Small pigs are the most demanded breeds of pigs to be raised and kept as pets. If you’re looking for a more different breed that is naturally small, Guinea Hogs can solve your curiosity.
A Guinea hog is another popular pet breed of pig that is also commended by farmers by their great skills despite their small physique.
Now, Guinea hogs are definitely not from Guinea, but they are definitely hogs and should not be confused with guinea pigs. They are different kinds of animals!
Now, you must be wondering more about Guinea hogs and what’s great about them. In this article, you will find everything you need to know about Guinea hogs.
History and Origin
The Guinea hog is actually officially named as the American Guinea hog after being crossbred with American breeds of pigs for many years.
These pigs are also known as the piney-woods guinea, forest Guinea hog, yard pig and acorn eaters. These nicknames will be explained further under the next sections.
The American Guinea hog breed is said to have originated from West Africa with the African Guinea hog being their original breed which still exists up to this day.
It is also believed that the American Guinea hog is possibly related to the Improved Essex, which is a now extinct breed of pig.
The reasoning behind the “Guinea” name is just to imply the size of the pig which is commonly small — similar to Guinea cattle. However, the original breed which is the African Guinea hog is actually a large pig.
Years ago, Thomas Jefferson, the “Founding Father” and third president of the United States acquired some of the pigs possibly related to the African Guinea hog. These pigs are the Nigerian black and Ashanti pigs.
Due to the wide strain related to the American Guinea hogs, there were also Guinea hogs that were referred to as the “red Guinea hogs” and the breed is also now extinct.
After crossbreeding with breeds such as the Essex pigs, West African dwarf hogs and Appalachian English pigs — the now known American Guinea pig came to the scene.
In North America, there are two types of American Guinea hogs. One is a small-boned hog and the other is a large-boned hog which has longer legs. In South America, there is also a similar type of hog.
It is believed that in the past, there are possibly many types of American Guinea hog but now we only have the American Guinea hog that we know today.
Now, despite its popularity among pet owners, American Guinea hogs are declining in population and is already declared an endangered breed.
African Guinea Hog & American Guinea Hog: Differences
Before we move along to the next section, you might be curious about the original breed which we can consider the “grandparent” breed.
The African Guinea hog is a large breed of pigs that are commonly red in color. There is not much record online about the African Guinea hog and it is possible that it is because they were no longer domesticated in the end.
It is clear that the biggest difference between the grandparent breed and the current one is their size and coloration.
Anatomy and Physical Appearance
As described above, the American Guinea hog is small and have a square-like shape due to their straight, slightly arched flat backs, flat bellies and short legs.
Because they are small, they are easier to handle compared to larger breeds of pet pigs. Despite their small size, these hogs are still capable of thriving on their own since they are born with natural survival skills.
“They are so cute. They look like small, brave warriors. The look in their eyes tells you that they are intelligent creatures and aside from that, they seem like they can be your next pet best friend.”
— Cassie Salazar, Guinea Hog Pet owner
Colors of Guinea Hogs
Since the American Guinea hogs may come in various colors, we will divide the categories into two: Common colors and rare colors.
Common colors
Guinea Hogs today have a few common colors and that is black, bluish black and dark brown.
Rare colors
However, for rare cases, breeders and owners tend to see streaks of red hair in an American Guinea hog even if both parents are pure black or dark colored.
This means that even though their genetics has been completely altered over the years through multiple crossbreeding, the original color is still coming out on rare occasions.
And in an even rarer occasion, a Guinea hog can be born with full red coat or color.
An exceptional case is when the American Guinea hog is crossbred with a completely different breed of different color.
It’s amazing how life finds its way to bring back its original roots. This proves that nature is powerful in its own ways.
Despite this, we as human beings must cooperate in preserving our wildlife and nature over all. Just because there is a possibility for extinct breeds to come back on their own doesn’t mean we can continue to abuse them!
Nature is everything and we are part of it too. If you see a red Guinea hog, consider it a lucky day! Not everyone gets to see a pure red or a shiny red Guinea hog these days.
Anatomy
HEAD — The American Guinea hog commonly have small heads that may appear “flat” or “square” when observed from a specific angle.
EARS — The ears usually medium in length and pricked up ears.
SNOUT (THE NOSE) — American Guinea hogs have small, downward noses
WEIGHT — The average weight for a matured and healthy American Guinea Hog could range between 68 kilos and 136 kilos (150 pounds to 300 pounds)
HEIGHT — An average adult American Guinea hog can grow up to 22 until 27 inches tall (57.8 cm to 68.58 cm). Males can grow 2 inches taller than females. As they grow older, they may still continue growing.
