Teapot pigs are not real
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (356060)
Rockingham, Australia
June 15, 2025 4:51am CST
It’s amazing sometimes how humans want to fiddle with nature. I’m talking about domestic animals. A certain trait becomes popular and breeders focus on that rather than on breeding a strong, healthy animal.
‘Miniature’ animal breeds become popular from time to time. Small is cute, I guess. We have miniature sheep breeds like the Southdown; miniature cattle breeds such as the Angus; miniature horses/ponies/goats etc. While some may be fit and healthy, others may be inbred to glory and/or inherit defects that result in miserable lives for the animals.
‘Teapot’ pigs are a myth, but unscrupulous sellers continue to hoodwink unsuspecting buyers into thinking their cute piglet will remain tiny, only to find themselves with a mature animal weighing 300kg (660 lb).
One Australian couple advertise miniature pigs (but not teapot) although they (the pigs) are not recognised as a breed in Australia. After 15 to 20 years of selective breeding, Rachel and Joel Redford have pigs that might only grow to 70kg and perhaps only 30cm (12 inches) tall. Note the use of ‘might’ and ‘perhaps’.
The photo is mine of very life-like but man-made pigs which can be found in the mall in Adelaide, South Australia.
23 people like this
21 responses
@AmbiePam (99205)
• United States
15 Jun
I am amazed at what people will fall for even with the internet. You can easily find out they are a myth if you look them up. I read a story about a woman who fell for it, and ended up with a pig that, of course, kept getting bigger. She had fallen in love with it though so she actually saved her money, then packed up to move somewhere where the pig had plenty of room to thrive. Now that is dedication.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (191075)
• United States
15 Jun
Yes, even those potbelly pigs which are quite small initially grow quite large.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Jun
Yes, they do, particularly if they are fed properly.
@ARIES1973 (11963)
• Legaspi, Philippines
15 Jun
This is the first time I read about this teapot pig. I've searched and found some videos. Thank you for the information. Now, I know that it is popular in your place, to have a mini pig as pet.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Jun
I'm not sure how many are around now. There were more around a few years ago before people found out that they could grow really big.
@LindaOHio (191297)
• United States
15 Jun
I like the mall pigs. Pigs are supposed to be intelligent and clean animals.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (164159)
• United States
20h
People believe what they want to. My mom always said she wanted a teacup poodle or teacup chihuahua. . . she did not even like dogs. Cute and little does not make good pets or healthy ones either.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16h
Many fall for the small dog breeds but it's more important really to choose for temperament.
@psanasangma (7687)
• India
14h
I believe when things/ creature are small it looks cute but when it grows bigger responsibilities grows higher as well
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (117625)
• Marion, Ohio
15 Jun
I love the statues. To an extent you can control any pigs growth by limiting its food. But people don't know that when they buy those cute little piglets. And before they know it they have a 200 pound animal that is still growing.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (85984)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22h
OMG they are wonderful and look so realistic. Maybe there is a pet pig in my future,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16h
Be careful what you wish for! 
I don't they're suited to first-floor living. 
I don't they're suited to first-floor living. 
@Traceyjayne (2279)
• United Kingdom
23h
I hate the way people play with nature ....all creatures are beautiful as they are ....why on earth do we need to mess about with them.
a shorter tail, a smaller head, longer legs .....
God knew what he was doing ....please leave our animals alone.
1 person likes this
@porwest (101019)
• United States
15 Jun
It's like dogs. Almost every breed of dog is pretty much man-made. Again, not all. But most. Flowers and plants are like that too. Broccoli, for example, is man-made. It was bred from varieties of wild cabbage. Want a banana? We made that too out of two wild varieties to make the "perfect" banana we now know and love. Like an almond delight? Thanks to man, we have that too, bred from wild ones to make one we could eat that would be less bitter than the original and not deadly to eat. Carrots were not originally orange, nor were they edible until someone messed around and made one we could actually enjoy.
The bottom line is that humans tinker with almost everything on the planet, and much of what we know, love and eat is not from nature. It's from ingenuity.
Onward and upward.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74253)
• United States
15 Jun
What cute statues in the photo. I went to an amusement park once that had a few like that around.
My husband told me many years ago about how people get scammed by the mini pig stuff.
I think it’s best to let animals be themselves and stop trying to change them. The results of inbreeding can be terrible. My sister has a dog she thought was just adorable and unique but nope the vet told her it was severely inbred. My husband said the same the first time he laid eyes on it it really is adorable though.
it really is adorable though.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16h
Often the inbred animals have a lot of health problems. I'm glad you like the collage. I just love these pigs.
@FourWalls (75728)
• United States
15 Jun
There's a saying attributed to the carnival legend P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute."
Love those pigs. They have a lot of pig statues around Cincinnati, their unofficial city mascot. (It goes back to the days when it was a butcher destination for pork.)
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (17117)
• Raurkela, India
15 Jun
Miniature plants are becoming popular in India as you need less space to grow them. I haven't heard of miniature cattles.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16h
I know there are miniature Angus and Herefords. I'm not sure what other breeds there are.
I've seen miniature plants too. They are a good idea I think. It's different to having miniature animals.
@Dreamerby (8536)
• Calcutta, India
15 Jun
haha! Another scam! Its sad to see where we are heading
1 person likes this
@Beestring (15491)
• Hong Kong
15 Jun
The man-made pigs in the picture look so cute.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16h
I'd forgotten about bunnies. Some rabbits are very big but the small ones are cute.
