A piggy that's always been a bit skinny.

[RosieLily]

Hello, thanks for reading!

One of my girls, Lily, has always been a bit skinny. Not bony, not actually skinny-skinny, but she could and probably should put on a bit more weight. She is around 10-12 months old and weighs 910 grams. Touching her definitely confirms that she should gain a bit.

She has always been picky with hay, I have found a brand she seems to like quite a bit, but it's like she eats her fill and moves on. I have tried many many brands but the selection isn't that wide here. I have given her some oats whenever she's dropped below 900.

When she first came to me with her friend, Rosie, they were both very underweight. Rosie has gotten pretty chonky, she is a bit over 1100g currently. But Lily just hovers around 910. There is no rivalry between them, two bowls, two water bottles, lots of hay everywhere.

Could this be a health issue? The vets haven't noticed anything, both my pigs are checked regularly. But I have never had a "naturally skinny" pig..

 

[Bill & Ted]

I think by the sounds of it she is probably just a slim girl. If she is eating ok and happy then I would try not to worry too much. I think piggies are rather like people some slim and some a bit on the heavy side Her weight is quite normal for a sow so I would just carry on with your normal regime. Weigh weekly and record her weight (do this for both your girls). If you notice any major decline in her weight more than say 50 gms then I would go back to the vets and get her checked out x

 

[RosieLily]

I think by the sounds of it she is probably just a slim girl. If she is eating ok and happy then I would try not to worry too much. I think piggies are rather like people some slim and some a bit on the heavy side Her weight is quite normal for a sow so I would just carry on with your normal regime. Weigh weekly and record her weight (do this for both your girls). If you notice any major decline in her weight more than say 50 gms then I would go back to the vets and get her checked out x

Perhaps she's trying to stay in shape now that summer is coming

 

[Bill & Ted]

Perhaps she's trying to stay in shape now that summer is coming

yes, a beach ready Babe!

 

[Betsy]

My Dear Departed Dennis was a tiny boar. He was the runt of the litter and on weighed between 850 and 950g and he felt like he could weigh a bit more too. He was a very happy and healthy boy.

 

[Swissgreys]

Our Lucy was the same.
Happy, healthy and active but far lighter than any of our other pigs - she rarely went above 940g, when the rest were all over 1000g and Oreo was over 1400 at her peak.

 

[Wiebke]

Like with humans, some piggies seem to be skinny by nature. I currently have got my 7 years old Pioden, who has always felt skinny for his large size (even when he was weighing between 1400-1500g in his hey day you could still feel every single rib sticking out) and my Gareth, who is on the smaller size. As you can see, it doesn't mean that a naturally thinner piggy does have a shorter life expectancy.

As long as they are eating normally, are otherwise healthy and their weight is age appropriate stable, then there is nothing to worry about.