The Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig is a breed of domestic pig native to Vietnam. It mainly inhabits open wooded areas and seeks refuge in areas with water and dense vegetation. It has an average length of less than 1 meter and adult pigs weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. They have a relatively long lifespan, living for approximately 12-18 years if carefully cared for by humans.
Pet pigs need to live in a quiet and dry environment, with temperatures ranging from 18-29 degrees Celsius. You can let them live in a study, living room, or balcony. Pet pigs are afraid of the cold, so when winter comes, remember to provide them with a warm bed and add some blankets or quilts to prevent them from catching a cold or having diarrhea.
In Vietnamese culture, pigs are symbols of happiness, contentment, and wealth. It is said that those who are close to pigs share common traits, including intelligence, sociability, diligence, and courage.
Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs are incredibly adorable when they are young, with dark skin and wrinkles, resembling a little hippo.
They walk with their tails swaying and their round bellies add to their cuteness.
In the 1970s, the number of Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs had already reached millions. Vietnam exported these pigs to Canada, Sweden, and other countries to enrich the variety of animals in zoos or for use in laboratory experiments. Today, these pigs can easily be found throughout Europe.
1. Swine fever, infectious hepatitis
Most of the high fever in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs is caused by acute infectious diseases, such as swine fever and infectious hepatitis. In addition, heatstroke, acute poisoning, acute pneumonia, puerperal fever, sepsis, etc. can also cause high fever.
2. Bronchitis, chronic nephritis, endometritis
The sustained low fever in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs is mostly caused by chronic diseases, such as chronic bronchitis, chronic nephritis, endometritis, hyperthyroidism, etc. In addition, when viral infectious diseases become chronic, they can also cause sustained low fever.
3. Parasitic diseases, gastroenteritis
The sudden loss of appetite in Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs is mostly caused by chronic infectious diseases, intestinal parasitic diseases, chronic gastroenteritis, abnormal secretion of digestive juice, and imbalance of gastric and intestinal flora. The sudden increase in appetite is mostly caused by diabetes, liver disease, increased urination, acute gastroenteritis, severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, etc.
0-4 week old piglets can be fed with whole milk powder. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of milk powder with 100cc of water for each meal. You can also add 1 teaspoon of cream or 1 egg yolk for additional nutrition. Many sellers say that piglets should not drink cow's milk because its nutritional composition is different from pig's milk. However, many pig owners have fed their piglets with cow's milk and have not experienced any adverse reactions. Therefore, you can safely feed your pet pig with cow's milk.
After 4 weeks, you can feed the piglets with dry whole milk powder. Give them about 2 tablespoons of milk powder per meal and reduce the amount of liquid milk. This action is called "weaning" and aims to train the digestive ability of the stomach and intestines to solid food.
After 6 weeks, you can start feeding the piglets with small amounts or soaked solid food. You can also introduce fruits and vegetables. When feeding the piglets with new food, they may experience nutrition-related diarrhea. If you notice that the piglet's feces are incomplete in shape and watery, please seek medical attention as soon as possible.
After 1 month, the piglets can consume solid food completely. Since pigs are omnivorous animals, their diet should include vegetables, fruits, and animal protein such as chicken, beef, and cucumbers to ensure a balanced nutrition and promote healthy growth.
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