Within the abundance of emails I receive the most asked question is "what is a mini pig?" What a great question! There are so many variations for a pet pig that I see advertised; Nano, Dwarf, Pocket, Premium, Juliana and the most common MICRO and TEACUP. I believe its time to clear the air about what all these names really mean.
People have come to realize pigs are not only good for offering a source of food. They are extremely intelligent animals who bond very well with the people they are around. They have feelings and are sensitive creatures. An animal with high intelligence and a kind heart... the perfect pet! Soon, pigs were domesticated to live closely with humans. It was discovered these friendly creatures loved attention (prime example of an attention hog) and would learn commands and tricks just as you would expect a dog too. The difference? Pigs would learn much faster! The popularity of pet pigs took off!
As their popularity climbed, so did the demand. The issue with having a 900 pound stock pig as a pet was housing. Only people who lived on agricultural acreage were able to house these larger pigs. Thus, bringing in the popularity of the Potbellied Pig! These smaller breeds of pigs (a mini pig) were the ideal thought for a house pig! Over time various people believed they would be able to mix multiple smaller breeds of pigs such as the PBP, Juliana's, Old Spots, etc. to make a smaller pig that families could enjoy. I guess you can compare them to the new "designer" dog breeds that are now popping up. Breeders took the best of the best stock and selectively bred down the lines overtime to our now "designer" (if you would call them) mini pigs!
So does this make them a purebred? The answer to that is no. This is where the confusion comes in. The labels Micro, Teacup, Dwarf, Nano, Premium and so on were brought to light as MARKETING terms. Breeders were looking for a way to describe this smaller size of mini pig in comparison to the Potbellied Pig. Each breeder will use a different term to describe their pig sizing. The great advantage to the mini pig and the array of breeds used, is not only the smaller sizes (12"-17" on average) but the range of coat colours! Blacks, pinks, spotted, reds, chipmunk/striped, black and white, salt and pepper (black with white tips), and blue/gray. Now all this being said, there has been a new registry created for the Juliana pig. This is an older breed of mini pig with very defining characteristics. The JPAR (Juliana Pig Association and Registry) has outlined an 'updated' description of the accepted characteristics of the Juliana pig found today.
People have come to realize pigs are not only good for offering a source of food. They are extremely intelligent animals who bond very well with the people they are around. They have feelings and are sensitive creatures. An animal with high intelligence and a kind heart... the perfect pet! Soon, pigs were domesticated to live closely with humans. It was discovered these friendly creatures loved attention (prime example of an attention hog) and would learn commands and tricks just as you would expect a dog too. The difference? Pigs would learn much faster! The popularity of pet pigs took off!
As their popularity climbed, so did the demand. The issue with having a 900 pound stock pig as a pet was housing. Only people who lived on agricultural acreage were able to house these larger pigs. Thus, bringing in the popularity of the Potbellied Pig! These smaller breeds of pigs (a mini pig) were the ideal thought for a house pig! Over time various people believed they would be able to mix multiple smaller breeds of pigs such as the PBP, Juliana's, Old Spots, etc. to make a smaller pig that families could enjoy. I guess you can compare them to the new "designer" dog breeds that are now popping up. Breeders took the best of the best stock and selectively bred down the lines overtime to our now "designer" (if you would call them) mini pigs!
So does this make them a purebred? The answer to that is no. This is where the confusion comes in. The labels Micro, Teacup, Dwarf, Nano, Premium and so on were brought to light as MARKETING terms. Breeders were looking for a way to describe this smaller size of mini pig in comparison to the Potbellied Pig. Each breeder will use a different term to describe their pig sizing. The great advantage to the mini pig and the array of breeds used, is not only the smaller sizes (12"-17" on average) but the range of coat colours! Blacks, pinks, spotted, reds, chipmunk/striped, black and white, salt and pepper (black with white tips), and blue/gray. Now all this being said, there has been a new registry created for the Juliana pig. This is an older breed of mini pig with very defining characteristics. The JPAR (Juliana Pig Association and Registry) has outlined an 'updated' description of the accepted characteristics of the Juliana pig found today.
Charlotte, 3.5 years old Mini Pig with some of her babies! A great example of how small these Mini Pigs really are! She is only 14" high!!!