BODY LENGTH — When measured starting from the head or the ears to the tip of the tail, an average adult American Guinea hog can be as long as 46 inches to 56 inches (116 cm to 142 cm)
TEETH — American Guinea hogs will have normal and non-sharp teeth but can still bite really hard onto food. All pigs usually get their needle sharp teeth clipped moments or hours after birth.
The sharp teeth get replaced by normal teeth afterwards.
TUSKS — all pigs grow tusks including domestic breeds like American Guinea hogs. Male or female, wild or domestic, there are no exceptions.
Females usually have shorter or smaller tusks that rarely grow long or large enough to stick out of their mouths. Because of this trait, it was one of the easy ways to identify the gender of the pigs in the wild.
The tusks serve as a pig’s offensive and defensive weapon. However, domestic pigs usually have their tusks completely removed as it serves no purpose in captivity.
For those who may not be aware, the tusk is actually part of the jawbones and is considered part of the teeth. This means that if you cut off their tusks, it will not grow back.
However, trimming is a different task and is only done to care for the pig.
NAILS AND HOOVES — American Guinea hogs also have hooves and “dewclaws” that may need trimming. On an average, a pig should have trimming at least once a year.
Indoor pigs will require more trimming while outdoor pigs that have a stable, solid footing may only require lesser trimming sessions.
TAIL — American Guinea hogs often has short, straight tails with hair on the end and they are capable of curling them. There is no actual explanation why pigs or hogs curl their tails but there are a lot of theories as to why they do.
The only known purpose of a pig’s tail is to drive away insects like flies. It is to reach the areas their legs and mouth cannot reach.
Curious why pigs have curly tails? We have an article about that for you here.
Characteristics and Personality
The American Guinea hogs are now considered a rare breed. However, there is no denying that they are amazing pets and owners get their own benefits out of raising one. The pros and cons will be explained in detail at the bottom, so read on!
Just like most breeds of pigs, the American Guinea hog are friendly, social animals. Their unique trait that not all pigs possess is their amazing calmness.
Many pigs can get restless, hyperactive and way too social. The American Guinea hogs are exempted from this common trait of pigs. They are like a matured behaving animal but still know how to have fun.
Simply put, they may play but they don’t play too hard to the point of making it a bad behavior. These hogs are well balanced in terms of personality which is why they make great pets.
They are active animals in a way that will not make their owners worry because these hogs have amazing mothering skills, great foraging skills and thrive better than other breeds of pigs.
They can be quite independent and left alone in a secured environment.
Intelligent creatures
Did you know that pigs or hogs are so intelligent, they ranked fifth among the most intelligent animals in the world? Even the small American Guinea hogs are proven to be as smart as their large counterparts.
Within that small body of theirs, awaits a big brain and amazing personality!
They are also capable of outsmarting chimpanzees, one of the top smartest animals we’ve ever known! Many people also say they can be smarter than dogs.
The intelligence of hogs such as the American Guinea hogs makes them popular as pets. This also makes them unique from other regular pets.
American Guinea hogs can also really surprise you with their great memory as well as how fast they can learn and pick up hints about certain things.
Aside from ranking fifth in the world ranking, scientific studies and research also stated that an average hog have the same intelligence level as a 2 year old human child.
They discovered that hogs can have better focus and produce a higher success rate when it comes to tests and challenges unlike dogs and chimps.
Not all dogs can learn as fast as a hog can, as some dogs are known to be stubborn or even be full of pride. Although they are usually submissive, many dogs can be stubborn when it comes to training.
Unlike hogs that seem to naturally learn without feeling forced. They tend to learn faster because of their ability to focus better. Dogs can be easily distracted because of their playful nature.
The advantage of being a prey
Another reason why hogs like the American Guinea hogs have such great intelligence compared to others is because they are prey animals.
Although American Guinea hogs have never known the wild because they were domesticated from the moment they were born, they still retain their wild and natural traits.
Most pets that we have kept and raised are predator animals like cats and dogs so now we are being surprised by a prey like hogs and their capabilities.
Prey animals need to be on alert more than predators and thus, may develop a more sensitive way of living. They need to be smarter than their swift and strong predators.
Hogs possibly learned to enhance their intelligence by adapting and learning how to outsmart their predators.
Predators do not have to be on guard most of the time, they are usually comfortable anywhere and don’t struggle as hard as a prey when searching for food.
I have a personal saying regarding this aspect in life. The poor may be poor, but they can definitely be wiser than the rich.
It’s because when you are always on edge, you become desperate to cling on for survival. While those who are at the top have it easy and tend to forget the meaning of challenges.
