Although it may seem strange, it is becoming more and more common to keep pigs as pets. Back in the 1980s, the Vietnamese pigbegan to gain popularity in the United States even though it was a farm animal, thanks to the appearance made by the famous George Clooney with his piggy Max. Since then and with increasing frequency, these pigs from the Vietnam area are considered pets in the rest of the world.
Because of their affectionate, curious and playful nature, these little pigs have more and more followers. In addition, they are very intelligent animals if they are educated correctly, and they do not need much care in general. All these characteristics, added to its size and graceful appearance, make this breed of dwarf pigs one of the most popular to adopt. If you're planning to take in a Vietnamese pig as a pet, don't miss this article on our site.
The nature of the Vietnamese pig at home
Vietnamese pigs are exotic and not domestic animals, but we can make them our beloved pets if we know them well and know how to educate them from the beginning.
After 4 weeks of life, Vietnamese baby pigs are separated from their mothers, and that is when they have to begin to discover their senses: recognize the smell of people and feel it as familiar, let breastfeeding and getting used to eating solid foods, and not being afraid in the presence of humans or other household pets.
These animals are very affectionate, obedient, playful and intelligent, but you have to know how to treat them and get to know them, because without proper training, these animals can become very stubborn and become somewhat destructive. The males are usually more playful but the females are more intelligent, so if we educate them well, with a little attention, affection and patience, these little pigs can eat from our hands, let themselves be caressed and bathed, or even go for a walk on a leash as if they were dogs.
It is important to know that they love to explore new places, be free and have company, especially if they are their congeners, although they are also happy with other dogs or pets. On the other hand, they hate being picked up off the ground or turned over with their legs up, as this makes them feel uncomfortable and insecure, and they are likely to end up screeching or making very loud noises to show their discomfort.
If you adopt a Vietnamese pig, you will discover that they emit a different sound for each occasion (thank you, joy, pleasure, pain, etc. …), but they also screech when they don't like something, or when they feel a strong pressure on their body (such as a hug), due to their instinct to warn the mother that they are there and thus avoid being crushed.
Physical characteristics of the Vietnamese pig
The Vietnamese pig is the most common breed of all dwarf pig breeds. It comes from the Asian continent and has a life expectancy of approximately 15 to 20 years.
They measure between 40 and 50 centimeters at the withers and usually weigh between 35 and 60 kilograms Their physiognomy is very similar to most pigs, only smaller, but still have large heads and bodies, and short limbs and tails. Most often, their fur is grey, black or brown, although some may even have white spots.
These pigs reach puberty at 3 months and do not stop growing until they are 3 years old.
Feeding and care of the Vietnamese pig
Feeding
Like other breeds, Vietnamese pigs are omnivorous so they can eat anything, but it is recommended that they have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and that they do not feed on feed for common pigs, since this food is designed to fatten them and will only make our little pig fat and end up having overweight problems, with all that this entails for their he alth and well-being physical. Unlike the United States, in Europe there is no feed specially formulated for dwarf pigs, but there are some cereal compounds that are the most suitable for their nutrition. And of course, they must have unlimited fresh and clean water.
Care
Contrary to popular belief, Vietnamese pigs don't give off bad odours, because they don't sweat and never come into contact with their feces as is believed, but they relieve themselves carefully in a litter box like cats. Also, if their area where they eat or sleep is near the sandbox, these little animals will refuse to eat or sleep there, because Vietnamese pigs are very clean animals, despite the bad reputation they have.
It is advisable to give them a bath every 2 or 3 months because it improves the he alth of their skin and coat, although they only lose hair during the moult, which is 1 or 2 times a year. Especially in summer, the ideal would be for them to have a kind of inflatable pond or pool where they can cool off, and a shady place outdoors so they can regulate their body temperature, because as we said before, Vietnamese pigs do not sweat and their Ideal temperature is between 18 and 23º C. They don't need a lot of special care, but they do need to get some shots similar to those of dogs from time to time.
These animals are very susceptible to stress, intense heat and cold, and heart disease, so if we want to keep a Vietnamese pig as a pet, we need to know that we need plenty oftime to dedicate and pay attention to their education , because you have to train them as if it were a puppy dog, and in addition, they need to exercise and take long walks every day, for so it is advisable not to have them in small flats or houses or without a garden.
A curious fact that should be noted is that this is one of the animals with the highest rate of abandonment, since when they are small they fit in one hand and need very little care, but as they go growing, these dwarf pigs increase enormously in size and need much more space. So if you are not willing to waste time taking care of them, training them and giving them everything they need, it is better not to have this type of pet at home.
Do you want to know more about Vietnamese pork?
If you are considering taking in a Vietnamese pig as a pet, we recommend that you consult the following articles, as they contain a lot of specific information that will be of great interest and use to you:
- Vietnamese pig feed
- Vietnamese pig care
- Most common diseases of Vietnamese pigs
