Underweight Piggy

[AlabasterCrow]

We have an underweight piggy. He eats just fine and plays like a piggy would, he has just always kinda weighed less than he should. So he isn't sick, just that he doesn't seem to be plump enough. I have read organic coconut chunks (no added sugars etc) are good for putting some weight on them, but shouldn't be given too often. To help fatten him up what would be a good serving size and how often should it be given? I don't want to accidentally overdo it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Has a vet diagnosed him as being underweight?
Have you checked his heft?
Are you just going by what the scales say and what you think he should weigh? If so, then it is likely to be causing confusion as weight alone is not an indicator of what is healthy for each piggy - heft is.

There is no amount that a piggy ‘should’ weigh. They all have their own genetically determined weight and as long as his heft is good and he gains weight if he is young, or is of stable weight if he is older, then he may simply just be a smaller piggy and there is nothing wrong with that. You should not set out to artificially make him out on weight by feeding unhealthy foods.

He should eat a good hay based diet, with one cup of veg and one tablespoon of pellets per day.
If he is clinically underweight then a vet would guide you as to how help to him, but it would be through eating more hay, not through feeding something like coconut.

Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[AlabasterCrow]

Unfortunately, there is little to no heft. It's far too easy to feel his hip bones, even though he is a smaller pig I have been told you definitely shouldn't be able to feel bones so prominently.

Edit: Our other pig eats the same exact diet and amount as he does, and is perfectly plump. But He just doesn't gain or hold weight.

 

[Bill & Ted]

They really do come in all shapes and sizes

How old is your piggie, after about 5 years they do start to get boney around the back end

 

[Piggies&buns]

Unfortunately, there is little to no heft. It's far too easy to feel his hip bones, even though he is a smaller pig I have been told you definitely shouldn't be able to feel bones so prominently.

Its his ribs you need to check for heft

Has he been seen by a vet to check for any underlying medical conditions?
How old is he?
Is his weight stable as each check?

As I said and either way, feeding coconut is not the right way to go about it - a good hay based diet is the right thing but ruling out medical conditions must come first.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I would avoid coconut, it’s extremely oily and may upset his tummy, leading to weight loss. I agree a good hay based diet is the gold star here

 

[Piggies&buns]

Edit: Our other pig eats the same exact diet and amount as he does, and is perfectly plump. But He just doesn't gain or hold weight.

I see you made an edit.

We do need to know how old he is because an older piggy would not necessarily gain weight and they do lose condition and become bony.
Youngsters gain weight but there comes a point where they are just stable (with up to a 50g tolerance either side).
However, you say he doesn’t hold weight, so what has happened at his weight checks - is he actually losing weight at each check or losing weight slowly over a long period?
That is a totally different thing and requires syringe feeding with a fibre rich recovery feed and a vet check. Weight loss is not the same thing as just being small, weight loss is due to not eating enough hay and potentially medical issues.

 

[AlabasterCrow]

Its his ribs you need to check for heft

Has he been seen by a vet to check for any underlying medical conditions?
How old is he?
Is his weight stable as each check?

As I said and either way, feeding coconut is not the right way to go about it - a good hay based diet is the right thing but ruling out medical conditions must come first.

He is three years old as of the fifteenth of October. His last check up he was perfectly healthy besides being the runt, which is the usual takeaway. He eats a timothy hay based diet with pellets every day, though veggies tend to mess with both their stomachs, despite using a list of approved veggies from the vet. We supplement the lack of veggies with extra vit c and timothy tablets.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Usually being the runt means that small stature will carry on through life. There is no need to make a runt gain weight, they will always be small but as long as they are of stable weight, then that is absolutely fine.

Is his weight stable at each weekly check?
If it is, then he is eating enough hay and he is likely fine.
( you wouldn’t be expecting significant weight gain in a 3 year old - they are in their prime and should be of stable weight)

 

[AlabasterCrow]

Usually being the runt means that small stature will carry on through life. There is no need to make a runt gain weight, they will always be small but as long as they are of stable weight, then that is absolutely fine.

Is his weight stable at each weekly check?
If it is, then he is eating enough hay and he is likely fine.
( you wouldn’t be expecting significant weight gain in a 3 year old - they are in their prime and should be of stable weight)

His weight does remain stable. I think I've likely just been worried about it due to how weighty our other baby is in comparison. Thank you for the reassurance that this is a sign he will be fine.

Reassuring to know this is just common in runts. As I stated he is a perfectly playful piggy with otherwise happy appetite, so there was a bit of confusion.

I appreciate your input!

 

[Piggies&buns]

His weight does remain stable. I think I've likely just been worried about it due to how weighty our other baby is in comparison. Thank you for the reassurance that this is a sign he will be fine.

Reassuring to know this is just common in runts. As I stated he is a perfectly playful piggy with otherwise happy appetite, so there was a bit of confusion.

I appreciate your input!

Then unless a vet becomes concerned about him or you notice any actual weight loss (50g or more), then from what you have said, he just sounds to be a small piggy.

 

[Betsy]

My Rainbow Piggie Cutey Pie Dennis was the runt and only weighed around 950g at his heaviest and he was perfectly healthy and lived to nearly 5 years old.

 

[Princess Dustmop]

I've had several piggies that weighed in around 850g for healthy weights. Lexa hovers right around 850g, with a heaviest weight since I've had her of 893g, and Latte hovers around 870g, heaviest on Friday at 900g. Both perfectly healthy. My previous pair were similarly sized around 850g, though Truffle was closer to 800g as she got older (still healthy, just lighter). I've had bigger piggies over 1kg, too, though, and there are plenty of people with healthy piggies over 1500g. Each piggy must be assessed only in comparison to itself and what its healthy weight is ... just like people.