Large and Small size pigs

Measures of the animals as adults

Pets

Domestic piglet

Teacup pigs arise as pets and their defenders guarantee: they are cleaner than a dog

In the house where she lives, in Tucuruvi, in the North Zone, the 5-month-old Sapphira piglet is pampered: she has a wardrobe of her own, with shiny pendants to adorn forehead, dresses and Snow White's costume. "She is needy, so I always put her on my lap and pet her all the time," enthuses student Taislaine Lima, 21. The group of fans of the species also includes people like the advertisers Andrea Mendes and Domenico Massareto, for whom getting rid of bacon in the pantry was not the only change brought by Jamón and Nero. After the purchase of the pets, the couple moved from a penthouse in Lapa to a house in Vila Madalena with a large outdoor area. "They are cleaner than dogs, and they always use the same potty location," says Andrea.
Pig lineage selected not to grow, the teacup pigs reach 35 centimeters in adulthood, half the height of a common pig. The love for pet got here from overseas, thanks to the success of the English cartoon Peppa Pig and the fact that these pets were adopted by celebrities like socialite Paris Hilton and singer Miley Cyrus. "We have a waiting line," says creator Flavia Heesch. At her farm, in São Roque, 60 kilometers from São Paulo, 230 piglets were sold last year, double of 2013. The price ranges there from 1000 to 2000 reais (the pink ones, similar to piggy banks, cost more). The veterinarian Débora Berllini explains that, regarding health, there is not much to worry about. Just vaccinate them once a year and apply a dose of vermifuge every six months. "They do not transmit more diseases than cats and dogs," he says. The biologist Sérgio Rangel, however, warns that it is not a pet suitable for an apartment, because it needs space and emits high grunts. "The ideal is to have a good backyard, because little pigs like to play on land or in water," he says.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, the mini-pigs consume a rabbit ration that costs 20 reais a 5-kilo package. Another important point: there are those who sell, especially on the internet, common pigs as if they were miniature. "I got Bisteca on a farm, and at age 4, she was 230 kilos," says veterinarian Eva Fernandez. in this case, there's no Peppa Pig fan that can stand it.