The Basics of Feeding Pet Pot-bellied Pigs

Pot-bellied pigs eat like... well, they eat like pigs. Given their choice, they will eat nearly anything, and lots of it. Just like many of us humans, given the option they will eat so much they become obese and suffer health problems. It's the responsibility of their keepers to limit their choices to healthy options, and not too much of them.

The basis of a healthy pot-bellied pig's diet is a combination of pig chow and high-fiber, low-calorie vegetables and grains.

The best pig chows for pot-bellies are those formulated specifically for mini pigs. These are better quality and better for our pets compared to those formulated for commercial and farm breeds. There are several good brands available; most highly recommended are Heartland Mini-Pet Feed and Ross Mill Farm's Champion Feed. Some feed stores, pet stores and veterinarians stock these feeds or can order them for you, and they are available online.

How much pig chow to feed your pig will depend on his age, size and metabolism -- just like people, some pigs stay trim even when "pigging out," while others seem to get fat on next to nothing. Talk to your vet about your individual pig's healthy body weight and adjust portion sizes from there. Most adult pot-bellies need about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of feed a day, best split into two daily meals.

Some pig owners choose to do away with pig chow altogether and feed their pets only vegetables, grains, nuts and beans. Whether fed pig chow or not, pigs just don't thrive without plenty of variety in their diet. Vegetables and other foods should be on the menu daily.

When it comes to vegetables, the more variety, the better. Look for vegetables of different colors and types and try to include several everyday. These can be just about any vegetable you can grow or find at your grocery store or farmer's market: carrots, beets, peppers, leafy greens, zucchini and summer squash, butternut squash and other winter squashes, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, turnips, parsnips, bean sprouts etc. Potatoes should only be fed in limited quantities because of their high starch content; sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes. Choose fresh veggies when possible, frozen otherwise. Avoid canned vegetables.

If you choose not to feed pig chow, your pig will need grains and protein sources daily, in addition to veggies. Grains need to be processed or cooked to be readily digestible. Feed processed grains such as bran flakes and wheat germ, or cooked grains such as brown rice, barley, winter wheat, millet or quinoa. Pigs should get their protein from vegetable sources, especially cooked beans of any type, and nuts. Grains and proteins can be fed to pigs who eat pig chow, too, but in smaller quantities. If your pig eats a hefty portion of grains, beans or nuts, you can cut down on his ration of pig chow for the day.

Pigs also love fruits, but with their high sugar content, they should only be fed as treats. One or two small portions a day is plenty, or feed small chunks of fruit as rewards during training. Any type of fruits are generally welcome -- try to offer a variety.

If at all possible, pigs should also be allowed access to the outdoors everyday in order to browse, graze and root around. They get nutrients doing this, such as selenium from soil, that aren't easy to provide otherwise. They may also be fed alfalfa or timothy hay for extra roughage.

Although pigs do well with a wide variety of foods, there are a few things that shouldn't be fed. This especially includes dog and cat food, which is formulated for dogs and cats and has far too much animal protein for pigs. Also avoid feeding pigs salty, fatty or sugary junk foods.

Pigs being pigs, they're generally quite easy to feed. A couple meals a day comprised of pig chow and vegetables, plus some grains, beans and nuts, and access to the outdoors, will go far towards keeping a pig happy and healthy.