Miniature Goats Make Good Pets
Happy miniature goat owners follow a few essentials of pet goat care for a happy, healthy, well adjusted goat.
Male or Female
All miniature goats are bright, alert, and friendly. Depending upon what the pet owner is looking for in a goat will help decide upon a male or female.
Female pygmy goats produce up to two quarts of delicious milk every day. They are also odor free and friendly.
Male pygmy goats carry a distinct odor but can be de-scented by a veterinarian. Male goats should also be neutered because as adults, they do become aggressive and territorial much like a dog. Once neutered, male miniature goats are very family oriented and gentle.
All miniature goats should have their horns removed, known as debudding, to prevent injury to children and themselves. They often get their horns stuck into small spaces, causing injuries.
Training
Miniature goats can be trained to walk on a leash using the clicker training method often used with dogs and in aquariums with dolphins and whales. The African Pygmy Goat catches on quickly, learning the behaviors their owner's desire. The goat's sensitive nature compels them to please their owner, making training that much easier.
Goat owners also teach their miniature goat the same type of tricks that dog's learn. Taking the time to train a miniature goat builds a trusting relationship between owner and pet.
Not only do miniature goats make ideal companions but they also trim the lawn and eat weeds.
Housing
Miniature goats do not require much in the way of housing. All they need is a small shelter from the rain and wind and a small area to graze. Many miniature goat owners allow the goat to live in the house with the family which is why housebreaking is so important.
Feeding
Miniature goats are inexpensive to feed which is a plus for pet owners. The pygmy goats graze outside and are fed on hay whenever they want.
Grain is fed during the winter months if the goats cannot go outside or grass is not available to them. When feeding grain, only small amounts are given depending upon the weight of the goat. Miniature goats can become very sick from too much grain, so it is best to consult a veterinarian or miniature goat breeder for the correct amount of grain to feed. Also, miniature goats should only be fed grain that is formulated for goats.
Supplements can also be given to miniature pet goats. Baking soda helps reduce the acidity of the rumen, which is the first of four chambers in the goat's stomach. Selenium can also be given to a pet goat to help build antioxidants but only in areas where Selenium is low in the soil.
Vaccinations
Like all pets, the miniature goat needs vaccinations to remain healthy. A tetanus toxoid shot is given to pet goats each year and baby goats should be vaccinated three times for Clostridium perfringens bacteria. Consult a veterinarian for information on all vaccinations for common goat diseases.
Resources:
Published by Karen Curley
I have been a freelance writer, child care provider, and artist for many years. My experience also includes agility and obedience dog training, as well as a dog day care business. In my spare time, I p... View profile
The True Story of Food and Frolic at the Indiana State FairThis submission is a summary of the day my kids and I spent at the Indiana State Fair. I describe the variety of food we ate, the experiences we had, and the success of the day...- Who Wants a Pet Dwarf Goat?To your surprise, a lot of people keep goats as pets. The majority of these goat pet owners keep dwarf versions of the goat.
- Advice for Having Goats for PetsWe bought a beautiful white goat. It was a boy goat and my son named him Whitey.
- Are Buildings and Other Architectural Structures Considered Male or Female?Cars and boats galore are often referred to in the feminine form - but what about buildings? Can a building be considered male or female.
- Gender Identification: Are We Male or Female?I pose the question that if at birth if the child is left alone, how would he or she turn out in terms of gender identification.
- Pets in the White House 1889-1961
- Miniature Horses as Pets
- Miniature Donkey - How to Decide If This is the Right Pet for Your Family
- Starting Your Own Mini Goat Farm
- Pygmy Goats and Their Care
- Donkeys as Pets
- Goats: Would They Be a Benefit to Your Homestead?
8 Comments
Post a CommentI bred and raised goats for over 10 years, and as Ecologystudent said, if the males are neutered (wethered) they do not need descenting.
Also, even if you burn out the scent glands on the top of the head, an unaltered male will still urinate all over himself to make himself attractive to females, so he will still stink. That is a smell that takes multiple launderings to get out.
Yeah, if you whether the boys, you don't have to pay the vet to descent them!
How cool is a pet that helps keep the grass cut?
I want one!
That pic is so cute!
The only thing that they're not saying is that in order to get the milk (which is actually quite delicious when fresh, the goat's milk in stores is just gross!) the goat has to give birth, so you'd have to get her bred, and she'd be pregnant, and so on...
The article is right, though "whole" bucks STINK! If you've ever had goat milk from a carton or bottle in a store, imagine that "goaty" taste as a smell, and then x100!
That may be so but their no good for riding and as for game hunting their just too easy to hit.
Interesting and valuable information!