How to Feed Mini Baby Pigs
The name "mini" may be misleading to first-time pig fanciers. While smaller than commercial pigs, miniature pigs will grow rapidly and can reach a weight close to 200 lbs. The Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a common pet in the U.S. Mini pigs are friendly, intelligent and easy to train. Baby pigs are easy to feed but require specially formulated food for optimum health. Dry dog food, table scraps, fruit and vegetable diets are often fed to mini pigs but these foods don't meet the nutritional needs of the animal, cautions the Hillside Veterinarian Hospital. Obesity is a serious health concern for these animals and can quickly become a problem if pigs are fed improperly.
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Things You'll Need
- Mini pig youth feed
- Iron supplements or shots
- Fruit and vegetables (occasionally as treats)
Instructions
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Buy your baby miniature pig specially formulated pig food. Veterinarians recommend starting pigs out with a mini pig youth feed. Commercial pig feed can also be used but the recommended feeding amounts are set for full-size porkers and will need to be adjusted for the lower weight of the mini pig.
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Ration feed amount based on the pig's body weight. The pot-bellied pig should be fed 1/2 cup of mini pig youth feed daily for each 25 pounds of body weight. When using other commercial pig feed, Hillside Veterinary Hospital recommends giving a growing pig four months old or younger between 2 and 2.5 percent of its body weight in feed daily.
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Divide the food ration in half and give the baby pig two feedings a day. Pigs can be fed from a bowl or pan.
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Set a feeding schedule with one feeding in the morning and the second approximately 12 hours later.
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Supplement feedings with iron. Because of their rapid growth, mini pot-bellied pigs can sometimes become anemic. Some pig breeders give piglets iron tablets prescribed by the vet. Some veterinarians may prefer giving the pig iron shots instead, which they can administer.
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Serve fruits and vegetables only as treats. Mini piglets will respond well to fruit and vegetable treats as rewards and training aids. Pigs will eat almost anything, so treats can be whatever you have handy. Just a small piece of fruit a day is sufficient. Too much fruit will spoil the pig, make it harder to train and add to unnecessary weight gain.
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Provide clean, fresh water for your pig. Water should be available to the pig at all times. Use a large tip-proof bowl, bucket or pail for drinking water.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't eat or snack in front of your pig. Pigs want to eat everything they see and will become beggars. This behavior can be obnoxious when that formerly cute little piggy reaches 200 lbs.
Watch your pig carefully to avoid excess weight. A mini pig should have a healthy belly, but if its activity level and ability to move around becomes impaired it can cause severe health complications.
Some people misguidedly think that restricting the food intake of a baby mini pig will keep it from growing too large. While you need to watch for obesity, especially in adult pigs, babies should never be fed a restricted diet.
References
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