how old is my piglet?

Question

Bacon in the bathroom   QUESTION: We just got a baby feral pig and have no idea how old it is?
So far we have been feeding her goats milk with a bottle, she has drank about 12 oz in the past 24 hours.
she has teeth.and loves to cuddle up

not sure how to judge the age?
also not sure what the differences would be to care because she is a wild hog opposed to potbellied pig?
is it possible to raise her as a pet with our 4 yr old lab? inside?
Thanks for the help

ANSWER: The piglet in the sink is a very young baby, the head is quite large in proportion to the rest of his body.

Pigs have three sets of teeth and are born with the first set.

Pig people like to call wild hogs and feral pigs "American Heritage" pigs. Large populations of any animal can devastate an environment and pigs are no different, but small populations are harmless and, like the wild horses, are now a natural part of our American wildlife.

These pigs are larger than pot-bellied pigs, ranging from the size of a German shepherd to the size of a small pony. Aside from their potentially large size, they make great pets. They are very energetic, very intelligent and easily trained. They can be a little more excitable than a pot-bellied pig, their beautiful golden eyes are always alert.

Pigs and dogs are a tricky combination. So much depends on the individual dog and pig. Pigs are prey and dogs are predators, so they don't speak the same "language". Sometimes, something about the way a pig moves or acts triggers a hunting instinct in some dogs. This is not the dogs fault, it's the way the dog is wired. And it happens in some surprising situations, for example dogs that have never hunted or shown aggression, or tiny toy dogs attacking pigs three times their size.

Do not leave your dog and pig alone together. Young piglets are fragile and a large dog could accidentally hurt the piglet badly. Sometimes pigs and dogs can become best friends, but don't rush it and it's always better to be safe than sorry.

The book I'm going to recommend is written about pot-bellied pigs, but a lot of the information applies to any pet pig. It's called Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training by Priscilla Valentine. It's available from her website valentinesperformingpigs.com or amazon.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you
I will purchase the book and never plan to leave the dog and pig unattended

you said she was very young and her head was bigger in proportion---
a couple of weeks old?
are there ways to tell their age?

too young to introduce solid food?

is there any difference in care of the "American Heritage" pig that you are aware of?

I want to give her the best care possible and don't want to do something that will hurt her
I am grateful you are so helpful and generous to share your knowledge.
Thank you again Michele


Answer
My guess, based on the photo, is that this pig is a couple of weeks old, at most. Piggy might be just a few days old. A vet can tell by looking at the teeth. Someone who is familiar with the American Heritage pigs in your area might know, too.

Warmth is very important with pot-bellied pigs and farm hogs, so keep piggy in a warm environment.

Piglets can be weaned completely to solid food as young as 4 weeks, although sows will nurse their piglets as long as 12 weeks. Feed him from a shallow pan. Bottle feeding is cute, and can be a handy way to carry water for an adult pig on an outing, but it's easy for the piglet to aspirate the liquid into the lungs, causing pneumonia and worse.

You can start putting Starter pig pellets in his goats milk now. Just a pellet or two, whirred in a blender with some room temperature or slightly warm (not hot) goat milk. Keep adding pellets gradually at each meal until it's the consistency of oatmeal, as long as piggy is eating Ok. If it gets too thick for piggy, add fewer pellets for the next couple of meals.

It's ok to start offering piggy various treats and goodies like bits of grape or apple or lettuce. If piggy was with his Mom, he'd be tasting the things she eats. His behavior may give you a clue to his age. Very young piglets, just a few days old, may refuse the food altogether, or take the food in their mouths then spit it out. Slightly older piglets, a week or two old, might chew a bit, maybe swallow, maybe spit some out. Piglets who consistently taste, chew and swallow the tidbits (without choking or coughing!) are probably close to a month old, and capable of eating starter pig pellets moistened with ordinary milk - but make the switch from goat milk to ordinary milk gradually.

My American Heritage pig lives with a herd of pot-bellied pigs and he thrives on the same care they get. AHPs tend to be very active, and your pig might do better on a maintenance hog chow than on regular pot-bellied pig food.

The Yahoo group PigInfoAndChat is a friendly, informative group. Several members have American Heritage pigs, and experience raising orphan piglets.