Now that you have decided you want a mini pig for a pet, it’s time to learn what to feed them. Here is all you need to know about mini pigs and their diet.
What do mini pigs eat: Overall, you should treat mini pigs as small pigs. They need to primarily consume pig pellets that are full of grains and nutrients. They also need a fresh supply of vegetables and fruit. While you may be tempted to give them processed food, this should be avoided as it can disrupt their digestive system along, along with making them unwell.
What do I feed my mini pig?
Pigs are omnivores, which means they will eat both meat and vegetation. However, it is up to you if you want to provide your mini pig with a meat diet.
There are two categories of feeding, and which you choose is usually dependent on your preferences as well as time and budget.
You can opt to feed your mini pig an all-natural diet. This can include small rodents in addition to a variety of vegetables and fruit.
Obviously, this is not for everyone and most mini pig owners don’t choose this route. The alternative is using pig pellets, which are complete in nutrients.
Appropriate Foods for Mini Pig
Mini pig pellets
Up to 80 percent of your mini pig’s diet should consist of pig pellets. This may be labeled as mini pig pellets or even potbelly pig pellets.
Pellets will mostly consist of important grains, such as grass, oats, and corn. When deciding how many pellets to feed per day to your pig, be sure to check the weight guidelines as all pigs are different.
Fresh vegetables
In addition to pig pellets, you should supplement your mini pig’s diet with fresh vegetables. These should be fresh and in the season to get the most nutrients out of them.
Aim for crunchy vegetables such as beets, cucumbers, swiss chard, and peas. You can purchase these yourself, grow them in your garden, or even use kitchen scraps as you prepare your own meal.
Fresh fruit
While fruit should be given sparingly, it is a natural treat that your mini pig will love. The fruit has natural sugars in it, so while you are getting nutrients like vitamins and fiber, you are also getting a high concentration of sugar, so give sparingly.
Pigs love crunchy fruit such as apples, bananas, and tomatoes. Just don’t feed your pigs any fruit seeds as they can be toxic, as are most leaves.
Yogurt
Pigs can’t process a lot of dairies, so you don’t want to give your pig too much yogurt. Furthermore, it should be plain Greek yogurt as it is the most natural.
Aim to give no more than a spoonful of yogurt every few days.
Coconut
One of the benefits of coconut is making the skin of an animal shiny and healthy. You can give a small spoonful of coconut to your pig, as long as it is unsweetened.
Unsalted popcorn
Yes, popcorn is good for pigs, as it is a whole grain and something they eat naturally. However, you don’t want to season or add any oil to your popcorn.
Furthermore, it should be air-popped for the best results. Microwave popcorn, while convenient, is too processed.
Inappropriate Foods for Mini Pig
- Cat and dog food – While you may think these offer complete nutrition, they are actually too high in sodium for mini pigs.
- Chicken feed – While both pigs and chickens may be farm animals, they have different dietary needs.
- Pig grower food – This is meant for large pigs that need to be fattened up for slaughter. A mini pig will grow at its own pace and does not need a supplement.
- Processed food – Even though you love snacks such as white bread, cakes, and cookies, these do not have much nutritional value and can make your pigs sick.
How much should a mini pig eat per day?
How much you feed your mini pig will be entirely dependent on its size. Once your pig reaches maturity, be sure to weigh it and be on the lookout for any changes to its size as this can be a sign of illness or an unhealthy diet.
Furthermore, if you have a pig that looks rather large, be sure to research what the ideal weight is. When in doubt, ask a veterinarian. Even though rotund pigs look cute, they are unhealthy and the extra weight can impact their health.
Once you have the weight, multiply this by 2%. This new amount is how many pounds of food your mini pig should eat.
For example, if your mini pig weighs 100 pounds, multiplied by 2%, this equals 2 pounds of food every day.
When deciding how much food to give your mini pig, be sure to take into account any treats, fruits, or vegetables. These are often harder to weigh than pig pellets, which can easily lead to overfeeding.
Does a mini pig need water?
In addition to feeding your mini pig a nutritional diet, don’t forget that it will also need fresh water. You should always have a bowl of clean water for your pig to drink throughout the day.
Pigs will vary their water consumption based on what they are eating. So, if you feed your mini pigs lots of vegetables with high water content, such as cucumbers, they will naturally drink less water.
Furthermore, when it is hot out, their water consumption will decrease.
If you have your mini pig both inside and outside, place a dish of water in both places so that they always have access to freshwater. You may want to place a towel underneath as they can be a bit messy while drinking.
Instead of measuring how much your mini pig drinks, instead look for other signs such as bloating or frequent urination.
Conclusion
Mini pigs are cute creatures and deserve to be taken care of. Feed them a diet that is primarily made up of pig pellets. You can then supplement them with fresh fruit and vegetables.
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