'Teacup Pigs' Rule the Kingdom of Cute

Smaller than a hot dog.

Swine flu is sweeping the nation.

Pigs are not naturally cute animals. They like to snort and roll in mud, and most are covered in bristly hair. But imagine if you could shrink them down to a manageably cuddly size. Miniature pigs, also called 'teacup pigs,' are the new trend sweeping Britain, and it's only a matter of time before they come state-side.

No, silly. There's no magical pig-shrinking ray. It's all about breeding. In her interview with Today's Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry, celebrated U.K. swine-breeder Jane Croft talked about the tiny pig's boom in popularity.

"People love pigs so much, but it’s almost impossible to keep a full-grown pig in the house," Croft explained. "Now that we’ve gotten them down to this size, they’ve become extremely popular."

Even Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, has brought home his own bacon. The actor recently bought two little teacup pig friends of his own.

Teacup pigs, also known as mini pigs, weigh barely nine ounces at birth and grow to just a foot long and 65 lbs in adulthood. That means you could walk around with a full-grown pig in your purse and still have room for your make-up.

But not just anyone can buy a teacup pig. According to Croft, owners are screened to make sure they can give the pigs the proper care, like constant company and sufficient entertainment for their smart little piggy brains. Oh, and they cost about $1,100 each. So there's that.