I have a very pregnant pot bellied pig

[lab.adore]

Hi I am new to this forum hope to meet lots of new friends,

My pot belly is due on the 19th she already has milk.

Im a nervous wreck as this is my first piggy!!!

she is on my patio in a kiddy pool with a blanket. haha pigs in a blanket

Im in Florida any idea if she will need a heat lamp?

I will try & post pics of her for all to see.

 

[Orpingtons4U]

congerts she will be fine

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Welcome to the forum. Cant wait to see pictures.

 

[andbab]

The little piggies will probably need a heat lamp so they have a warm place away form the sow. That way they might not get squished. They get chilled really easily. Make sure they get some kind of iron or you stand a horrible chance of losing them. Good luck they are cute and loud. Don't let them suck on your finger it hurts they have really sharp teeth. =)

 

[lab.adore]

Thanks for the iron update I went & got some today any idea how much is to be injected and where do I give the shot & at what age do they get it?

 

[Nslangton]

How exciting!!!. During the birth you will need a lamp or heating pad. I use a heating pad covered with towels to keep the first borns on until they whole litter is born and that can take hours. I try to get them to nurse immediatly and then move to the heating pad so they do not keep getting wet with each new birth and risk getting chilled. This way you can make sure the entire litter has nursed. After the delivery they can all go with the sow and they will be fine without a pad or lamp. I forgot to metion I breed labrador retrievers and not little piggies, but have seen many piglets be born and other animals being delivered. It is also normal for her to have her milk already. Good Luck

 

[Skyesrocket]

Thanks for the iron update I went & got some today any idea how much is to be injected and where do I give the shot & at what age do they get it?

I hate to disagree but I would not give them an iron shot. It causes diahrea in the piglets. They do need iron but the safest way is to put a pan of clean dirt where the piglets can snuffle in it and walk through it. By clean I mean get a shovel full of dirt from an area that other animals haven't been pooping in.
Momma pig laying on (and killing) the piglets can be a real problem. Momma has to be in a large area where she can move around freely without fretting about stepping on babies. If you provide a bale or two of straw and a big pen mom will make what looks like a tractor tire size nest. Mom will lay in the center of it and make a grunting noise to let the babies know it's time for them to nurse. The babies will sleep under the straw on the outer part of the nest when they aren't nursing.
I have two litters here right now and just love watching them. Enjoy!

 

[andbab]

The vet that I talked to recommended infant iron drops. I don't know how much you would use for injecting. The babies can't regulate their own body heat so they need a source of heat as they chill easy. Best of luck.

 

[Skyesrocket]

One of our piglets had a bad week because she got severe diarrea from an iron shot. I noticed the piglets noses and gums were very white. This is the first time I ran into a problem with anemia. Then it dawned on me that they were in a stall with stallmats and momma couldn't root up dirt for them.
My husband took a few shovels full of dirt in for them. I also mixed up a pan of goats milk with iron fortified baby cereal everyday. All of the piglets snuffled around in the pan of milk except for the runt. So I gave her an iron shot and by morning it gave her the scours so bad that for a couple of days I thought I was going to lose her.
She was very weak from the scours. I brought her inside and gave her small amounts of electrolytes and a probiotic with vitamins. It was touch and go for a couple of days but her scours stopped and she started drinking goats milk and water on her own. Today she is stronger and eating really well. Her appetite is back and her poops are normal.
Infant iron drops might not have the same effect but I wouldn't risk it. Not when a couple shovels of dirt works. The other piglets pinked up and are doing great. I think that even though mom can't produce iron in her milk that they only need a tiny amount of iron from dirt.
And yes! They do need heat!

Best of luck with them!