Pigs as pets are cute, lovable, and have a friendly nature. Popular pig breeds that are kept as pets include the pot-bellied pig, miniature pig, and the kune kune pig.
In comparison to dogs and cats, pigs are rarely reared as pets at home. They are widely domesticated for meat, but not for keeping as pets. Search for domestic pigs and you will find a whole lot of information on pig breeds for meat and best pig breeds to eat. On the contrary, very little data is available on type of pet pig breeds. In fact, the popularity of pigs as pets came into picture only in the last few decades, that too when celebrities started keeping them.
Popular Pig Breeds for Pets
The main difference between a domesticated pig (or hogs) and a wild pig is less hair growth in the former type. When it comes to pigs as pets, they are intelligent, playful, and can be trained in a similar way as we do for dogs. Nevertheless, they do not like cuddling or picking up frequently. Hence, careful and extant training may be required to remain close with them.
Pot Bellied Pig
One of the popular breeds of pet pigs is the pot-bellied or pot belly pig. It is relatively smaller in size as compared to other farmed pigs (or hogs). The positive traits of a pot-bellied pig are activeness, curiousness, affectionate, and readily trained. Based on the hybrid, there are fourteen subspecies of pot-bellied pig breeds. Most of them are dwarf and grow to a size of a medium or large dog.
Miniature Pig
Small/miniature pig breeds are also known by the name, teacup pigs. Developed for use in medical research, it is comparatively smaller than other pig breeds for pets. Attention and interaction are necessary to train a miniature pig. And if possible, it is best to keep more than one miniature pig at a time, so that they always have a companion.
Kune Kune Pig
The kune kune (or kunekune) breed is reared for meat as well as pets. A small, hairy pig breed originating from New Zealand, it has a friendly and adorable quality. The color of this pig type ranges from white, gold, brown, black to a mixture of white and black. Unlike other pet pigs, the kune kune is ideal for indoor playing with kids.
In general, the lifespan of a pet pig ranges from 12 years to 18 years. However, some of them even live for more than 20 years. Being an exotic pet, some state regulations do not permit ownership of pigs as pets. Hence, remember to check whether you can rear them legally or not. Very often, breeders put up rare pig breeds for sale. This is the best chance to purchase lovely pig breeds for keeping as house pets. With the correct care and grooming tips, you will definitely love to share your home with these cuddly pets.
