The History of the Miniature Pig
Origin of the Miniature Pig
1 Chris Murray, a pig breeder in Devon, England, is known to be the original breeder of the miniature pig. He originally called the first miniature pig a "pennywell". Eventually, he called them the "teacup pig" after discovering they shared his love of tea. Murray introduced this miniature pig to the public in 2007 and began selling teacup pigs in pairs as pets to anyone who could afford them. Miniature pigs became very popular in late 2009 after several celebrities, such as Rupert Grint (of Harry Potter fame), bought a miniature pig. On average, a teacup pig costs about $1,000. Chris Murray usually sells teacup pigs in pairs, "so that they always have company and a companion to snuggle down with on cold winter nights."
Characteristics of the Miniature Pig
2 Miniature pigs are intelligent animals that can be house-trained. They do not shed, and they keep themselves clean. One false belief about miniature pigs is that they will always stay small. At birth, teacup pigs weigh under one pound, so they really look miniature. However, adult teacup pigs weigh about 65 pounds, and they are 12 to 16 inches tall. As you can see, fully grown miniature pigs aren’t that tiny. In fact, they are about the size of a Cocker Spaniel.
Health and Behavior of Miniature Pigs
3 Teacup pigs are affectionate, non-destructive, and very intelligent. They are pets that require about the same amount of daily care as a similar size dog. Just like with any dog, the entire family must follow the rules you set up for your teacup pig. And these rules must never be broken. Miniature pigs can live about fifteen to twenty years. Teacup pigs are clean and odorless. Unlike dogs, they have no fleas. They also make good pets for people who suffer from allergies to cats or dogs.
4 Regular exercise is important because miniature pigs can become very lazy, overweight, and even aggressive without daily exercise. Daily walks on the leash are a must to keep them fit. They also need company and should not be left alone for long periods of time. Miniature pigs need a large yard to romp around in. In many countries, people need special permission to own a pet pig.
5 You must also make sure that your local veterinarian has the necessary knowledge to treat miniature pigs.
6 Miniature pigs can even be trained to perform tricks. Dogs are motivated to learn how to perform tricks to please their owners; however, miniature pigs are motivated by food to learn how to perform tricks.
Buyer Beware
7 Anyone who is interested in buying a teacup pig should do some research on miniature pigs to make sure that a miniature pig would make a good pet. It is also important to make sure that you research pig breeders and only buy a miniature pig from an honest pig breeder. Many dishonest pig breeders sell full size pigs to people who think they are buying miniature pigs. If a miniature pig sounds like the right pet for you, log onto the Internet to learn all you need to know to buy and care for these cuddly animals.
Source information is from norcc.org
