POT-BELLIED PIG
Sweet and adorable as little piglets, most pot-bellied pigs grow much larger, and eat a lot more, than their owners expected.
PROFILE
Our pot-bellied pigs were part of the original Yellow River Game Ranch’s animal group. Sailor is the smallest pig in the pen, but he definitely runs the show. Remi and Fisher make sure to never get in his way. He has the longest tusks and isn’t afraid to use them. Fisher is the gray colored pig. He and Remi are usually seen switching between food bowls during feeding time because Remi likes to see what Fisher is eating in case it’s better. Remington, or simply Remi, is the largest pig in the yard. He is the first to run down for food and always the happiest to see his keepers. He loves to root around in the yard and make wallows for himself and the other pigs. He likes to fight any branches or trees the keepers throw in with him.
Sailor
Remington
Fischer
OVERVIEW
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not Listed
AVERAGE SIZE
Compared to a 6′ Man
AVERAGE WEIGHT
100 – 250 lbs
AVERAGE LIFESPAN
15 – 18 Years
DIET
Omnivore
REGIONS
Southeast Asia
Originally from the Red River Delta area in Vietnam, during the 1960’s, they were exported to Canada and Sweden. They soon spread into Europe. In the mid-1980’s, Canada began to send them to the United States, where they quickly gained popularity and were marketed as a house pet.
APPEARANCE
While smaller than a standard pig, pot-bellied pigs can grow to 15 inches tall and 3 feet long. Full grown, they can weigh up to 200 pounds or more. They have short legs which are perfect for foraging. Pot-bellied pigs generally have black, wrinkled skin and sparse fur, but this varies as many pot-bellied pigs are actually mixed breeds. A pure-bred variety will have a perfectly straight tail with no curl. They have a sway back and a large, sagging belly, tiny eyes, and short snout.
CHARACTERISTICS
Pot-bellied pigs will eat just about anything, but their diet in the wild would consist of grasses, eggs, frogs, snakes, and fish. With tiny eyes, they have poor vision, but an excellent sense of smell. They use their snout to rutt and forage for food. Their lack of fur means their skin is unprotected from the sun and insects. Rolling in the mud provides a protective layer and helps keep them cool.
In the wild, they travel in large herds, communicating amongst each other with various grunts and squeals. Males, called boars, will mate with sows and have an average of 6 piglets.
Pot-bellied pigs are very intelligent and are capable of being trained. They are also very affectionate animals, much like dogs and cats. Unfortunately, breeders make false claims of expected adult size in order to sell them as pets.