Mini Pig Shedding
Blowing Coat
Who says pig’s don’t shed?? Mini pigs don’t shed regularly like dogs or cats, but they do have an annual coat blow out. During coat blowing, mini pigs will shed or lose ALL of their hair! This coat blowing allows a seasonal change in their coat. Once this coat blowing is done, they will start to grow back a fresh new coat of hair.
Coat Blowing FAQs
When do mini pigs low their coats?
Most mini pigs will blow their coats from spring to summer. Although, some will blow their coats in the fall or even in the middle of winter! It seems that outdoor pigs have a more natural coat blowing cycle. Mini pigs that spend the majority of their time indoors, in a heated and air conditioned environment, get a little more confused on the timing of their coat blow.
Will the hair come back?
Yes! Except for rare cases, the hair starts growing back shortly after it’s lost. Look for tiny new hairs poking up from their skin.
Why is it patchy? Are they sick?
Blowing their coats is a healthy process. The hair sometimes comes out in patches just like other animals that change their coats seasonally. As soon as the hair falls out it typically starts to grow back. Look closely for tiny little hairs growing out of the skin. This is their new beautiful coat starting!! During a coat blow, the skin may become dry, flakey, and itchy. The skin should NOT be red, oozing, infected, scraped, or raw. If you are concerned or see signs of mites, simply dose them orally with Ivomec based on the dosage given by Dr. Cathy Zolicani for mange mites.
What age does coat blowing start?
Full coat blowing typically starts after the mini pig’s first birthday. Some mini pigs will have partial coat blows around 6 months old. These pigs will shed a little bit, although it’s hardly noticeable, and grow new baby hairs in.
How long does it take?
This process can take from 1 week to 1 month. Genetics, environment, and nutrition all play a role. In other words, they do what they want and no one can tell them otherwise.
Is it uncomfortable? Does it cause my pig to become grumpy?
Yes! Many mini pigs get grumpy during coat blowing. It usually sends their skin into a thick dry mess. The hair loss is also naturally itchy and uncomfortable.
How can I help the process move along faster? How can I ease the discomfort?
When mini pigs are blowing their coats, their hair is literally falling out. You can gently grab this hair in your fingers or fist and the hair will come right out. This seems to be relaxing to mini pigs, similar to having sunburned skin peel off. Stiff bristle brushes also help to brush off the loose hair and dead skin. A very popular tool is the Kong Zoom Groom available at Amazon. This can be used wet or dry. My personal routine is to rub them briskly with the Zoom Groom for a few minutes. Once that is done, I get the hose and Mane N Tail Shampoo (because I don’t want clogged pipes from these hairballs!!). I wash the pigs with the shampoo while scrubbing them vigorously with the Zoom Groom. It’s a rubber brush that feels like a wonderful massage. They LOVE it! I rinse the shampoo off, taking off most of the loose hair. Then I apply Mane N Tail conditioner. I let that sit for several minutes to soothe their dry, itchy, miserable skin. I give this conditioner a good brisk massage with the Zoom Groom as a last ditch effort to grab loose hairs and scrub away dead skin. When I rinse the conditioner off they feel so much better and my house has lots less hair mess.
How often do mini pigs blow their coats?
The majority of mini pigs will blow their coats once a year in the hotter months. A few mini pigs will blow their coats twice a year. A very few mini pigs have NEVER blown their coat!
Do all mini pigs blow their coats the same?
Not even close. Every pig is an individual and has a unique way and time they blow their coat. It’s sort of like an internal clock. Some pigs blow their coats all at once, they actually get naked! Some blow their coats a little at a time, only shedding without losing all their hair. Some pigs take extra long to blow their coat and some have a flurry of hair flying.
How does your pig blow their coat? What have you found that helps hurry along the process or ease their discomfort?
The Evolution of Coat Blowing
Featuring Petunia
Olivia sheds her old (long) hairs while simultaneously growing in new (short) hairs. You can see both in this photo.
Full mohawk before her first coat blow.
A week later… yikes?!?!
She needed some Zoom Groom help.
Completely naked! You can see all her skin is black, but her hair is white with black spots.
Olivia laughs at her bald sister.
She’s got her summer short cut!
The white hair is actually covering her black skin again.
Sleek summer full coat. It gets a LOT thicker during the winter.
Long, thick winter coat. She will go bald again next summer.
Visit our website to learn more about mini pigs, find a registered mini pig breeder, become a member of the AMPA and register your mini pig in the official mini pig registry!
www.AmericanMiniPigAssociation.com
