Urban MiniPigs

About Us

Australian Miniature Pig Breeders

We are both from Veterinary backgrounds and have always had loads of animals, although we are relatively new to the Miniature Pig scene. When we moved to acreage in Chandler in 2017, we were able to get our first pet pig Pablo from The Little Pig Pen in Victoria. He was awesome! Not long after, we had an opportunity to acquire some breeding stock from Wee Little Pigs, and we haven't looked back! We love having our pigs, and they have become a big part of our family, although we have had to electrify a few extra fences around the place! Our first litter of piglets was born on 5th August, 2018.

The Sows

Chester

Previous Litters

Stella & Chester's Litter

Born October 1st, 2019

Black & White Girl

SOLD

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Fawn striped boy with spots

SOLD

White/Black spots - Boy

SOLD

Rest of Litter are pre-sold (3 girls, 2 boys)

SOLD

Ruby & Chester's Litter

Born 3rd February 2019

Contact Us

Chandler, Brisbane, Australia

urbanminipigs@gmail.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read this section before thinking about getting a pet pig!

How big is an Australian Mini Pig?

Please be aware that although Mini Pigs in Australia are much smaller than other commercial breeds, they are NOT true mini, kune-kune or 'teacup' pigs as is often seen in pictures from overseas. Those breeds are not available in Australia. The average size of Australian Mini Pigs is 45-60cm tall at the shoulder, with a weight range of 40-80kg. They are similar to a Labrador in height but they are much more solid and a bit longer in the body. Pigs are not fully grown until 3-4 years of age, although they are close to full size by 2 years.

Can I keep a Pig in a residential area?

You MUST check with your local council before purchasing a pig. Most councils do NOT allow pigs in residential areas, however rules are different with each local council. Generally, you need at least an acre before you are legally allowed to keep a pet pig in most councils.

What do I feed my Pig?

More importantly, what can you NOT feed pigs? Please be aware that in Australia it is ILLEGAL to feed meat and meat products, or swill (leftovers with meat products) to pigs.
However, if left to their own devices, pigs will eat almost anything - they do not get "full" and will keep eating all day if they have the chance. As such, it is very important not to overfeed your pig, otherwise it will get very fat. Our pigs get fed fresh fruit and vegetables every day, with around one cup each of a Hobby Farm pellet, mash or similar commercial pig food. They will happily graze grass all day in the paddock, and can have some small amounts of hay or lucerne every now and then. Our pigs favourites are: Apples, Pears, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Rockmelon, Papaya, Strawberries, Carrots, Corn, Bread, Tomatoes, Sweet Potato, Bananas, and Kiwifruit.
Please be aware there are some things that are poisonous to  pigs and should NOT be fed - these include Rhubarb, Avocado, Cabbage, Turnips, Broccoli, Tobacco, Bracken Fern, Pigweed, Mustard, Irises, Cocklebur, Mayapple, Pokeweed, Mandrake, Wild or Choke Cherry.

I don't live near Brisbane - can I still get a piglet from Urban MiniPigs?

Yes! Piglets can be sent to most places throughout Australia, transported via JetPets on Qantas or Virgin domestic flights. Transport charges vary depending on the location.

Why are the piglets desexed before they are sold?

Desexing pigs makes them much better as pets. Sows start coming into season around 6 months of age, and then every 3 weeks or so after that. During their season they can get stroppy, more destructive and even more aggressive. Boars take longer to reach sexual maturity, however if not desexed they will grow bigger, tend to urinate on things as marking (like dogs) and may even try to hump things, other animals and people. They are also more likely to try to get out and bust through fences, especially if they can smell another pig around. Desexing pigs stops all of these hormonal influences on their behaviour, and makes them easier to manage as pets, especially if your pig is going to be a part of the household.

Do I need to vaccinate and worm my pig?

