What is a micro-mini pig? What is a tea cup pig? What
is a miniature potbellied pig?
Unfortunately, the use of the word miniature
has been misinterpreted since the beginning of the potbellied pig revolution.
What I mean by miniature is that compared to a commercial hog a
potbellied pig is much, much smaller. A three year old commercial sow will weigh
as much as eight hundred pounds. Compare this to a three-year-old potbellied sow
weighing ninety pounds. Potbellied pigs are naturally small. By selectively
breeding smaller pigs, the resulting offspring will eventually become smaller.
Potbellied pig breeders are involved in this long, arduous process and in due
time there may be an actual miniature potbellied pig.
Personally, I have yet to see a micro-mini or tea cup
pig. The claim that a full-grown pig is only six inches tall is inconceivable to
me. You must remember that I’m from Missouri, the Show Me State; and, to date
I have not seen a pig this size. The unusually small pigs I have seen appeared
unhealthy and stunted, lacking good bone structure, proper conformation, and
good general body condition.
I would love to find a reliable breeder who could
produce with consistency a smaller potbellied pig with excellent conformation
and good bone. Breeders in the industry are striving to attain just this goal.
But the general public need not be misled. They should expect that a mature,
purebred, potbellied pig weigh between 60 and 175 pounds. This is smaller in
dimension than many house dogs. People get so hung up on the weight of a pet
pig. The issue should not be the pounds of the
pig, but her health, movement, and social versatility in terms of how she will
fit into one’s lifestyle.
Serious breeders will continue to work at the task of
producing quality potbellied pigs who demonstrate sound conformation and good
disposition, along with characteristics that are pleasing and make for a healthy
potbellied pig.
"The Pig Person's Perfect
Pet"
