the micro
pig myth
There’s no such thing as a micro-pig. it doesn’t matter how much you spend, or what the breeder says. all pigs are born small, and all get big.
keeping pigs small by inbreeding, early weaning, & underfeeding them is abuse.
what is the micro pig myth?
Micro, teacup, nano...a lie by many names. Over half of our residents are victims of the Teacup Pig Myth, in which breeders sell tiny piglets for thousands of dollars, insisting they will stay small. This industry is enabled by cruel, unregulated practices, and social media/celebrity-driven luxury pet fads that perpetuate the novelty of having a tiny pig in your home.
Sometimes these pigs grow to a healthy size shortly after being introduced to a proper diet. Often, these pigs are smaller than what would be considered normal because of forced inbreeding, being weaned early, and diets that stunt their growth and development. Breeders insist that pig-owners intentionally starve their pig for size, and they're left with misshapen pigs with huge heads, small bodies, and organs that have outgrown their skeleton. These pigs live short lives, and require costly medical care due to inevitable problems within them.
so, how do breeders manage this?
Micro-pig breeding is a systematic scam that involves abuse by the breeder, preys on our collective lack of knowledge about pigs, and also puts the responsibility on new parent to continue the abuse, often unknowingly, at home.
abuse by the breeder.
The making of a “micro pig” begins before the piglet is even born. Many breeders will inbreed, selecting the smallest pigs of a previous litter. Pregnant mothers are kept small and underfed so their piglets are born small or premature. They are often weaned weeks before it is safe to do so, denying them critical nutrients for cognitive and physical development.
preying on ignorance.
Most people don’t have experience with pigs, thus they have no idea what a healthy pig or a baby pig should look like (the way we do with dogs and cats). Breeders show images of days-old piglets claiming they’re extra small teacup pigs, when in fact they’re just infants that haven’t grown up yet.
Blaming new parents.
Once a pig is purchased, many breeders will have new parents sign a contract putting the burden of the pig’s size on them. Feeding guidelines will actively and intentionally starve the pig to keep them small.
“he was 3 years old and only 12 lbs because they were told to feed him only 1/3 cup of food per day.”
— Anonymous, regarding helping to rehabilitate an abused pig
gallery of breeder posts
Be on the look out
Please, don't buy from a a breeder. If you want to a piglet, there are ALWAYS always young piglets for you to adopt and rescue. No matter who you're getting your pig from, these are signs to look out for that may hint they're in the micro-pig industry:
An emphasis on size
If someone is selling you a pig based on size, they've likely done some of the abuse described above. If size is a limitation for you, a pig is not the right companion for you, period!
“The parents weigh…”
Pigs can breed at just a few months old, but don't reach their adult size until they're over 4 years old. The parents might look small, but they might also be very young!
Obscene prices
Many of these people charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for a piglet.
Discussing feed quantities
If they're discussing a salad only, or salad-heavy diet, or extremely small quantities of food, they are promoting anorexia.
Selling the pigs’ behavioral qualities
Many breeders will sell how easy-going their pigs are, that they don’t need access to the outdoors, and will sell how moldable they are to any situations, because they want to sell piglets to people in all kinds of homes (apartments, people who travel a lot, etc). That simply goes against the natural tendencies of pigs. If pigs don't get what they need, they will be difficult companions and deeply unhappy.
piglets vs adult pigs
Meet Horatio & Mercutio
It’s not uncommon to be unfamiliar with life stages of pigs. Let’s get our facts straight!
2 DAYS OLD,
On breeder sites, you'll see piglets that look just like these babies (Horatio & Mercutio) here. Here's how you know they're newborns, and have a lot of growing to do:
Tiny, dainty ears
Pointed, uplifted feet
Domed heads
"Shiny" and covered in tiny hairs
Short snouts
2.5 YEARS OLD, 120-150 LBS
Horatio & Mercutio, at 2.5 years old. Characteristics of an adult pig include:
Long snout hairs
Long tail hairs
Grown hooves
Thicker skin (especially boys)
Tusks (especially boys 3+ years old)
Lengthened snouts
…and today at 5 years old, they’re tremendously bigger and more mature!
Rehabilitation
Magnus’ story
Magnus came to us at age 9 months in November 2017, severely underweight, scared, and with a prolapsed penis because he was muscularly underdeveloped. His initial surgery had only a 50% chance of survival, but he miraculously made it through. With steady meals, and lots of patience, Magnus’ body began to take a healthy shape. Magnus had 4 surgeries to reopen his urinary tract.
June 2022, Magnus passed away from heart failure caused by his poor genetics and abuse. We always knew that Magnus’ heart would someday take his life, but were not ready to lose him. He passed away at home, surrounded by his friends after collapsing as he stood up to join dinner. We are so proud of how far Magnus came in his life, the trust he grew and friendships he nurtured. He was a precious boy who seized each and every day, and we are so grateful for all of those days we spent together.
Magnus 2020, healthy & happy
Magnus in the Enchanted Pig Forest
Rehabilitation
Annie
Rescued December 2015
Annie was a primary inspiration for CTPR's mission of helping educate people about the micro-pig myth. Annie was only 11 lbs at 11 months old. The people who had bought her as a pet didn't know they were doing anything wrong by following breeder guidelines and feeding her so little, yet here she was emaciated. Annie required hip surgery because of her poorly formed skeletal system.
Annie passed away just 4 days after our sanctuary’s relocation to the Enchanted Pig Forest in October 2021. Annie laid down to sleep, most likely saw the sun rise from her beautiful new cabin, and closed her eyes for the last time. Annie was one of the most cheerful, beautiful, gentle, and loving girls in the world. Her fuzzy face and tiny musical grunts were so joyous and perfect. Though her body was tired, we are grateful she was able to see the fulfillment of our promise to help her and those like her to live their best lives. Today, we still feel her presence with the wind chime that hangs in her home of Juniper Flats.
Annie Fall 2020
Annie, the day she moved to the Enchanted Pig Forest, overseeing the beautiful place she created.
Dan & Annie on moving day
Joe
Rescued November 2018, Southern California
Joe was saved by comedian Whitney Cummings from the California wildfires in Fall 2018. He was severely malnourished, had pneumonia, mange, and suffered a penis prolapse just like Magnus. Whitney worked hard to help make him healthy, and eventually drove him to CTPR. Joe had a challenging time making friends at first, but his first CTPR friend, Bobsi, welcomed him lovingly. Today his best friends are other low-key and non confrontational pigs, Agnes and Moby.
Learn more
Check out our feature below by The Dodo in which CTPR’s Founder Dan Illescas discusses the teacup pig myth in the context of a very loved pig, Boris, and his family.
Also, enjoy this insightful deep dive by KPBS’s Maya Trabulsi into the world of pig breeding (please note: we do not support breeders of any kind, as they do contribute to the systemic issue of pig homelessness)