Please help-orphan babies

Question
I had a momma pig that gave birth a week ago. She seemed to fine then her and one of her babies just died. I have three babies with no momma to feed them. What can I do. I really want to save them cause they're so tiny and cute.

Answer
I'm so sorry to hear that you lost the mom. I've been in that position and know just how you feel. But because the babies are already a week old there is hope for saving them without having to bottle feed each one individually several times a day.

I use Enfamil Nutramigen powdered formula. If you have another pig, male or female, put them in with the babies. The babies will cuddle next to the adult and have comfort like they would if they had their mom. Most boars make excellent 'nannies' and will take care of the babies. Obviously they cannot feed them so that's why the formula.

Use a regular water bottle. Mix the formula as per the directions except use twice the amount of water that it says. That particular brand and type has additional nutrients and is made for babies with digestive problems. That makes it easier for the pups to digest as well.

They will very quickly learn how to suck from that bottle by watching the older pig. They will also learn to eat the pellets as well. My babies LOVE that bottled milk and thrive on it. It doesn't work as well for one or two day old pups, but after a week they've already watched mom drink from the tube and will take to it quickly.

You need to thoroughly wash the bottle every day so it doesn't get rancid inside the bottle from the milk. Being diluted as it is also helps it to last longer in the cage, but not any longer than a day.

If you don't have an adult to put with the pups, see if you can borrow one from a friend. If it's a boar he will sniff and think for awhile that these are potential breeding sows. A common error for most males, they think that anything that comes close to them is fair game. But he will figure it out in just a few minutes, so don't be startled if he purrs and rumblestruts at them for a few minutes.

By the time the babies are three weeks old they can make it on their own. You can take the adult out if you wish, provided the babies are females. Remove the females and you can leave him with the baby boys until their weaned.

Good luck and please let me know how things go.