Piglet Question...

[Jen4]

How many times a day should she eat?

 

[math ace]

I feed my potbelly pigs one time a day. YOU MUST be very careful not to overfeed potbelly pigs. They have a very slow metabalism and will get fat fast. . . . FAT is BAD on a potbelly pigs. I adopted the one you see in my avatar. . . She was 8 years old and so big that the fat rolled over her eyes and she could not see.

I have been two years dieting her and have VERY SLOWLY been taking some pounds off of her.

ONLY give healthy snacks to your darlin . . . carrots, lettuce, etc. THEY have no "full" button. So they always think they are hungry.

FOR entertainment. . . . I wash out a plastic milk jug and cut holes in it starting about have way up. Then I AIR POP some popcorn. . .
No SALT , No butter, JUST AIR POPPED popcorn. I put 2 - 3 cups of popcorn in it for my girl and let her roll it around trying to firgure out how to get the treat out. . . .

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Quote:
Just like Math Ace said. We feed ours exactly as the feed suggested. We have a 14 year old male PBP who has never been over weight. We have had him since he was 5 weeks old. We buy a brand named Mazura PBP food. He has eaten it all his life. In the winter he get 2 cups of PBP food for elder pigs per day. In the summer he gets one cup and all the yard that he wants. Once the snow flies he only goes out take care of his business then right back in. He eats all the dandelions in the yard all summer and has never done any rutting of the lawn. He grazes like a cow. He lives in the house and is better house broken than our dogs. Thank God for that since he has a bladder the size of a football...

He does get treats like popcorn and left over veggies on a regular basis. The wife drew the line when I gave him a piece of bacon one morning. She said"that's just wrong!!" He REALLY liked the bacon though....

 

[Jen4]

Thank You Both... very helpful

* Yeah I dont want to over feed her and yes shes always acts like shes hungry... I've been treating her like a baby, eat time, sleep time, potty time. play time, snuggle time... shes in the house with us. I fixed an area for her in a big plastic container with her litter box. The plan is when shes older shes is going outside (dh isnt crazy about her being in the house, I on the other hand love it). I'm not sure how old she is... I really think 3, maybe 4 weeks... I know thats really young and shes shouldnt have been taken away from her pig Momma if she is that young. I'm trying to find out exactly when she was born. But she is doing good with us

 

[Skyesrocket]

She is VERY cute! I think piglets need to eat more often than once a day. If she were mine she would be getting fresh goats milk (or milk replacer) and pellets about 4 times a day. 3-4 weeks is young to be away from mom. Fresh water available all of the time. In a couple of weeks you can start offering her grassy hay.

 

[spish]

ive never had a pot bellied pig but i do raise raise mini pigs (gottingers and indonisian)

the recommended amount of food per day is 1% of their body weight for adults

for young piggies it varies.....but i let them suckle from mum until 10 weeks but they should start munching what mum eats from week 2, so you have to give mum double/triple rations

at 4 weeks old she should not yet be away from mum, we dont let ours leave for new homes until at least 10 weeks old, weaned from mum and eat everything in sight

makes sure they have clean water ALL of the time,they drink a lot, and never ever ever give them something with salt in,their bodies cannot process it and it can kill them if theres too much in the body

 

[redhen]

I feed my adult pigs twice a day.. (morning and night)
Like the other poster said..depending on the time of year..
In winter they each get 2 cups a day.. split into 2 feedings.. (if they start to get too chunky..i cut down the food intake..)
and when they are on 1 cup a day..its a 1/2 cup split into 2 feedings..

As for the piglet..i'd split up her feedings to at least twice a day.. maybe even feed her 3 x a day..to be safe..until shes older..

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I agree..if shes that young..she needs milk...

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Our PBP is just under a year and gets fed 1/4 Pot Belly Pig fppd morning and then at night ...and all the grazing she wants plus whayever veggies and fruits I have ...this will be the first w full winter I have her I will increase the amount once she cannot get at the grass...she was also a house pig ( my hubby wasnt thrilled also lol) until this past August she decided she wanted to sleep outside ...we bought her an insulated homemade dog house and stuffed it with straw ....she hangs out with our three horses ...

 

[redhen]

Quote:
How does she do in the Canadian winters outside?
I also have my 3 outside now..but it kills me..i feel so cruel.