When life is hard, it teaches you to become strong. Even if they are prey animals, if their minds are strong, their chances of survivability will definitely increase.
Hogs can be house trained
Many owners say they can learn even faster than dogs. The American Guinea hogs or just hogs in general, can be house trained. They may learn how to use the litter box, play fetch and do several other tricks.
It has been proven that the “treat rewarding” method works very well with pigs when training them.
Compassionate
In relation to their intelligence, the American Guinea hogs are capable of being compassionate. Their smart brains allow them to feel both negative and positive emotions.
This means that they can also feel pain, become depressed, be excited and many more! Because of this, many people are convinced that the cruel treatment towards livestock pigs should come to an end.
They can sense grief
American Guinea hogs are capable of sensing grief from other animals, their companions or their human owners. When they do, they have a tendency to console them for comfort.
They are aware when a companion passes away or when they get left behind or abandoned. They can be sad, depressed and lonely to the point of crying real tears when mourning their loss or simply missing something or someone.
They can be sensitive
Since they have almost the same mentality or intelligence level as a child, you can expect them to behave similarly to a child. American Guinea hogs can grow easily bored when isolated or irritable when kept in an uncomfortable place and more.
Despite their discomfort, they are rarely violent. They will never attack unless deeply provoked or feel extremely cornered.
When a hog is mistreated or abused, they WILL remember it. They know how to hold grudges, remember the faces of their abusers but they can also be grateful and remember those who cared for them.
This is part of the reason why they are lovely pets, because they exhibit a behavior where the owners must be emotionally prepared as these hogs can be emotionally sensitive too.
The American Guinea hogs are wonderful pets for first time owners because of their great temperament. The owners must handle these beautiful animals with genuine love and care.
Breeding and Life Expectancy
American Guinea hogs can become sexually matured at six to seven months of age like most hogs or pigs. They are normally bred around six months or one year of age.
Offspring
The American Guinea hogs are commonly expected to have 5 up to 10 piglets when giving birth.
Fully grown hogs can rarely give birth to 20 to 25 pigs, but it is possible. The average number of piglets that can be born from most breeds starts at 5 piglets up to 10 piglets.
If you’re interested in learning more about breeding, you can check our article about that here.
Life expectancy
The American Guinea Hog’s average life expectancy is 15 years up to 20 years.
As long as they are healthy and well cared for, a pig or a hog can live longer than expected.
Habitat and Environment
American Guinea Hogs are compatible to a wide variety of environments and can do better than most breeds of hogs or pigs when it comes to low grade forage.
They may prefer rich pastures with some clover along and access to certain minerals, enough food such as hay in winter, fresh and clean water to drink and access to ponds or a muddy area to keep cool.
They should also have access to shelter that can shield them from severe weather conditions like strong winds, storms or extreme heat.
The American Guinea hog should also have enough room to walk in in order to get some exercise and remain fit.
Natural habitat
The American Guinea hogs are also called piney-woods guinea and forest Guinea hogs because they are often seen in those areas.
In general, the wild habitat for most hogs or pigs generally moist forests, swamps and woodlands, especially oak forests and regions where seeds are abundant.
Environment
All hogs or pigs especially small breeds like the American Guinea hog will prefer to inhabit places with favorable climate. Although they function better under cool temperatures, they can still be sensitive to severe cold or extreme heat.
If you’re looking to keep one as a pet, you must read on to understand their preferred environment when under captivity.
They are prey animals and need to be kept away from possible predators. If they have a wide space to graze outside, there must be fences to keep out animals like wolves, coyotes or even regular stray dogs.
Like every other hog or pig, the American Guinea hogs have a hard time cooling off because of their inability to sweat. Because of this, they should be placed in an area that can keep them cool.
Again, they are sensitive to harsh weather conditions and thus must be protected from extreme heat and severe cold. They must be shielded from rain and any kind of storms.
Space
The American Guinea hogs actually gain weight easily and get fat really fast. This is why providing them enough space is necessary in order for them to get the exercise they need.
Obesity is one of the most common issues among pet pigs and should be avoided at all costs.
Hogs or pigs are also curious and outgoing creatures and would prefer living outdoors rather than staying cooped up. If kept as indoor pets, it is best to provide them enough space.
If they do not have enough space or freedom to roam and explore, they may become depressed.
Depending on the number of other pigs that will live with them, a pig or a hog the size of the American Guinea hog should be able to have a pen of at least 2 meters in size.
If they are being kept as indoor pets, the best solution is to give them access to at least one or two rooms to give them comfort.