All of our pigs are vaccinated against Parvovirus, Leptospirosis and Erysipelas. They get a vaccine at 6-8 weeks of age, and need to get a booster in another 4-6 weeks after that. We vaccinate our pigs yearly.
We also use Dectomax Pour-On for all our pigs - this controls most internal and external parasites and should be given every 3 months.

Do pigs smell?

No! Pigs are very clean animals, and as they do not sweat, they generally do not smell. However, their urine and faeces can be quite strong smelling if they toilet inside the house! Pigs can be toilet trained in the same way a dog can be, and in general, pigs will not go to the toilet near where they eat or sleep if they have enough space. The old idea of a stinky 'pigsty' is due to large numbers of pigs being kept in very small areas, where they cannot get out to go to the toilet. Of course, pigs also love to wallow in mud or water if they can - sometimes they smell after a swim in the dam, but we just hose them off!

What about Nose Rings? Does this prevent digging?

We do not use nose rings at Urban MiniPigs, but it is a personal choice. Pigs dig around in the dirt ("rooting") looking for grubs, insects and plant roots to eat. As such, if you have manicured gardens or your pig has access to vege gardens or other prized plants, you may wish to consider a nose ring as a pig may inadvertently destroy your plants. Our pigs have access to large paddocks where they tend to graze, but after rain they do like to root around. They do particularly like to pull up and eat turf - so if you have any new turf going down, best to keep your pig away!

Do Mini Pigs get along with other animals?

Yes and No. Like all animals they have their peculiarities. In general we have not had any problems with the other animals at our place - this includes cats, dogs, birds, chickens and miniature cattle. However we have found that horses do not like the pigs very much, and are best kept apart. 
Dogs and pigs generally get on well, but they have a couple of different body language quirks which can occasionally cause misunderstanding. Dogs raise their hackles (hair on back of neck) when they are angry or frightened, whereas pigs do it when they are happy (give them a tummy scratch and see) - so a happy pig with raised hackles may look like a threat or a sign of aggression to a dog. The other time dogs and pigs misunderstand each other is sleep time - pigs love to "pile up" and sleep on top of each other, whereas dogs in general prefer to sleep by themselves, and get annoyed with pigs constantly trying to lie on them when they are sleeping!

How long do Mini Pigs live?

Mini Pigs generally live for 12-15 years, similar to dogs. Owning a Mini Pig is a long term commitment, so please take this into consideration before purchasing a Mini Pig.

What is a PigPass? Do I need one?

Yes. From 1st February 2018, everyone who owns a pig in Australia must register with PigPass - the National database for realtime tracking of pig movements. It is very easy to set up - just create an online account and you are ready to go. When anyone buys a pig, you also get a PigPass - this document has a unique serial number. Once you get your pig, you must log on to the website and enter the serial number into the system within 48 hours. This is a legal requirement and must be completed by the buyer within the correct timeframe. All pigs bought, sold or moved within Australia MUST have a PigPass. If you live in Queensland, please note your property must have a PIC code before you can register for PigPass (see next question). To register for PigPass please see the following website:

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https://www.pigpass.australianpork.com.au

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What is a PIC? Do I need one?

A PIC (Property Identification Code) is a number assigned to every Queensland property where livestock is kept. If you live in Qld you must register for a PIC before you can apply for a PigPass. Again this is easily done online, and you usually get issued with a PIC code in 48 hours. The following link gets you to the website for further information: 

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https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/land-management/pic

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The link for the online registration form is:

https://forms.business.gov.au/aba/landing.htm?formCode=RBE

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Can pigs be trained?

Yes! Pigs respond to training in a similar way to dogs - if you have ever trained a dog you can train a pig. Pigs are very responsive to food - banana chips are a favourite training treat. You can toilet train pigs, leash train them (you need a harness), teach them to sit, play ball, come to their name etc. You should also teach your pig not to jump up for food - although cute when they are small, a fully grown 80kg boar jumping on you or a child will knock you over. Get training early and they are great pets.