Many of us are under the influence of the need to fulfill a dream of getting an unconventional pet, which the minipig certainly is. This trend has been present in the Czech Republic for about ten years. But don’t be fooled by those cute snouts, taking care of the minipig is hard and has to be thought through.
What breeds of minipigs there are? Gottingen, Royal Dandies, Extreme Dandies, Vietnamese, Kunekune, Choctaw. These are the most popular. You can find a lot about these breeds on the internet, so we won’t list everything here. Let’s get straight to the important questions.
Will the minipig stay small?
Believe it or not, but it won’t stay small. Of all the pigs bred to dwarf form, only the Extreme Dandies, originally from the US, grow to a weight of 4–8 kg. Royal Dandies usually weigh 15 to 20 kg, and other minipigs weigh around 35 kg in adulthood. The Vietnamese minipig may have up to 150 kg, since its genetic dispositions are very diverse. Don’t be fooled by the ‘mini’ prefix in this pet.
Does a pig eat like a pig?
Even though pigs are omnivores, the special breeds should be strictly fed with vegetables, fruits, granulated mixtures, pasta and rice. And while we might treat a kitten with a little bit of cheese or other goodies, the minipig has to strictly follow the selected diet. And that is not only for the well-being of the pet, but also for maintaining the right weight. When it comes to ‘dining’, be prepared that feed will be everywhere – from the bowl in the kitchen to carpets next to the TV.
Is the minipig suitable for an apartment?
Although it breaks my heart (it used to be a dream of mine to get a minipig myself), I have to say that it is not. Dogs bark and howl, cats meow, and the pig grunts, squeals and sometimes even screams. The neighbours won’t like you. Aside from the pig making unbearable noises, it is also a bit of a ‘demolition man’. It makes a mess and bites everything that it comes into contact with. And it can’t climb stairs. It is ideal for families with a house and a garden.
What does the dwarf pig need?
Even a minipig needs to dig its nose in the dirt, it’s in its nature. It makes it happy and it needs it for immunity development. Don’t worry, pigs are very docile and will understand where to dig and where not to dig. Set aside a special patch for it where it will be free to indulge its instinct. Pigs also like grazing. Give it the opportunity. But beware, it likes to overeat. So watch how much it grazes.
Is the minipig playful?
Minipigs like to play. Thank god, that’s why we want them. Not just because they’re so cute. You should play with your minipig every day and train it while at it (maybe next time on that). Watch for stubbornness, they’re very clever. And once you make them angry, they will start making your life a pain, and it’s difficult to break any bad habits they may develop. Also, pay attention to the choice of suitable motivational rewards, as minipigs tend to gain weight quickly.
Last but not least, some good news – minipigs are suitable pets for allergy sufferers. And minipig owners claim that minipigs are cleaner that dogs. They can learn easily where to go to the ‘toilet’. Owners say you can even teach them to use litter like cats.
Although it might appear that the cat doesn’t give a tail about you and it is indifferent towards you, maybe you will still find some displays of affection in its behaviour. Do you know how cats show such affection towards a person?
Cats love grass. They nibble at it if it's to clean their belly from hairs or just for fun. In addition, if you get a cat its own flowerpot, you can hope that it will leave your other plants alone :).
Whether you remove a tick from a dog’s or cat’s fur the right way might affect whether the animal will become infected with Lyme disease or another malign disease transmitted by ticks. Have you got the right technique and tools?
Just like with people, also in dogs, Lyme disease is a very grave illness. There are an estimated 20% of ticks infected in the Czech Republic. And because despite the use of antiparasitic agents, your dog might get a tick from time to time, it’s good...
I’ve already written about cat mint, today, we’ll take a look at another, lesser known drugs. Since not all the cats respond to all of them and they don’t respond to everything the same way. Therefore, if you didn’t succeed with cat mint, maybe you’ll...
Every cat owner has certainly already heard of cat mint, catnip or catswort. Under all these names hides a herb that makes most of the cats “high”.
When your family grows by a new (human) member, it isn’t necessarily a happy event for everyone. For many dogs, it’s very difficult to come to terms with such situation, therefore, it’s better to start preparing them already before the baby is born....
I’ve already written about the fact that you’re not supposed to leave your dog closed in a car on summer days or on how to prevent hyperthermia in cats and dogs. So you have mastered the prevention already. But it is also necessary to know how to...
Without a question, chinchillas are beautiful and cute furry animals with large ears, a long tail and distinctive eyes. Do you know where they actually come from, what their name means and that we almost succeeded in nearly exterminating them before...
You have probably noticed that cat tongues are quite unique. They are rough and somehow scratchy. It seemed weird to American biologists and therefore they decided to look deeper into it.
What should I say, the cats are simply different. Since the time immemorial, they have been surrounded by mysteries and secrets. Most of them behave as if they were the master of the world and as if they don’t need the human at all. A couple of...
It can be quite a task to choose the right pet food precisely for your cat. To even understand the contents... That’s why we’re going to take a look today what to focus on, what to look for in the contents and what you should rather avoid.
