Mini Micro and Tea cup Pigs for Sale in Canada

Hi all, I am very happy to announce the arrival into Canada of adorable micro and mini micro pigs!. We will have very few litters per year but are happy to help a few Canadians (and Americans) welcome the micro pig into their family! :) www.micropigscanada.com

Before you begin training, consider the following ...

The Book: Kinship with All Life by J. Allen Boone and was written in 1954.

QUOTE..."you must first understand the distinction between training an animal and educating one. Trained animals are relatively easy to turn out. All that is required is a book of instructions, a certain amount of bluff and bluster, something to use for threatening and punishing purposes, and of course the animal. Educating an animal, on the other hand, demands keen intelligence, integrity, imagination and the gentle touch, mentally, vocally and physically.

The most significant difference between training and educating an animal lies in the matter of emphasis. It depends on whether one places emphasis on the mental or the physical part of the animal. The conventional trainer, following traditional and rigid patterns, places his emphasis almost entirely on the physical. As long as his animal looks its best and obeys orders promptly, he is satisfied. This method is limiting to the animal and stereotyped in its results.

The conventional trainer starts from a negative premise. He assumes that he is working with a dumb and inferior form of life which even at its best can go only so far in intelligence and accomplishments because of its "limited brain capacity." If he happens to be working with a dog, his primary ambition is so to dominate the animal that it will be completely subservient to him, obey his every command and treat him with idolatrous attention at all times. It is as though he were constantly saying to the dog: "Now don't forget, you down there, that I am your lord and master! So follow and do everything I say, or else!"

Most of the animals that man has used to serve his own selfish ends down through the centuries have been products of this training-without-educating system. A minimum of intelligence and a maximum of force are employed in order to compel blind obedience. In professional circles this is known as the "make 'em or break 'em" technique. The animal's resistance is so broken down and its spontaneity and initiative so dulled that it supinely does whatever the trainer demands. With its thinking and natural impulses walled off, it becomes a four-legged slave, submissively serving the moods and whims of the human ego that is playing God to it.

The animal educator does just the reverse of all this. Moving into the situation with insight and intuition, he places full emphasis on the mental rather than on the physical part of the animal. He treats it as an intelligent fellow being whose capacity for development and expression he refuses to limit in any direction. He knows that the animal's appearance, actions and accomplishments are only the outward expressions of its state of mind. He seeks to help the animal make use of its thinking faculties, so that there will be corresponding results in its looks, character and actions....."

There is a lot of information, mostly negative, about this miniature pig world. The biggest reason is people's perception of what a "mini" pig is. We would like to sort out the facts vs. fiction on this hotly debated topic.

First of all, let's start at the beginning ... pigs have been a food source forever (not in this house!) hence, bigger is better! The quickest way we can get the hog to market, so we put them on fattening diets, breed them into bigger and bigger pigs, so that we can have a food source at the lowest price possible (younger and bigger = less expense to raise and feed)

In the 1980s miniature pigs were brought into the United States as pets. Miniature pigs generally weigh less than 150 pounds (68 kg) and stand less than 21 inches (53 cm) at the withers (compared to 300–600 pounds (140–270 kg) for many pigs with some growing as large as 1,000 pounds (450 kg))

But what about those of us that know that pigs are not food?, that they are animals, HIGHLY intelligent animals to be exact ~ 3rd most intelligent after the chimpanzee and dolphin, easy to train, sweet and family oriented. Well, we don't want big market hogs, even though they are just as lovable .. they just are too hard on the sofa and an 600lb friend is hard to have on your lap and forget about a dog door that will work, you will need to remove the entire door! Pigs in all sizes are wonderful, but if we want them as pets, we obviously need smaller pigs. And this is where our journey starts ...

The quest for the smaller, "miniature" pigs began and what appeared was the Vietnamese Pot Belly pig ... much smaller than his cousins, only tipping the scales at 150 - 200 lbs ... from 2/3 to 3/4 smaller, but the problem was, 200 lbs is still a lot of pig and most ended up going to petting zoos, sanctuaries, slaughter and farms.

Over the last 20 years, a smaller pig has emerged through selective breeding and cross-breeding to produce a smaller breed developed for scientific labratory research (sad) which has resulted in another public surge in the pet market. Finally people can have a smaller (under 65 lb) pig as a pet!

The breeds:

Here are the basic breeds of the "miniatures" that are used in breeding programs to produce smaller laboratory pigs and the currently popular pet pigs, teacup, micro and mini micro pigs (these are not recognized breeds and are more for size reference than anything):

Miniature Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs - These miniature pigs represent probably the most popular breed adopted today. They have an appealing appearance and docile disposition. Their exaggerated potbellies and swayed backs (a sign of overfeeding in other animals) are completely normal and healthy. Their average height is about 14 inches and their average weight about 50 pounds.

