Your Pot Belly Pig Information Center

Spay/Neuter

Every pet pig should be spayed or neutered.

Un-neutered male pigs become sexually active at about two months old and you do NOT want an un-neutered male pig as a household pet! Believe us. They will want to hump everything in site, they have a bad musk type odor and can be quite aggressive towards both the female pigs and humans.

Males can be neutered as early as one month old. But it is best to wait until they have a little weight on them. 8 to 12 weeks is the usual time or when the piglet weighs in at about 10 to 12 lbs.

It is hard to tell on a male pig just by looking if he has been neutered or not. Testicles on the potbellied pig are not obvious, as they are on other animals. Make sure your vet gets both testicles. There have been many cases where one testicle was missed as they are hidden within the pigs body.

Also, pot belly pigs are prone to becoming herniated after neutering. Make sure your vet researches the proper procedure before the neuter. Click here for an article written on how to properly neuter the potbellied pig.

Un-spayed females have a monthly menstrual cycle and get terrible PMS! Their first heat cycle is usually at about 12 weeks of age and become sexually active at about five months old. They will have a heat cycle every month for the rest of their lives. And the heat cycles last about 3-5 days.

Spaying a female is a much more involved surgery and is not recommended on females over eight months old. Over eight months old the surgery gets risky due to the amount of fat that the vet will need to cut through.

Most vets like to wait till the pig has had at least one menstrual cycle before spaying. Again, you do NOT want an un-spayed female pig in your house! They get downright ornery during their... time!

If your female is not yet spayed, she may be feeling quite sexy and proud of being a girl. Peeing in front of her favorite people is one of the things un-spayed little girl pigs do. This is the main reason people get rid of the little girls. They call them dirty. But, this is just human ignorance showing.

In order for your little girl pig to continue to be the best house pet pig for you it is imperative that she not cycle or go into heat every three weeks. She naturally wants to reproduce and nature blinds her to everything else because of raging hormones. Peeing is one way of sharing her scent and spreading the word about her condition. Outside female pigs get the urge to roam in search of the perfect man.

So those of you with older females that can not be spayed please make sure that you have good fencing up.

Advantages to Spay or Neuter

• Spayed females have a lower chance of developing mammary tumors, and the possibility of uterine infections also called Pyometra or ovarian cancer as they age. See: Things Of Interest and Uterine Infections, Tumors & Cancer
• Females will no longer go into heat, eliminating the loss of learned potty habits when your female has her heat cycle.
• Neutered males have a lower chance of developing prostate infections. They won't develop testicular cancers. They will no longer have that musk smell.
• Neutered males tend to become less aggressive and experience a decrease in the incidence of fighting.
• Both sexes experience less of a need for territorial marking behavior, a decrease in the urge to roam, and become more docile and easier to train. The personality of both males and females usually improves because they don't have to spend so much time and energy seeking a mate.
• Fewer pigs in animal shelters, rescue centers and sanctuaries. This is one of the reasons pigs loose their home.

Please remember that pigs and all pets are a part of your family and not something to just be dumped because you didn't to your part. Take the time to spay/neuter your pet. Thank you!