Thankfully, by learning what a pig should eat, feeding the proper food, limiting treats, and developing a feeding routine, you can help prevent these problems with your own pig. Pot-bellied pigs need a good quality diet that is high in fiber and low in calories. Ideally, a food formulated specifically for pot-bellied pigs or mini pigs should be fed.
These special diets can now be found at some feed stores and pet stores. If your local store doesn't carry these diets they may be able to order them in for you or you could also check to see if your veterinarian can order them. The following brands produce pot-bellied pig diets:. If you feed a commercial food meant for farmed pigs then make sure you choose a maintenance ration and especially avoid the grower and finisher type foods which are meant for optimum growth and are too rich for pot-bellied pigs.
Young piglets can be fed a commercial pig starter diet, but only until they are about 2 to 3 months of age. The total amount should be divided into 2 meals a day. However, this amount is just a guideline and should be adjusted based on the pig's body condition.
If the pig is developing rolls of fat around their face and you have a hard time feeling their hip bones, your pig is becoming obese and should be fed less. Conversely, if the pig feels skinny you should feed more. Nearing 3 months of age, make the gradual change to the adult diet. Foods such as celery, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, potatoes, and some greens are good choices but try to limit the starchy vegetables like potatoes. Some fruits can be feed as well but only in moderation due to the high natural sugar content.
Most pigs love treats like apples, grapes, and raisins, but these are good to reserve as treats to be used in training as they are very motivating. Extra fiber can be provided by feeding hay e. However, the new mother can be very protective of her offspring, and any disturbances or handling should be kept to a minimum. A small board placed between you and the mother may help your pig feel more secure during birthing. Once the afterbirth has arrived, be sure she has access to all her piglets.
Note that passage of the placenta afterbirth is the last event of farrowing. It almost always signifies that all pigs have been delivered. Retained afterbirth is rare in swine except when unborn pigs remain in the uterus, which quickly becomes a medical problem requiring professional assistance.
Veterinarians use x-ray images or ultrasonography to detect unborn pigs, and they may use medical or surgical treatment to remedy the problem. Potbellied pig boars males should be neutered castrated at 2 to 3 months of age. Males that are not neutered do not make suitable pets because of unpredictable behaviors around other animals and people and odor from their scent glands.
Breeding boars should be kept in secure pens and not in homes. Neutered males can make good pets. Consumption of the first milk from the mother, known as colostrum, is very important for their health. Colostrum contains antibodies that provide protection against disease. Piglets need this protection during their first months of life. Newborn piglets will instinctively find a teat and fight to use it. Mother pigs will grunt as they feed their offspring. When the milk is gone, it will take an hour or more for additional milk to be available.
Small piglets, usually known as runts, need to nurse at least 4 minutes at a time. They may not fight for a teat and often do not get sufficient milk for growth and development. In such cases, you may have to either supplement their feed or hand feed the piglet entirely.
Check with your veterinarian regarding appropriate milk for these piglets. If you have air conditioning she is going to be cold so keep this in mind. The wrapped heating pad also feels close to Mom's body heat. If she is cold she will go to it. Give her soft blankets and a soft stuffed toy for her to sleep with. Another thing to use if you want to stay away from using electric is to tie about 2 pounds of dry beans in a pillow case and knot the top.
This is then warmed in the microwave oven do not make it so hot it will burn the baby! They are able to snuggle over it it will conform to the shape of their body and will hold the heat for almost 2 hours.
Because it conforms he will be able to rest his tummy or butt against it and make his own nest. Most new pig parents don't know it, but momma pigs do not nurse their babies all the time. When you see those kids hanging on to Mom it is like a kid with a pacifier for good feelings only LOL.
Momma pigs only drop their milk when they nurse, about four times a day. When you hear the soft grunting "call to dinner," this is the only time that anything is really coming out. It is very hard, even for those with lots of experience, to raise a healthy baby pig from very young ages. You cannot provide what Momma did, so it is a hard battle. The main concern with ones this age is diarrhea.
Once that hits, it is hard to keep them going. Don't change their food anymore than you have to at the beginning. Goats milk is best, formula with baby rice cereal is also good. They will not be crazy about the pig pellets at first so you can powder the pellets in a blender, or add them to the milk or formula.
You can give them liquid vitamins with iron made for puppies that you can get from the vet. Another option is to give them a flat pan of clean dirt in a cookie sheet so they can 'snuffle' in it. That is how they normally get their iron, from dirt.
Feed the same thing mixed the same way each time. Try pouring the goat's milk into a flat pan. You can use an ash tray for this. Then stick their nose in it or hold the pan up till you stick their nose in it. She needs to get a taste of it before she is going to eat it. For the first time, hold the piglet in one hand and put the pan to the nose and dunk it.
It may take a few times, but you have to remember all she knows is Mom and Mom's dinners. This is not Mom, so you're going to have to teach her. Start with the flat pan. Use the goat's milk and baby cereal and feed small amounts often. A couple of spoons doesn't sound like much, but this is a tiny baby with a tiny stomach. If you overfeed she will get the poops.
A couple of spoons every four hours until you teach her to eat will keep her going, but sure won't make any weight gains.
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