Juliani (Painted Miniature) Pig - These little guys are truly diminutive, averaging about 10-16 inches and weighing 15-50 pounds. Like the potbellied pig, they have a gentle disposition. They also love to play with toys.

African Pygmy or Guinea Hog - Truly Lilliputian, these miniature pigs weigh in at an average of 20-40 pounds and reach an average height of 14 to 22 inches. They are active, alert and highly intelligent. In contrast to the potbellied pigs, African Pygmies have straight backs. They bond quickly to their humans and love to be close to their favorite people.

Yucatan (Mexican Hairless) Pig - These mini pigs come in both a small and not so small model. The larger breed can run upwards of 200 pounds while the smaller variety averages between 50 and 100 pounds. They grow to 16-24 inches in height.

Ossabaw Island Pig - Averaging 14-20 inches and 25-90 pounds, Ossabaw’s have a fantastic temperament, bond well with humans and are very bright. These guys live up to 25 years so you’re practically adopting a child and raising him through college as much as buying a pet.

So, you want one as a pet, how do you choose?

The biggest factor when considering a pig as a pet in regards to size is how it will live. If you happen to live in an urban setting that allows pigs as pets, you would want to find the smallest size as possible as this pig will live in your house with you, with outdoor access much like a dog (walking on leash and yard space) If this is you, you will have to be prepared to spend the most money as smaller is rarer and more money. You would choose the "micro" or "mini micro" sizes.

If you want a pet pig and live in a place that would allow you to create a nice outdoor habitat, a cozy, draft free and weatherproof house, yard, wallow and so forth ... then you can go with a bigger miniature like a mini potbelly or micro, which should give you a pig that matures to 65 lbs max (of course we are not talking about people that feed thier pigs junk food as a daily diet and expect them to stay small, ANY animal, including us, will get heavier) This will keep the purchase price down, but if this is going to be an outdoor animal, it MUST have company, pigs are not solitary animals and it is cruel to keep them alone. You could choose from any size, including the traditional miniature pot belly which has really come down in price, although we do not breed them ourselves.

One thing to keep in mind: genetics are tricky, even with the most meticulous breeding, the odd one will exceed it's estimated genetic potential ~ we are the same, ever see a 6'7 son out of average sized parents, YES !! That being said, the miniature pig is getting smaller, so much so, that new breeds are being formed and soon to be recognized as such. Until then, the quest continues, supply and demand rule our world and diminutive pigs demand the biggest price but also give the most benefit in regards to fitting into our urban environments.

Buyer beware, like anything, there are those that will be happy to sell you an adorable "piglet" and then run away as your pig grows and grows and grows! Only purchase from breeders that can assist you through the entire process, introduce you to the parents, give you the facts and offer post purchase support for the life of the pig. Although nobody can give a guarantee on size, (except God) a good breeder can help you find the best pig to fit your lifestyle and when Mother Nature plays a trick on us, they can be there to support you.

Article source: www.micropigscanada.com

There is a lot of information, mostly negative, about this miniature pig world. The biggest reason is people's perception of what a "mini" pig is. We would like to sort out the facts vs. fiction on this hotly debated topic.

First of all, let's start at the beginning ... pigs have been a food source forever (not in this house!) hence, bigger is better! The quickest way we can get the hog to market, so we put them on fattening diets, breed them into bigger and bigger pigs, so that we can have a food source at the lowest price possible (younger and bigger = less expense to raise and feed)

In the 1980s miniature pigs were brought into the United States as pets. Miniature pigs generally weigh less than 150 pounds (68 kg) and stand less than 21 inches (53 cm) at the withers (compared to 300–600 pounds (140–270 kg) for many pigs with some growing as large as 1,000 pounds (450 kg))

But what about those of us that know that pigs are not food?, that they are animals, HIGHLY intelligent animals to be exact ~ 3rd most intelligent after the chimpanzee and dolphin, easy to train, sweet and family oriented. Well, we don't want big market hogs, even though they are just as lovable .. they just are too hard on the sofa and an 600lb friend is hard to have on your lap and forget about a dog door that will work, you will need to remove the entire door! Pigs in all sizes are wonderful, but if we want them as pets, we obviously need smaller pigs. And this is where our journey starts ...

The quest for the smaller, "miniature" pigs began and what appeared was the Vietnamese Pot Belly pig ... much smaller than his cousins, only tipping the scales at 150 - 200 lbs ... from 2/3 to 3/4 smaller, but the problem was, 200 lbs is still a lot of pig and most ended up going to petting zoos, sanctuaries, slaughter and farms.

Over the last 20 years, a smaller pig has emerged through selective breeding and cross-breeding to produce a smaller breed developed for scientific laboratory research (sad) which has resulted in another public surge in the pet market. Finally people can have a smaller (under 65 lb) pig as a pet!

