Pet pigs thrive on a base diet of commercial mini pig pellets, supplemented with fresh vegetables and access to grazing. The balance matters more than most new pig owners expect: pigs gain weight easily, and obesity is the single most common health problem in pet pigs. Getting the diet right from the start prevents joint problems, skin fold infections, and a shortened lifespan.
Pellets Are the Foundation
A commercially formulated mini pig pellet should make up the core of your pig’s diet. These pellets are designed to deliver the right balance of protein, fiber, fat, and micronutrients that pigs can’t reliably get from table food or grazing alone. Grass alone, despite what some owners assume, cannot provide enough energy or protein to keep a pig healthy.
For adult pet pigs, look for pellets with roughly 12 to 14 percent crude protein and moderate fiber. Growing piglets need significantly more protein, in the range of 16 to 20 percent or higher depending on age. Most mini pig pellet brands (Mazuri, Manna Pro, Ross Mill Farm) list feeding amounts by body weight on the bag. Follow those guidelines as a starting point, then adjust based on your pig’s body condition. Avoid using pellets formulated for commercial farm pigs, which are designed to promote rapid weight gain.
Feed adult pigs twice a day, typically morning and evening. Splitting meals into two feedings helps regulate energy and keeps your pig from becoming food-aggressive, a common behavioral issue when pigs get one large meal and then go hungry the rest of the day.
Fresh Vegetables Every Day
In addition to pellets, offer a small salad of mixed greens or raw vegetables daily. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, and cucumber are good staples. You can also rotate in bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, celery stalks, and green beans. Portion size depends on your pig’s weight, but think of it as a side dish, not a main course. The pellets remain the nutritionally complete base.
Fruits are fine as occasional treats but should be limited because of their sugar content. A few blueberries, a slice of watermelon, or a small piece of apple (seeds removed) works well as a reward during training. Other healthy treat options include unsalted air-popped popcorn, small bits of unsalted nuts, or plain whole grain cereal like Cheerios.
Grazing and Hay for Foraging
Pigs are natural foragers. If your pig has access to a yard, they will spend hours rooting through grass and dirt, which is both mentally stimulating and nutritionally supplemental. Grazing provides fiber and trace minerals, though it should never replace pellets. Pigs on pasture in warm weather also drink considerably more water, sometimes 6 to 8 gallons per day or even up to 12 gallons on hot days, compared to 2 to 5 gallons for pigs kept indoors.
For indoor pigs or during winter months, grass hay (not alfalfa, which is too calorie-dense) gives your pig something to root through and munch on. It supports digestive health and satisfies the foraging instinct that, left unmet, often turns into destructive rooting behavior indoors.
Foods That Are Dangerous to Pigs
Pigs will eat almost anything, which makes them vulnerable to foods that are toxic or physically harmful. The most important items to avoid:
- Salt: Pigs are highly sensitive to salt poisoning. The lethal dose in swine is roughly 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, but problems can start well below that. Excess sodium causes the brain to dehydrate and swell, and can be fatal. Never feed salty snacks, cured meats, or salted nuts. Always ensure fresh water is available, since pigs can tolerate some dietary sodium only when they can drink freely.
- Stone fruit pits: Peach, nectarine, cherry, and plum pits can lodge in the small intestine. The leaves and seeds of these fruits are also toxic. Remove all pits and seeds before feeding any stone fruit.
- Unshelled walnuts: Shell fragments can pierce the throat and cause abscesses.
- Raw kidney beans and raw lima beans: These contain compounds that are toxic to pigs when uncooked.
- Avocado skin and pit: The flesh in small amounts is debated, but the skin and pit are toxic.
- Potato leaves and green parts of potatoes: These contain solanine, which is harmful.
- Tomato leaves and vines: The fruit is safe, but the plant itself is not.
- Rhubarb leaves: The stalk is safe, but the leaves are toxic.
- Acorns and oak leaves: Toxic if consumed in quantity, relevant for outdoor pigs.
Several common garden plants also cause photosensitivity in pigs, meaning they make the skin burn more easily in sunlight. These include parsnip tops, celery tops, parsley, buckwheat, and St. John’s wort.
Why Kitchen Scraps Are Risky
Feeding table scraps to pigs is more regulated than most pet owners realize. Under the federal Swine Health Protection Act, feeding pigs any food waste that contains or has been in contact with meat, poultry, or fish requires a license. This food waste must be cooked to 212°F for 30 minutes before feeding. Many states ban the practice entirely. The concern is disease transmission: garbage feeding has caused swine disease outbreaks in multiple countries, and contaminated meat products are the primary vector.
Even setting aside the legal issues, kitchen scraps tend to be too high in salt, fat, and sugar for pigs. A few plain vegetable trimmings are fine, but mixed leftovers from human meals are not a reliable or safe food source.
How to Tell if Your Pig’s Weight Is Right
You should never be able to see your pig’s ribs or spine protruding, but you should be able to feel the hip bones when you press gently. If your pig is developing fat rolls over the legs or excessively heavy jowls, they’re getting too much food or too little exercise. On the other end, a pig that looks gaunt or whose bones are visually prominent needs more calories.
Charts and formulas give you a starting point, but real-world adjustments matter more. A pig that spends the day rooting outdoors burns far more energy than one lounging on a couch. Seasonal changes, spay or neuter status, and age all affect metabolism. Weigh your pig regularly if possible, and adjust pellet portions in small increments rather than dramatic changes.
Water Is Non-Negotiable
Pigs need constant access to fresh water. A small pig under 60 pounds drinks roughly 0.7 to 1 gallon per day. A pig in the 60 to 100 pound range needs 2 to 3 gallons, and larger pigs (100 to 250 pounds) need 3 to 5 gallons daily. In hot weather, especially for outdoor pigs, that number can double or triple.
Water access is directly tied to salt tolerance. A pig that eats something salty can usually manage it if water is freely available, but the same amount of salt becomes dangerous when water is restricted. Use a heavy bowl or a nipple waterer to prevent spilling, and check it multiple times a day.
Supplements for Indoor Pigs
Pigs kept primarily indoors may develop deficiencies that outdoor pigs avoid through sun exposure and foraging. Vitamin E and selenium are the most common concerns. Deficiency in these nutrients can cause muscle weakness and, in severe cases, a condition in young pigs called white muscle disease, where muscle fibers break down. A quality commercial pellet should contain adequate levels of both, but if your pig is showing signs of muscle stiffness or lethargy, a vet experienced with pigs can test for deficiency and recommend supplementation.
Vitamin D is another consideration for indoor pigs that rarely see sunlight. Some owners provide a pet-safe UV lamp or ensure their pig gets at least some outdoor time each week. As with any supplement, the goal is to fill gaps rather than pile on extras. Over-supplementation, particularly with selenium, can itself be toxic.