposedly were feeding him a potbellied pig feed, it either was of poor quality or he wasn't being fed nearly enough. Swilbur's weight when he arrived was only 44 pounds, just 1/3 what it should have been...an ideal for him is 130! He was so weak that when he'd put his head down to eat, he'd tip over. He also had a tusk growing over half an inch into his face. This didn't happen overnight, nor did his weight loss, so one can only assume that his seemingly well educated owners were in fact uncaring, non-observant and ignorant. Perhaps he'd been sold to them as a "micro-mini" and they were told to feed him tiny amounts to keep him small, I don't know. But with immediate veterinary care and a good healthy diet, Swilbur blossomed into a beautiful, happy fellow. His tusks need to be monitored because they tend to grow close to his face. He also hates being confined and his transition from his outdoor summer lot to his winter stall is never a happy time for him, but he hates the snow and he doesn't have a condo in the south for the winter, so we deal with it. He gets a larger stall, plenty of blankets, hay and a heat lamp, and outdoor access when the winter weather allows.
Swilber has developed arthritis in his right shoulder and on and off he'll become quite lame on that leg. The x-rays show signifigant deterioration in the shoulder joint. The opposite shoulder is still in good shape so an old injury may be the culprit, possibly a fall down the basement stairs at his original home. With the rescued pigs it can be difficult to know their history and what may be of concern "down the road". We keep his weight down to help relieve the stress on the opposite front leg, but eventually that, too, may develop arthritis because he carries 95% of his weight it during a flare-up. At this point we're trying to manage his pain in a variety of ways, with Tramadol being the most useful medication. Fortunately his lameness isn't constant and for the most part he walks sound and doesn't require any medication at all.
Sadly, on March 5, 2009 we lost Swilbur after a brief illness. Over the years we'd found that when Swilbur became ill, he became very, very ill. It wasn't often, but any problems he had became life threatening and required intensive nursing. Likely he had an immune deficiency and was more susceptable to things that probably wouldn't phase another pig. Because this recent illness had come on suddenly we asked to have a necropsy done. It showed that Swilbur's liver was in very bad shape and his bowel was covered with small pencil eraser sized ulcers/abcesses. Up until just two days before he died he'd been eating fine and not showing any real signs of illness. He hadn't been climbing his gate to beg for his meals, but that I attributed to his arthritis. We know he wasn't exposed to any type of toxic items and there'd been no dietary changes. A possible cause is cancer, but we opted not to have any pathology work done. We're very sad to have lost him so quickly, but are grateful for the opportunity to have loved and cared for him for the past seven years. Swilbur was about 10 1/2 years old.
Piggles Story
Piggles arrived in 2007, a pretty little spayed girl who needed a new home because her people divorced. They paid the breeder $250 for her because she was supposedly a "micro mini" potbelly. In our area a "regular" sized BABY potbelly might bring $20-$50. The seller wouldn't guarantee her size, though the couple was told Piggles would never top 35 pounds. I'm so sick of hearing this and the whines of the people who were decieved by such a story. They hear what they want to hear and there's no convincing them otherwise...at least until the pig is an adult that now weighs well over 100 pounds, or has been so starved that its health is at risk. A reasonable person would sense the dishonesty and see the truth, but this couple was suckered in and happily forked over the money. On average a 35 pound potbelly will be about three to six months old. Considering that the pig might grow for three to five years, it's highly unlikely that it will stay a tiny 35 pounds! (Read Swilbur's story and view his pictures to see what happens when people try to keep a pig tiny!) Regardless...Piggles, a NORMAL sized potbelly, is a delightful little girl who stands up at her door for hugs and kisses. She's no more "micro mini" than I am, and no less loved because of it. Personally I don't believe there's such a thing as a micro mini and would be thrilled to eventually meet one. This would be a pig who's reached adulthood (is at least three years old), has good body condition, is healthy and perfectly formed (not a dwarf), and truly weighs an honest 35-40 pounds as the breeders promote. Likely Piggles was sold at 4-5 weeks old, rather than a better 8-10 weeks, so that she would appear to be smaller than what would be normal for the age that her breeder said she was. It's not unusual for a tiny month old piglet to be presented as much older to encourage a sale and the myth of micro minis continues until the young pig reaches its normal adult size. At that point many are simply discarded. Countless "micro minis" are filling up the sanctuaries because there really is no such thing! If ever considering the purchase of a micro mini insist on seeing BOTH parents and proof that they're at least three years old. If the breeder can't provide that little bit of proof, look elsewhere. My smallest pig is Snippet, who weighs a healthy 77 pounds. She's tiny compared to most of the others here who average 125 pounds, and MUCH smaller than the several pigs who have come here that were initially sold as "micro minis". Buyer beware! And don't get hung up on weight! A 100 pound pig is only about the size of a cocker spaniel. If you're hung up on weight, don't get a pig. Get a small dog instead.
