A miniature pig is a breed of pig developed for medical research but they are also used as pets. They became popular during the 80s; when full grown these little pigs should weigh between 35-65 pounds depending on their individual genetics.
Cutest thing ever

Many people choose dogs or cats as pets, but why shouldn’t you get a mini pig? We’re pretty sure they will make you as happy as any other animal. They’re simply the cutest thing you will ever see!
They have poor eyesight

We’re not sure if it’s their small size, but mini pigs have poor eyesight. If it weren’t for their excellent sense of smell and hearing, they wouldn’t be able to tell if someone was coming towards them.
6 types of miniature pigs

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what kind of pig you should get. There are 6 types of pigs to choose from, these are the Vietnamese Pig, Juliani Pig, African Pygmy PiG, Yucatan Pig, Ossabaw Island Pig and the Kunekune Pig.
The Vietnamese pig is the most common one.

Vietnamese pigs could be the best choice for you, they are the most common due to their size and they adapt well to new surroundings. Their size changes depending on what part of Vietnam they come from and the diet you feed them.
They become grown-ups when they turn 6

Vietnamese pigs are considered adults when they turn 6 years old. With a 30 to 40 cm height, they are bigger than a small dog, and their weight is just less than 35kg. Some European Vietnamese pigs might even weight over 135 kg if they don’t have a balanced diet.
They have sensitive skin

Like many humans, mini pigs can be very sensitive to sun rays; this is why they like to play with mud, to keep a hydrated skin. As a matter of fact, they don’t have sweat glands.
Their illnesses are similar to ours

It’s very important to take good care of mini pigs because their illnesses can be very similar to ours. If you own a mini pig you should keep up with the vaccination schedule.
The second closest animal to humans

We all know dogs are man’s best friend, but what just a few know, is the fact that pigs are the second closest animal to humans. Their domestication started around the year 12,700 B.C.
In Denmark, there are more pigs than humans

There are over 2000 million pings in the world. Denmark is the country with the most amount of pigs, in 1980, there were approximately over 10 million pigs.
They are cleaner than cats

It’s kind of hard to believe this because of the stereotype against pigs. They are really hygienic animals because they never clean themselves near the place they eat or sleep. Pigs like mud because it helps them keep a hydrated skin. Plus, they learn really easily how to use a litter box.
They love going out for walks and meeting new people

Pigs are not shy at all, they love meeting new people and being the center of attention. Just like dogs, they love going out for walks. This is important for their mental and physical health.
They live a long life

Have you ever wondered how long a mini pig lives? Well, they live up to 20 years and if you take good care of them they can live up to 30 years.
They can be very loud

If you live in an apartment building, your little pig might make your neighbors really mad because when they are little, they can be extremely loud.
They won’t cause you allergies

A lot of people get frustrated if they are allergic to dogs or cats. But there’s no need to worry about such allergies if you own a mini pig.
They were genetically modified to look like that

Mini pigs didn’t evolve to their actual size thanks to mother nature; it was a human invention to genetically modify them into that size to use them for medical research, over the years they were used as pets.
Pigs are the smartest domestic animal in the world

Researchers have found that domestic pigs can use a mirror to find their food. They can also learn different tricks, including playing video games, can you believe that?
Esther the pig

In 2012, Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter adopted a 1.4 kg “mini pig” named Esther. Two years later Esther grew into a 304 kg pig! They realized she was not going to be a mini pig anymore when she was about 4 months old. Esther became a famous pig on the social networks.
A lot of people abandon them

Just like Steven Jenkins and Derek Walter, a lot of people have been tricked thinking they were buying mini pigs, but they were actually buying regular pigs. Since 1998, the number of mini pigs has increased from 200,000 to 1 million.
They have suffered a lot

Some people feed them less in order for them to stay a smaller size. Like we mentioned before, people are tricked when they think they’re buying a mini pig, and when they realize they grow more than they are supposed to, they just get rid of them any way they can.
They need lots of love

Nowadays, different organizations are trying to educate people on the reality a lot of pigs face. It is important for you to know that, if you want to get a mini pig, you have to make sure that it is really a mini pig, and that these animals need to be taken care of.