3 ms·
SO I can't help but wonder, why can't we breed real Teacup Pigs? We can breed real Teacup dogs, tiny cats, hell we can even breed tame foxes and even Miniature
by lbenes 11y ago
SO I can't help but wonder, why can't we breed real Teacup Pigs? We can breed real Teacup dogs, tiny cats, hell we can even breed tame foxes and even Miniature cattle[1]
If there really is such a big market, any many pig owners love their pets, why doesn't someone actually selectively breed for tiny adults?
[1] http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_meat_breeds_cattle_small.htm http://www.naturalhub.com/grow_meat_breeds_cattle_small.htm
- atomheart 11y ago"We can breed" Yes, by inbreeding dogs, starving the puppies, and other disgusting methods. You torture animals to create a cute little toy that will have lots of health issues. Just google around, you'll find many articles on the subject...
- scott_s 11y agoTwo thoughts: 1. I'm not sure we've tried. Maybe it's possible, but we've never tried. 2. If we have tried, and it hasn't worked, it's possible there's not enough genetic diversity in pigs. Dogs have an enormous amount of genetic diversity, which is part of why we've been able to get breeds that look like entirely different species. There are many breeds of cats, but I haven't seen any that are as radically different as, say, a chihuahua and a mastiff. We bred tame foxes, but they weren't radically different from wild foxes. (The different physical traits, I think, were their ears were floppy, and some retained juvenile markings into adulthood - similar to dogs.)
- pubby 11y agoWe're really close, actually. The Chinese have bred pigs that weigh ~30 pounds when mature.