Rosie's Story
Rosie arrived on August 1st, 2008. She'd originally been purchased from a Texas breeder who purports to sell micro mini pigs. After spending a considerable amount of money to purchase Rosie and to ship her to New York, the buyer discovered that she wasn't a micro mini pig at all and that she'd bought into the "micro mini pig myth". No longer wanted, Rosie was sent to a farm and within two months was sold. She is a beautiful two year old, and yet another example of what happens to pigs bred by untruthful breeders and sold to irresponsible homes. She was purchased from the farm for $50 by a terribly unprepared young man with absolutely no experience caring for pigs. The day after he bought her, he called me and told me about the pig he'd bought and that he'd made a mistake and didn't want her. He'd never been told what and how to properly feed her, had no housing ready, and had only a small dog kennel for a pen. Obviously the farm owner cared more about her $50 than she did about the well being of this pig. She had called me about taking this pig just a month prior, but was holding on to her until a small piglet could be found for her to use in her petting zoo.The farm could certainly have provided a safe home for Rosie and all of the other potbellies they've passed off over the years after using them in the zoo. Instead they choose to make them someone else's "problem" and won't take responsibility for their security. This is an all too common situation with most petting zoos. Animals are bought as babies and discarded when they're no longer percieved as being cute. The general public doesn't get to see the true size of an adult potbelly because they're replaced within a year or two, before they're full grown. Thus the common belief that potbellied pigs will stay very small and pigs like Rosie end up without a home when their owners discover their "never over 35 pound" piglet now weighs a good 140. I've always made it a point to use the same pig, no matter how old, as long as it was happy being out in public. Alix did the zoo for six years, and Snurdle for several more. When the Ahurei, the Kunekune arrived he went along, not as a replacement, but as a companion to the other older pig. All too often people said they were surprised at how big the potbellies were...because they'd been exposed only to babies at other petting zoos. Rosie is spayed, and is supposed to be house and harness trained. Once settled into a secure home, she's made a wonderful companion for our 2008 Kunekune babies. She stands up on her hind legs at her gate for hugs, kisses and scratches. She's a very affectionate and loving girl who would love more attention than I have time to give her, though I find it impossible to walk past her without at least a quick hug and scratch. Her original people are missing out on the enjoyment of having such a wonderful pig as a companion...all because they were hung up on her size. Do not buy into the micro-mini/teacup myth!!
Zoe's Story
ZOE
ZOE arrived November 3, 2009 from a suburban home near Rochester, NY. She had been sold by a pet store in Canandiagua as a micro mini. Again, there is no such thing. Zoe is our third pig confirmed as having originated from that pet store, a friend has two or three and another sanctuary has dealt with several more! These little pigs suffer for the lies told by irresponsible breeders. Zoe is small...about 50 pounds at 2 1/2 years, but even at this small size she's far larger than the 35 pounds the breeder said she'd be. Zoe was given up for adoption by her female human who realized that living in a basement on a concrete floor with no outdoor access, sunlight, dirt to root in, or other porcine companionship is no way for a sensitive little pig to be living. In over a year's time Zoe was outdoors only once. Just ONCE! Can you imagine not seeing natural daylight, basking in the sun or digging in the dirt in all that time? Even prisoners in the high security prisons have "yard time". Her person made a wise, caring, and responsible decision to let this wonderful little pig go, so she could begin a new life doing all the things pigs should do. I'm saddened that she's missed an entire summer of outdoor time and we're quickly going into our bitter winter weather, which will cut short her treks outside. But even a few days is more than she's had in over a year. Zoe's feet had grown extremely long, causing difficulty walking. Further complicating her getting around is a poorly conformed hind quarters. She's very weak behind with hocks that practically rub together and her hind legs are well under her, preventing her from standing squarely and moving strongly. I am hoping that with exercise, good footing, additional vitamins, sunlight and corrective trimming we can strengthen her hind quarters and get her walking better. Her feet have been trimmed to 90% of normal and in a couple of weeks a bit more work will be done to better shape them up. Zoe is spending part of her days outdoors, active and digging in the dirt so vital for a pig's physical and mental health. This delightful little girl is off to a great start and working at making some pig friends. Hats off to her former lady owner who had the maturity and sense to realize this little girl deserved better than she was getting. If only more people would see the light!
Pig Sanctuaries and Rescue Organizations are over flowing beyond capacity!
Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:13 am
