The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: alisstuf on September 20, 2010, 02:03:44 pm
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Hi All
I have just joined this site and was wondering if anyone can help me?
We re-started keeping pigs 2 weeks ago after a 10 year gap.
we have gone for Tamworth/wild boar and collected 4 little girls and a young boar last week. They are amazing and have settled really well.
The problem is with the 2 gilts and boar we collected on saturday. 1 gilt is fine the other seems a bit lazy but is eating and derinking when she gets up. The boar is concerning me. He spent all Saturday buried under some straw, not in the ark with the gilts. When I coaxed him up on Sunday he retreated to his ark and will only come out when I coax him. He seems a bit hunched and although he drank this morning seems not to eat.
I hope he is just settling in, not being used to the great outdoors.
How long should I wait before panicing :pig:
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I'm no expert on pigs, plenty of others will probably recognise the problem straightaway, but to me a hunched up animal, especially a youngster and not eating would set off alarm bells in my mind.
I would think spinal problem or kidneys or guts-ache of one sort or another.
Sorry, not much help but somebody will be along in a minute.
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I would agree - I think a vet call is necessary.
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Thanks for confirming that i am not over reacting. I have spent all afternoon observing him and he is definately iimproving. Spoke to previous owner who said he could be sulking and to get him up and watered. Have done this and he did drink, wee and other which was normal so eased my mind a bit. He seemed to like my company which suprised me, I thought he would be grumpy.
Telephoned vet, said if not improved tomorrow will visit but didnt seem too worried, can call anytime if anything changes.
Going back up field now before too dark
Feel like a new mum whos baby has colic :pig:
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I hope all is well.
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Hope all goes well with him. We have only had our 2 Tamworth weaners for a fortnight, and they are not behaving like yours is. They are very lively, happy and come up to the gate demanding their tea!
Their breeder was over yesterday infact, and she was very impressed with how quickly they are growing. I guess that's because of the goats milk.
Oh, and Hello and welcome.
Beth
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Normally I am the first to say call the vet (our vets are much cheaper here at present) but would suggest spending some time with him. Sit in the arc with him, coax him with tiny bits of feed, especially fruit, he is probably just missing his old family. If no huge improvement in a couple of days then vet. HTH.
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Thanks everyone!
Was well worth the time spent coaxing him out yesterday. this morning he is a normal happy pig. Eating, drinking and no more hunched up back. Yippee
All the little weaners are really lively and eating from my hand, squeeling when I leave them. Think I'm bessotted already :love:
So hello and thanks to you all, I will definately be using this site in future
Ali
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Hi
So glad your boy settled and all is well. We are expectng our first ever piglets in a few weeks, when old nough to leave mum. Your question made me think..
With a horse, showin non specific symptoms, no obvious injury/pain/clear symptoms, I would prior to calling vet look at vital signs, temp/pulse/resp... and report to vet over phone, as well as obvious things like eyes, nose mouth, colour, coat condition, etc. Is it the same deal with a sicky piggy? Should I be thinking about taking temps and obs regularly to acclimatise myself to what is normal for a pig? With a horse I recognise laboured/quickened breathing pulse etc..I just know by looking if somthing isn't quite right, not sure I would have any idea with a pig tho.
Feeling a bit inadequate now..do we know enough to take on two babes? We got a few weeks, I can read up :-[
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HI Bakewell11
I think I was being over anxious
I was looking at pigs like I do with dogs and more often than not I rush them to the out of hours vet, incurr huge expense, while the dog licks the vet while bouncing up and down. I then feel like an idiot and realise he was playing me the fool for more attention LOL
I guess we have to follow our instincts, relax, observe then act
This forum seems a great help
Good luck with your piggies youll soon be head over heals and the housework is a thing of the past :pig:
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;D Housework?????????? ooohhhh noooooo..... gave that up years ago!!!! LOL I realised that however much housework one does, it still remains a pigsty... so it was obvious really..... :pig: :pig: :pig: lol lots of pigs, and chooks, and horses, and dogs, and a cat!!