Free range fail.

I'm at a loss. I thought pigs were smart. We dug a hole to bury our pyr in last year. Pyr is still alive. So the pigs free ranged around it last year. I fed them last night and let them out today. Somehow they both fell into the hole and died.

Geez... Elle, I'm so sorry...

holy shit. that’s terrible.

I can see the first pig falling in but why did the second follow it?

How did being in a hole kill them???  I must not know how pigs work...

Sorry for you loss Elle!

Mike Haasl wrote:How did being in a hole kill them???  I must not know how pigs work...

Sorry for you loss Elle!

Well the first one in was probably killed by the second one on top of him. Second one...my guess is heart attack?? I don't know. I also don't know why he went in.

Maybe one was chasing the other and they both fell in at the same time?  

That's wild. I would not have expected such big and healthy-looking animals to expire from falling into a hole like that. Are you able to do a postmortem or get them to a vet for an autopsy? I think something else might have been at play....

My experience with pigs is that much depends upon the individual animal.  I have 2, that if they ended up in that hole, the results would have been the same. I have another 2 that would have hopped right out of it and gone on with their day ( yes, I have a KuneKune that can out run me and climb over a  3ft fence).   Thanks for the post.  I do have some rather large paddocks for my pigs. I am going to walk through them again looking for hazards..

Phil Stevens wrote:That's wild. I would not have expected such big and healthy-looking animals to expire from falling into a hole like that. Are you able to do a postmortem or get them to a vet for an autopsy? I think something else might have been at play....

We did not get them out of the hole for that. We did move the top pig around to see if the had any obvious injuries. None. They were coming off winter and they were pretty fat. I had just let them out to begin free ranging again which tends to make them more fit, if you know what I mean. So a heart attack is possible I suppose for the top pig. Bottom pig was for sure killed by the top. I can't imagine he could breathe with him on top of him like that.

Seems to me an absolutely freakish event, so sorry to see it. It also occurs to me, because of my own weird views and superstitions that it might be because you didn't dig a hole, you dug a grave, and you left it empty.  

Once when my dog's time was close the vet's office wanted to make an appointment. I informed them there would be no appointment, that I would call when the time came. When I got home, I dug the grave in a freezing rain using the truck's fog lights to see. No matter the inconvenience digging a grave is not a preplanned activity. No appointments, no graves until they are actually needed. Leave them there or not but fill that grave, preferably with something dead in it, even of its just a fly.  

Mark Reed wrote:Seems to me an absolutely freakish event, so sorry to see it. It also occurs to me, because of my own weird views and superstitions that it might be because you didn't dig a hole, you dug a grave, and you left it empty.  

Once when my dog's time was close the vet's office wanted to make an appointment. I informed them there would be no appointment, that I would call when the time came. When I got home, I dug the grave in a freezing rain using the truck's fog lights to see. No matter the inconvenience digging a grave is not a preplanned activity. No appointments, no graves until they are actually needed. Leave them there or not but fill that grave, preferably with something dead in it, even of its just a fly.  

It's true that we did dig a grave. We are frankly shocked the pyr is still alive. He has a horrible cancerous tumor that keeps bleeding. We figured he'd die when the ground was frozen and we'd be screwed. He's going to die now, because his hole is gone. That's how it goes.

elle sagenev wrote:

They were coming off winter and they were pretty fat. I had just let them out to begin free ranging again which tends to make them more fit, if you know what I mean.  

I think this could be a crucial observation - you had just let out "couch-potato" pigs who'd been getting no exercise and were carrying extra weight. They may not have had the muscle conditioning or heart health to handle the extra effort the hole required of them?

Ugh, that really sucks. I'm sorry.

Could they have sustained internal injuries kicking and struggling against one another?  This seems SO bizarre!  Thank you for sharing it.   I really thought it was going to be a joke and you found them sleeping in there.   I'm so sorry.

Heather Staas wrote:
Could they have sustained internal injuries kicking and struggling against one another?  This seems SO bizarre!  Thank you for sharing it.   I really thought it was going to be a joke and you found them sleeping in there.   I'm so sorry.

I'd been looking for them because they usually come when called. My son ran over and was laughing so hard, he thought they were sleeping. Nope. Dead as door nails.

Certainly the bottom pig had an obvious cut on his side from the top pig trying to get off of him. Though it bled very little so I'm not sure he was alive when it was sustained. Who knows. They must have fallen in while we were at a school event. :(