Pigs in general melt my heart. Okay fine, all my farm animals melt my heart, but ever since I was a young girl showing pigs in 4-H they’ve held a special place in my heart.
As an adult realizing you could have a pig in your house– all my dreams felt like they were coming true.
Oh and it’s not as easy as you may think having a pig in the house with you! ( Trust me I know all about that here)
I love getting a deal for things, and the same is true for animals. In my 35 years of a blessed life I’m learning that there are times you get what you pay for.. mostly.
I understand breeding lines and paying for the quality, and if you are looking for that and can afford it, nothing wrong with it at all.
We are bringing home our first purebred pig in December and it’s the most I’ve ever paid for any animal, or really anything for myself! I do look at it as an investment though since we will be using her for our own breeding purposes.
Today the purpose of me writing to you is how to find mini pigs for cheap.
I know some people are saying if you want a cheap animal, you probably won’t have the money to take care of it.
I’m here to cheer on my fellow frugal folks. The ones who need to get a deal on everything. Not because we can’t afford it, because why pay full price if we don’t have to?
I’m on all ends of the spectrum here with the pigs on our farm. We will be getting our first most expensive animal I’ve ever bought in a few weeks.
A Kune Kune Pig.
I also got my first mini pig Bentley the love of my life on craigslist. Seriously one of the most romantic things my husband has done was find the craigslist ad four years ago for a $100 mini pig.
He’s a big boy. A true potbelly mix.
Then I adopted him a friend Olive and she is mixed with Juliana. And I paid $60 for her.
She is the same age as Bentley ( 4) and was surrendered and I fell in love with her. She is so sweet, and she would have been excellent in the house. She really dislikes the cold. But she tolerates it because she has a couple buddies to keep her warm.
And then came Piper. She came to us from a friend who wasn’t able to keep her animals anymore. She is a purebred Juliana pig and she is our smallest pig.
Of course she is only a year and a half and still has growing to do, but Juliana breed is for sure smaller than a traditional potbelly pig.
If you are truly wanting a small animal, a pig probably isn’t the best choice. BUT if you have that connection with pigs and don’t care the size, pet pigs are for you.
How Can You Find Cheap Mini Pigs
Adopting an older pig is actually a good thing. You will know it’s personality by then and will know if you can meet the needs of the individual pig.
Go for unregistered. If you are looking for a pig as a pet, you don’t really need it registered do you? You pay for registration and there is a reason for it.
Although you can find some pigs that are registered as pets and this is a cheaper option than paying for a purebred. Juliana and Kunekunes will cost more.
Facebook is your friend. I find way more listings on Facebook. Search for mini pigs and then your state, or livestock and your state for groups. Groups on Facebook seem to be the easiest way to find cheaper pigs.
Pigs that others aren’t able to take care of, or maybe they have a liter that isn’t registered.
Craigslist is still a common place to look for mini pigs too.
Find a local shelter. There are SO many potbelly pigs needing a home. Our local one in the area is Lollipop farms here.
There is also this awesome site called Pig Placement Network to adopt and shop.
Remember if you are taking on a pig from someone that is unable to care for it anymore keep these in mind.
“Does this pig need to lose or gain weight? Does this pig walk with a limp? Is this pig agile and/or able to move about freely without any issues? Some pigs will have congenital defects, genetic diseases, nutritional deficiencies, painful obesity, injuries that need medical attention, contagious infections or parasites.
Can you handle the health & future medical costs of this pig?
Is this a special needs pig that will require ongoing medical care? “
AND the most important thing of all when getting a mini pig- will you be able to care for it for years down the road? So many mini pigs are surrendered around the ages of 3 and up.
They do thrive in an outdoor environment and this is something to keep in mind. Do you have adequate outdoor space?
I hope this helps you in your search for a mini pig. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment form below.
Good luck!
For more mini pig articles check out the ones below.
- Why I Sold My Kune Kune Pig – Our Experience & Lessons Learned
- How Much Do Potbelly Pigs Cost- Your Guide to Owning Pigs
- The Best Fencing for Your Pigs You Need Now
- How Big Do Potbelly Pigs Get + Mini Pig Facts
- Tips to Calm a Mini Pig: A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Happy and Relaxed Piglets
- 10 Must Know Tips to Pig Proof Your House
- Can You Feed Pumpkins to Mini Pigs?
- The Best Toys for Your Potbelly Pig
- How to Find Mini Pigs For Cheap
- How to Get Pig Pee Out of Carpet & Why They Are Peeing All Over
Teresa
Iām looking for a home for my pot belly. His name is Tux, he is destroying my back yard and chicken pen. My husband says he has to go. He is sweet, smart and very playful.
Tasia
I would try looking on Facebook for groups that are selling mini pigs.