How To Buy Teacup Pigs

Teacup pigs are the latest thing.

Have you fallen in love with the teacup pigs everyone is talking about? You may have seen the Today Show when Teacup Pig breeder, Jane Croft, told Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry how wonderful they were. She was sitting on the barn floor, surrounded by cute little tiny pigs. These particular ones were four days old.

The Today Show Website tells us that they cost over $1000 each! For a pig! In Britain, they are extremely popular. Celebrities are going crazy for them, so the rest of us will do likewise, of course!
Ms. Croft told them that she already had a long waiting list. She claims that she is very particular with whom she places her pigs. Of course, she only has been breeding pot-bellied pigs for one year. Meredith Vieira mentioned that they were available in the United States.

So, as a potential teacup pig owner, what do you need to know?

Difficulty: Easy Instructions Things You'll Need:

• Zoning to own a potbellied pig
• Time to give it the attention it needs.
• Discretion

1. Step 1 There is really no

   First of all, do some homework on exactly what defines a teacup pig. Do not be confused with a teacup poodle. These pigs are miniature or teacup compared to a larger pig. A regular old pig can weigh as much as 800 pounds. A potbellied pig will weigh much less than a regular pig, of course. That is one reason they have been popular as pets. But, according to Nancy Shepherd, a potbellied pig expert, a healthy potbellied pig will weigh somewhere between "60 and 175 pounds." There are different sizes of potbellied pigs, and the new breeders are actually breeding with smaller pigs to get the much-desired teacup pigs.

   But, you need to understand that much of the hype and images out there are of baby potbellied pigs or just naturally unhealthy pigs. Either runts or malnourished pigs are often presented as a new, trendy breed. Beware of this tactic.

   Even a teacup pig will eventually be like a large spaniel dog. So, don't assume you are going to get something like Paris Hilton would carry in her purse. You can only hope to get a smaller potbellied pig.

2. Step 2

   If you are told by your breeder that you can feed this animal less and achieve a fashionably-sized teacup pig, run away! Quickly run away! This is animal abuse and cruel.

3. Step 3

   The best way to know for sure that you are getting the size pig you want is to buy or adopt an adult pig. Priscilla Valentine, a pig advocate and traveling speaker, tells us that they continue to grow for three years and are sexually active long before that. Just because a pig's parents are a certain size, she says, we cannot assume anything. they may not be full-grown either.

4. Step 4

   You need to be aware of what your zoning is for animals. Often, even a potbellied pig requires some sort of farm animal zoning.

5. Step 5

   Pigs are clean, and can be litter trained, according to the Today
   Show. But they do need more attention than a house cat would need. They are quite smart and social animals. Many people fall in love with their pigs, and even though they grow much larger than expected, could never part with them. But, they do require a lot of social interaction. If you have room for two, the teacup pig will be happier with company.

   But many pigs are not so lucky. It is not easy to find a home for a big, fat pig, if you find out you don't want it.

Resources:

NBC Today Show Article

Nancy Shepard, Pig Expert

Sara McGrath's Article

Priscilla Valentine, Pig Advocate