The breeds:

Here are the basic breeds of the "miniatures" that are used in breeding programs to produce smaller laboratory pigs and the currently popular pet pigs, teacup, micro and mini micro pigs (these are not recognized breeds and are more for size reference than anything):

Miniature Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs - These miniature pigs represent probably the most popular breed adopted today. They have an appealing appearance and docile disposition. Their exaggerated potbellies and swayed backs (a sign of overfeeding in other animals) are completely normal and healthy. Their average height is about 14 inches and their average weight about 50 pounds.

Juliani (Painted Miniature) Pig - These little guys are truly diminutive, averaging about 10-16 inches and weighing 15-50 pounds. Like the potbellied pig, they have a gentle disposition. They also love to play with toys.

African Pygmy or Guinea Hog - Truly Lilliputian, these miniature pigs weigh in at an average of 20-40 pounds and reach an average height of 14 to 22 inches. They are active, alert and highly intelligent. In contrast to the potbellied pigs, African Pygmies have straight backs. They bond quickly to their humans and love to be close to their favorite people.

Yucatan (Mexican Hairless) Pig - These mini pigs come in both a small and not so small model. The larger breed can run upwards of 200 pounds while the smaller variety averages between 50 and 100 pounds. They grow to 16-24 inches in height.

Ossabaw Island Pig - Averaging 14-20 inches and 25-90 pounds, Ossabaw’s have a fantastic temperament, bond well with humans and are very bright. These guys live up to 25 years so you’re practically adopting a child and raising him through college as much as buying a pet.

The miniature pig sizes:

The sizes being mentioned on the net, which are not breeds but a combination, are the following:

"Potbelly Pig": 18 - 26" weigh up to 200 lbs

"Miniature Potbelly Pig": 16 - 18" weigh up to 100 lbs

"Tea cup Pig": 16" and under This size is just another name for a smaller pot bellied pig. Most pot bellies are black, black and white and a few are pink with a gray butt.

"Toy Pig": 14 - 16" (Can be a combination of two breeds) They will be many different colors as well to include chocolate, spotted, pink, and red.

"Micro pig": 12 - 16" This is a new breed in itself, you will notice a different body type than the potbellies and a longer, squared off nose., straight back, smaller tummy and longer leg. This is what we breed. They are also weigh less than pot belly pigs, which makes them easier to handle.

"Mini Micro Pig": 15" and under, same as the micro in looks but smaller. The true ones that stay this small are very rare. We will have mini micro pigs in 2011.

"Mini Juliana Pig": 11 - 14" This is a breed in itself. Unlike the pot bellies the Juliana is very delicate boned and has a long nose and always has spots. Also knows as the painted pig or spotted Juliana. This is the smallest of all of the mini breed but many do not like it's purebred look, we cross them to micros to get the smooshed in nose people want. Juliana pigs are an important part of our breeding program, they bring incredible color and the refined body to the party, purebreds are also very rare. Even if you get a 14 or 15 inch tall pig (which is still very small) it will be mostly because of the longer legs and the body is finer so they do not get as heavy.

Typical growth from a piglet to adult:

Year 1 - fastest growth phase, newborn piglets are similar in size in all breeds, they gain weight very fast, up to a pound a week for miniatures, more for the larger breeds. They grow 70% of their final height in this year.

Year 2 - growth slows down, most have reached their adult height by 18 months, muscle and fat accumulate. Starting year 2, diet should be carefully watched to avoid excessive weight gain, this is a major problem for pet pig owners. A pig that can be healthy and fit at 45 lbs, can easily double that and more with fat gain ... but what comes with that is diabetes, hoof disorders, arthritis, blindness and more. Keep your pig fit! (and of course, NOT underfed either, you should never see ribs or hips bones on a pig) A pig can grow inches taller just because of body fat increases, they gain weight on the top line first, then tummy and jowl. Fat around the face, rolls on sides and a very round rump are signs of an overweight pig. Evaluate your pig like you would your dog in terms of body condition.

Year 3 and 4 - Miniature pigs are considered adults, weight gain needs to be monitored as bored pigs are hungry pigs, they also do not need as many calories, grazing and exercise is very important at this stage to keep them moving ... once pigs are fully grown and not active, they will get slower, sleep more often and gain weight ... this is up to you as an owner to do things with your pig other than have it live in a pen doing nothing, unless it has lot's of room to roam and companionship it needs something to do. Pigs that have to live in mud pens and eat slop twice a day is not a happy life.

~ please note, these size references are general guidelines and can vary, just like us, genetics vary and we can only estimate. For height, pigs are measured from the ground up to the top of the shoulder.

Article source: www.micropigscanada.com