Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig

Sus scrofa scrofa

Stats

Length:

height:

Weight:

70-175 lbs

Lifespan:

10 years in the wild, 15-20 years in capitivity

Sexual Maturity:

Breeding Season:

Gestation Period:

4 months

Eats

Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and vegetables. You can find them dining on leaves, stems, roots, fruit, flowers, insects, eggs, amphibians, and small reptiles.

Lives

These pigs are native to Vietnam but have ranged across Eurasia for more than 40,000 years. They were brought over to the US for meat and their breed can be traced back to a breed from the Red River Delta in Vietnam. They are often found snuffling around in open woodland areas with nearby water and dense vegetation for shelter.

Behavior

These pigs are known to be much calmer than most farm pigs, as they are herd animals and highly enjoy socializing with other animals and people. They oftentimes live in groups called sounders with 6-20 sows, or female pigs, and their young. Mother pigs will sing to their young so they can recognize her voice and come to her when called. Boars, or male pigs, are more solitary in nature and have tusks that are used to intimidate other males during mating.

Description

The Vietnamese Pot-belled Pig is plain black in nature, but through breeding in the pet trade, they can have a variation in color. They have large bellies and short legs that give them the characteristic round "pot-bellied" appearance. They are often smaller than most farm pigs, making them a great choice for people with less land.