Hog attractant for pig escapee?

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

I got a baby potbellied pig last week. I tried to put him in the chicken coop, but he bolted! There's absolutely no earthly way I could catch him, and he ended up crossing the road and heading to the neighbors!

I saw this stuff Hog Wild (boar and hog attractant) and wondered if it might bring the pig back home? He's definitely got the wild part, but again he is a potbellied pig, smart thing, but scared to death. He liked his little house where he felt safe, so maybe if I put this in my yard and his house, he'd come home???

Ideas? Advice? Or lost cause?


Link to TSC:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...g-wild-boar-and-hog-attractant-4-lbs--2188383

 

[Olive Hill]

He's been gone for a week? Have you seen him during this time? Someone may have already taken care of him -- either by calling animal control, or shooting him.

I'm assuming your PBP is a barrow, not a boar, and still young so the attractant likely won't bring him in even if he is still in the area and alive. You could certainly try it as a last ditch effort though.

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Quote:
I haven't seen him, but all the neighbors are on the lookout. He will be gone for a week tomorrow or wednesday. I just hate the idea of him being all by himself and more scared. He's just a baby! I prob won't waste my money on it. The last thing I need is to attract something I'm not prepared for!

 

[redhen]

I have a feeling that hes long gone..
Maybe leave some food out for him by his house?
My pigs have broken out MANY times.. they always stay in my yard though...
Maybe hes close by somewhere..?

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Well I have 4 other piglets (dogs) so anything that I put out for the actual pig (food, water, bed, cage, etc), they take over. I'm sure he's halfway to Hawaii by now, but could you imagine if he was hiding out at the neighbors and I just gave up. I'd bash my head in!

I do know for a fact that he likes to stay where he is safe and he is extremely smart, so there's a tiny chance he's found him a safe place near by. But there's an even bigger chance i'll never see that cute snout again!

I feel like there's some country saying that would sum this all up. Lke trying to catch a pig makes as much sense as .....

 

[Olive Hill]

I would agree that he is probably long, long gone by now. Hogs will not just find a little den, lay down and stay there hiding. They will actively go out and about looking for food and roaming. If he were at a neighbor's house they would have seen him by now. That said, have you called all local animal control organizations to let them know you're looking for him? Definitely do that if you haven't.

I'm very sorry about your little guy, but you learned a valuable lesson that you can carry on to take care of future pigs. Very, very strong fences and enclosures are especially important when they're new to you. Once they get "homed" and recognize you as a food source they're not nearly as difficult to motivate to get back where they belong, but when they don't know you and they don't know that your place is home they're near impossible to catch. Or as my Grandpa always said, if a hog only needs a hole as big as its snout to get out, but it needs a hole and bigger than a broad side of a barn to get back in. He was a bit of an exaggerator but the principle stands. They can get out much easier than you can get them back in.

 

[aprophet]

soured corn /fermented corn

 

[Livinzoo]

Spoiled milk or cottage cheese. The nastier it is the more my pigs like it. If your dogs run loose I'm not surprised he is not showing up. Make sure they are contained and then place some food out. Maybe even use a game camera to see if he is visiting it.

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

Haha, thanks yall.
I guess i'll be calling animal control. I also posted an ad on craigslist.

 

[CrazyAnimalGirl]

I came home tonight and to my ultimate surprise .... ol' Nelson had been caught and was in a cage waiting for me on my front porch!

He shouldve had a dang red ribbon tied to him. It has been two weeks since he escaped!!! The neighbor (across the street) said they saw him today, wore him out chasing him and finally caught him. I guess he actually stayed over there!

BUT.... the poor thing had gotten torn up, possibly by dogs. DEEP gashes and bites behind his ears. I've never, I mean never dealt with something so disgusting. I've had my fair share of truly horrifyingly nasty moments, and this made me gag. I'm still not sure what all was in there, around there, or what is going on

(i'm also typing this while eating haha)

He got cleaned up, disinfected, and as much boo-boo cleaning as possible; a nice dinner and a new comfy bed. He's passed out and hopefully getting some rest. Needless to say, he will be an indoor piggy now....

....If he makes it... I'm so worried. I know he's tired and starved and sick and all that, but he's never acted so calm and it's scary. I'm afraid he's going to die in his sleep or something. He has infection deep in his neck fat/skin, also not sure if he's going to be able to hear in one of his ears from the looks of it. I gave him Ivomec (wormer) cause it was all the medicine I had on me hoping that might help him some how/any other underlying problem. The neighbor says just to topically clean and use neosporin and he should be fine. But i'm worried that he could need antibiotics or something???? I feel like it's my fault he had to go through all this, so I will def pay to take him to the vet. ---but it's Sat nite/Sun then a holiday Mon (of course) So it will be extra expensive!!!

I could post pics, if you dare!



Also, I've always heard not to feed pigs meat, but everyone also says they feed them dog food.... which has meat in it...

Help?