Know more about how much space most pigs need by reading our article about it here.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Every animal including humans have its own imperfections. All pets will have their own pros and cons. The American Guinea hog have more pros than cons, but of course, it’s important to learn what they are to fully understand their breed.
These pros and cons may be applicable to almost any breed of pig as they have a general shared behavior which highlights their personalities.
| PROS | CONS |
| Can eat rodents and snakes | Prone to diseases if not careful |
| Great as pets | Can be sensitive |
| Low maintenance | Needs enough space |
PROS
1. Can eat rodents and snakes
Pigs or hogs of any breed including the American Guinea hog have an opportunistic mentality when it comes to feeding. As long as it looks edible, they will accept and eat it.
They have what we call a “stomach of steel” which means they can eat almost anything without getting sick from it.
However, just because they can eat anything including junk, doesn’t mean we should feed them with just anything. Certain food can still be harmful to their health and will weaken their immune system.
Despite this, the American Guinea hogs actually eat rodents and other threats like snakes! This is one of their unique traits as other pigs tend to avoid a snake which is one of their common enemies.
This is how they earned the nickname “yard pig” as many owners preferred to keep them in their yards to help maintain their gardens and keep pests out by consuming them!
Another reason why they are called “acorn eater” is because they are good at finding acorns to consume.
Since they are not picky eaters, raising an American Guinea hog is not that difficult as long as the owner knows what to avoid for their hog.
2. Great as pets
Regardless of gender, Guinea hogs make good pets because of their fondness towards humans. They can easily be attached and will enjoy physical contact such as cuddling and lap visits, just like dogs!
Unlike most breeds of pigs, the American Guinea hog can actually do very well with children as they rarely develop a dominant behavior. They can also get along very well with other pets like cats.
3. Low maintenance
The American Guinea pig is very easy to handle.
They are not high maintenance because they are not picky eaters, they don’t demand big spaces like other pigs and they have natural foraging skills which allow them to find their own food outdoors.
As long as owners provide their basic needs, there is no need to worry about the American Guinea hog too much. They can take care on their own!
All they need is a stable shelter, sufficient food resources, fresh, clean water and protection from possible predators!
CONS
1. Prone to diseases if not careful
The disadvantage of being a non-picky eater is the risk of eating a harmful food that can infect their systems.
Any pig can eat nearly anything including scrap food, junk, rotten food, spoiled food, decomposing food and decaying carcasses.
This is why it’s important to secure your hog’s feeding area and make sure the place is clean when letting them outside in order to prevent them from eating unwanted food.
They are also quick in gaining weight or unneeded fat which can lead to obesity that may cause diseases.
They are also strictly prohibited from eating meat (including any other meat products and food that has had contact with meat) as it is the easiest way for them to be infected by a disease that may be transmitted to humans.
See our article about what to feed your pig here.
2. Can be sensitive
Did you know that raising your voice can also leave a bad impact on your pigs? The American Guinea hogs are no exception to this. For some, they might perceive it as a hostile behavior.
Little actions such as slight hitting will also be remembered by your friendly hog. They remember a lot of things, be it good or negative.
Leaving them alone for long hours when they’re used to social contact can also be unhealthy when your Guinea hog doesn’t have enough space to explore or companions to interact with.
To some, it may be similar to leaving a child alone.
This is why, people who plan to own Guinea hogs should be aware of their emotional sensitivity. Remember, your piggy friend remembers!
3. Needs enough space
Many first time owners are not aware that hogs need sufficient space in order to function better. Other animals may tolerate being kept in one spot, but not hogs or pigs.
They might try to make several escapes or even attempt to break through obstacles just to get to freedom. If they do not try to be free, they will become lonely and depressed.
For owners who want to keep a Guinea hog, make sure that your home is pig proofed. For those who plan to keep them outdoors, you must also be prepared for the costs.
Read about “Keeping a Pig Indoors” and “How Much Space do Pigs Need“
RELATED QUESTIONS
- How much is an American Guinea Hog?
The minimum amount starts at $250 up to $600 depending on the age and gender and sometimes, on your location or your breeders too.
Currently, the American Guinea hog is treated as a rare breed and extremely threatened animal which is why getting your hands on one may be expensive or difficult.
A friendly reminder: Always seek a reputable breeder for a safe and secured transaction.
- Are pigs immune to snake venom?
There is no known breed of pig that is immune to snake venom. However, pigs often do have thicker layers of skin and their bodies have enough fat that might make it difficult for the snake’s fangs to penetrate through the skin easily.
Despite this, recent studies stated that a snake’s venom necrotized a pig’s skin the same rate as human skin. In other words, the skin becomes a dead layer and the venom can start spreading afterwards.