So, Can Pigs Eat Chocolate?

I think it’s time for everyone to come clean. One of the great temptations in life is giving your pets and other animals under your care a treat that they just shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s something really good that will upset their stomach. Maybe it’s just too rich and fattening for them. Whatever the animal, and whatever the treat is, we’ve all been there.

But when it comes to our pigs, they can eat pretty much anything, right? How about something like chocolate? Is it safe for pigs to eat chocolate?

Surprisingly, pigs can tolerate very small quantities of chocolate safely, but two compounds in it, theobromine and caffeine, can have adverse effects. Best to avoid giving this food food to your hogs.

Of course you can give them a little bit, but why would you? There is not benefit to doing it.

Do Pigs Like It?

Yes, they sure do. Pigs love all sorts of things, and like many animals, they have a not-so-secret sweet tooth. Hardly anything is sweeter or more delicious than chocolate. But sugar can trick their brains into eating it just as easily as it tricks ours.

So don’t take hogs’ willingness to eat chocolate as a sign that it’s safe for them.

Is Chocolate Poisonous to Them?

Chocolate is potentially toxic to pigs, and there is research to back this up. A 2008 study on the effects of theobromine in mammals states:

It is generally acknowledged that pigs, poultry and companion animals (including horses, cats and dogs) are particularly susceptible to theobromine poisoning and for this reason cocoa shells and meal are not used in the manufacture of feeds for these animals.

Theobromine as undesirable substances in animal feed: Scientific opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain

Theobromine is an alkaloid compound that, in humans, gives us a mood boost, but if pigs get too much it can cause nervous system, cardiovascular and other major problems including seizures, respiratory collapse, involuntary bladder movements and more. Not good!

Caffeine you are already familiar with, but caffeine is not good for pigs and can be extremely harmful in anything but very small amounts.

The good news is that both of these issues are avoidable if you make it a point to only give them small quantities of chocolate every once in a while. That way, their digestive system can flush out the harmful compounds from their system easily.

Is Milk Chocolate Okay?

This one may be a bit safer for them to have, but again the risk is there, unless you give them just one or two squares. It’s sweet, highly caloric, and has less caffeine and less theobromine compared to other types – that’s one reason for them to have it and three good reasons for them not to.

What About Dark Chocolate?

Dark chocolate is even worse. Darker types have contain more theobromine, and very dark types of chocolate contain tons of stuff.

How Often Can Pigs Eat It?

Short answer: ideally never, but if you must, then no more than a couple of squares per week. And the more seldom the better. If you’re doing it more than once a week, I would stop immediately because it would be a habit at this point.

How Can I Feed My Pigs Chocolate?

The best type of chocolate for pigs is milk chocolate, and assuming you have chocolate bars you can break it up into smaller chunks that are a little bit easier for them to eat.

But don’t worry, because pigs will stop at nothing to eat every last bit of it however you serve it to them!

Can Piglets Have Chocolate, Too?

As you can probably guess, the answer’s no. There is a myth circulating out there that chocolate is being used to wean piglets off of milk, but that’s just a bad idea no matter how you look at it. It’s much safer to use a tried-and-true creep feeding formulation.

Since the whole point of creep feeding is to get their stomachs adjusted to solid foods, it goes without saying that a questionable food such as chocolate could have a negative efect on their tiny digestive systems…

More Questions

Will chocolate cause diarrhea in pigs?

It can. Rich, sweet foods have a tendency to cause diarrhea in some. If you notice this happening, then you probably didn’t listen to me, so you need to stop with the chocolate right away. And if they’re vomiting, trembling, or showing any other major signs of distress, you’ll want to call a vet ASAP.

Can potbelly pigs safely eat chocolate?

Definitely not. I would speculate that smaller breeds may be even more susceptible to poisoning given the same amount of theobromine, so don’t even try giving them to pet pigs.

Wrap Up

If after reading all of this, you’re still thinking about giving them chocolate you should probably talk to a livestock nutritionist experienced with pigs’ dietary needs or a veterinarian before proceeding.