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Vietnamese Potbelly Pigs
Potbelly pigs are a dwarf swine breed which was developed in
the 1960s from a breed from Vietnam. They were originally brought
into Sweden and Canada and have since moved into a number of
countries.
Seven years ago, when Canadian Keith Connell imported the first
potbellied pigs into North America, he had no idea what he had
started. Originally, he intended to supply the pigs to zoos,
but a private buyer interested in the pigs as pets started the
porcine pets on their way to worldwide distribution and fame.
In 1986, when the first potbellies were sold into the United
States, their market price ran well into the thousands of dollars.
Recently, as the breeder market became satisfied, the price of
pets has come down to match that of pedigreed dogs and cats,
making them an affordable alternative to canine and feline pets.
The original Canadian pigs averaged 250 lbs. and, therefore,
were miniature pigs when compared to domestic swine that weigh
600 to 1,500 lbs. Full grown potbellied pigs weigh an average
of 70 to 150 lbs. with some reaching 200 lbs. or more; they average
3-feet long and 15-inches tall. Full growth is not reached until
approximately 5 years of age. Colors range from solid black to
solid white, with a variety of spots in between.
People ask, "Which make better pets, males or females?"
We have found that as long as either sex is neutered or spayed,
it really doesn't matter. Unspayed females suffer from "PMS"
and strong mood swings; intact males produce a pungent odor in
addition to displaying other unpleasant traits - neither are
desirable pets.
A neutered male is called a "barrow," an intact male
is a "boar." A female that has never had babies is
called a "Gilt" and a female that has given birth is
a "sow."
Most people who purchase these pigs want them as pets, but these
pigs do not necessarily stay small, cute, or cuddly. As stated
above, their average weight is close to 100 lbs., and they do
not like to be picked up or held. Unlike cats and dogs, pigs
are prey not predators, so being lifted up or restrained causes
them extreme alarm.
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