Mixed Diet

• There are two main routes you can go when considering the optimal feeding plan for your pig. Most people feed mini pig food pellets, as they are convenient and relatively cheap. These pellet foods, such as Mazuri Mini Pig Food or Manna Pro Potbellied Pig Food, are complete nutritionally balanced feeds and provide everything your pig needs. However, many pig parents also feel a variety of other healthy foods to their pigs. Below you will find a list of foods suitable for supplementing your pigs pelleted diet. For more information on a natural diet feeding plan, please see our Natural Diet page.

Pigs are very enthusiastic eaters and unless sick, they most likely won’t turn down whatever you give them. So how much should my pig be getting? A good place to start is 1-2% of your pigs body weight in pellets. This can be fed in at least two feedings, but some pig parents like to split them into three or more for enriched feeding activities. 

Mini pigs are very susceptible to overfeeding and obesity. Unsurprising for such enthusiastic eaters! Its your responsibility as a pig parent to monitor what your pig eats and how much. Keep in mind when determining how much to feed your pigs treats, additional food, grazings from the yard, age and activity level. Refer to the chart below to determine if your pig is the correct weight.

Food dispensing toys, snuffle mats, a rooting box or even a bunched up blanket are all great places to put your pigs food at feeding time to not only enrich their dining experience but also slow down the rate at which they eat. Free feeding, or spreading their feed out over a large area such a yard or a large room is another great way for pigs to mimic the natural way they graze and feed. 

List of Great Supplemental Foods 

As a general rule of thumb, unsalted is necessary as salts toxic to pigs and unseasoned food is best. Also, no pits or seeds from fruit can be given to pigs. 

Foods that can be given in moderation

Olives, because of the salt content

Corn

Flax seeds

The following foods can be given as a supplement to their pellet diet

VEGGIES

All summer & winter squash

Amaranth

Arrowroot

Artichoke

Arugula

Asparagus

Bamboo shoots

Beets

Bell peppers

Black salsify

Bok choy

Broccoli

Brussel sprouts

Burdock root

Cabbage 

Carrots

Celery & celery root

Cauliflower

Chickweed

Chives

Collard greens

Cucumbers

Dandelions

Eggplant

Endive

Fennel

Galangal root

Green beans

Green soybeans

Jicama

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Lettuce, green and red varieties

Manoa`

Mushrooms

Mustard greens

Okra

Parksnips

Pea pogs

Pumpkin (do not use the pumpkin pie mix, only pure pumpkin)

Raddichio

Radish & radish greens

Red clover

Rhubard stem/stalk (do not feed the leaves)

Rutabagas

Shallots

Snow peas

Sorrel

Spinach

Sugar Snap Peas

Sweet Potatoes

Swiss chard

Tomatoes (only the fruit, leaves and plant are poisonous)

Turnips & turnip greens

Wasabi root

Watercress

Winged beans

Yucca root

Zucchini

FRUIT

Fruit should be given in moderation and dried fruit in even more moderation. Make sure there are NO PITS OR SEEDS as these are poisonous

Apples

Apricots

Bananas & peels (our piggies LOVE banana peels)

Lack currants

Blackberries

Blueberries

Boysenberries

Breadfruit

Cactus pear

Cape gooseberries

Cherimoya

Pitted fresh Cherries

Clementines

Coconut

Crab Apples

Cranberries

Dartes

Durian Fruit

Elderberries

Figs

Grapefruit

Grapes, cut in half or quarter to prevent choking

Guava

Jackfruit

Jujube

Kiwi & peels

Kumquats

Lemons

Limes

Loganberries

Lychee

Mango

Mulberries

Nectarines

Olallie berries

Oranges

Papas

Passion fruit

Peaches

Pears

Persimmons

Pineapple

Plums

Pomegranate

Pummelo

Quince

Raspberries

Red currants

Sapodillas

Sharon fruit

Star fruit

Strawberries

Tangerines

Thimbleberries 

Watermelon & rind

GRAINS

Grains are also to be given in moderation as there is plenty of these in their pellets. 

Amaranth

Barley

Buckwheat

Brown rice, cooked

Farro

Freekah

Millet

Oats/oatmeal

Quinoa

Rye

Sorghum/milo

Teff

NUTS & SEEDS

All nuts and seeds must be unsalted as excess salt is very toxic to pigs.

Almonds

Cashews

Chia seeds

Cumin seeds

Brazil buts

Grape seeds

Hazelnuts

Hemp hearts/ hemp seeds

Macadamia nuts

Papaya seeds

Peanuts

Pecans

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Pomegranate seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Sesame seeds

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

Wheat germ

LEGUMES

All legumes must be cooked and NOT canned

Alfalfa

Black Beans

Black Eyed Peas

Boston Beans

Chick Peas

Fava Beans

Field Peas

Kidney Beans

Lentils

Lima Beans

Mayocoba Beans

Mung Beans

Navy Beans

Pinto Beans

Red Beans

Split Peas

SPECIAL SNACKS

These should be given in moderation, not used as training treats. These are also good options for getting pigs to eat medicine.

Applesauce, no sugar added

Baby Food with no sugar or salt added

Baked cookies or muffins

(Recipes included)

Fruit Chips – Bananas, Apples

Coconut Oil

Coconut Water

Cottage Cheese

Fruit Juice with no sugar added

Gerber Toddler Puffs

Granola

Peanut Butter on celery

Popcorn Air Popped

(No oils, butter, or seasoning)

100% Pumpkin Canned

Scrambled or hardboiled eggs

Warmed/cooked oatmeal

Whole eggs raw

Whole Pumpkin

Yogurt, Plain or Greek

TOXIC PLANTS & FOODS

Salt

Acorns & oak leaves

Moldy walnut shells

Elderberries, red berries

Lima beans, raw

Kidney beans, raw

Decayed sweet potatoes (black parts)

Castor beans

Tomato leaves and vine

Avocado – Skin and pit

Corn stalks (high in nitrates)

Rhubarb – Leaves (stalk is safe to eat)

Potato leaves and green parts of potato

Apple – Leaves & seeds

Apricot – Leaves & seeds

Pear – Leaves & seeds

Peach – Leaves & seeds

Nectarine – Leaves & seeds

Cherry – Leaves & seeds

Plum – Leaves & seeds

Broccoli – Roots & seeds

Cabbage – Roots & seeds

Mustard – Roots & seeds

Tobacco – leaves

Nutmeg- in large quantities

Lychee – seeds

Rambutan – raw seeds

Longan – seeds

Taro – raw

Cassava roots and leaves

Almond – Leaves & seeds

(Only wild or bitter almonds pose a threat, the almonds in stores have been heat treated to eliminate toxicity)

Raw cashews

• (The cashews at the store are not raw, and are ok to eat)