Bottle Feeding Piglets

• Bottle Feeding Piglets

What is the Safe Age to Take a Piglet from Its Mom and Bring It Home?

As spring and summer roll around, breeders are once again in full swing—exploiting and misleading potential pet owners. Social media platforms and sites like Craigslist are flooded with ads for newborn piglets labeled as “teacup” or “micro” pigs. Don’t be fooled by these myths! “Micro” or “teacup” pigs don’t exist.

Alex and I have stopped following several pig-related pages because it became heartbreaking to watch post after post from people who bought tiny piglets, only to report that the piglet wasn’t eating, couldn’t walk on a leash, and was slowly dying due to malnourishment and improper care. This tragic situation occurs because the piglet was taken from its mother far too early.

Unfortunately, many people purchase underage piglets from breeders who are simply after a quick profit. These unscrupulous breeders separate the piglets from their mothers and tell buyers that bottle-feeding will help the piglet bond with them faster. This is a lie. The reality is that this greed sets both the buyer and the piglet up for failure. It is dangerous and unhealthy to bottle-feed a piglet, and it is especially harmful to take it away from its mother during the most critical stage of its development. Piglets are not like kittens or puppies. They often struggle with bottle feeding, risking choking and developing pneumonia. Many piglets refuse to take the bottle at all, leading to slow starvation. Simply put, bottle feeding can never replace a mother’s milk.

In an ideal world, piglets should stay with their mothers until they are at least 8 to 13 weeks old. During this time, they rely on their mother’s milk, which contains all the vital nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. Time spent with their mother and siblings is also critical for their emotional and social development. This is when they learn important social skills, and their mother helps correct their behavior. No human can—or should—try to replace this natural bonding and learning process.

Piglets taken away too early often struggle with behavioral issues later in life because they never had the chance to learn these essential social skills.

We urge you to be responsible and educate yourself before considering bringing a piglet into your home. Don’t support greedy breeders who prioritize profit over the well-being of animals. Adopt, don’t shop!

For more information, please read this article: The Care of Orphaned or Underage Piglets.

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