Baby goat, bottle refusal, frusterating!

[X2Farm]

So one of my nannies had twin kids in the wee hours this morning. By the time I got out there, the little buckling was almost dead. I thought, in fact, he was, so I checked on Mama and the other, a lil doeling. They're fine, bonded, nursing, all is well there. So I turned back to the lil buckling, and noticed he was barely breathing... so I quickly put him in my coveralls/coat and started gently rubbing him to warm him up, brought him inside, under a heat lamp, snuggled up in my robe, with more gentle rubbing, for stimulation... 12 hours later he's a sweet lil stinker!

I got about 1CC of colostrom into him, via syringe drops. I've got a bottle for him, and he'll try and suckle everything else, including my nose

except a bottle

I KNOW he's hungry, but he's not cooperating in the least. I also know I need to get the colostrum in him, because he needs the energy, nutrition to get through the next few days. He's small, maybe 2 lbs. I've tried rubbing the nipple w/colostrom on it, over his gums, even a tiny bowl full of it, nuttin...

Is this just gonna require more patience on my part? Or is there another trick I could try?

 

[Epona142]

Patience.

Tuck him in your lap and under your arm. Pry his mouth open and put the nipple inside. Repeat until he begins to nurse. If you can't get him to nurse, syringe feed him a little and try again later.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
Agreed. Eventually he'll get the hang of things.

 

[terrilhb]

Good luck. We have 2 bucks and are going to get females this spring. I pray everything comes out fine.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I wrapped my bottle babies in a towel so they couldnt wriggle free, held them between my legs, pulled their head up and put the nipple in the mouth. After a day, plus them getting hungry they soon caught on.
Here is my bottle baby Chaz, hes now 3 years old and will still take a bottle if I offer it

 

[X2Farm]

I preciate the advice yall!!! I was able to get another cc in him, and he was still hungry (he bout go my nose again

) I wanted to see if him Mama would still accept him, that maybe that'd help and he'd be able to suckle her... Well, she accepted him back and he was searching to suckle, so I left him with her and will be going out to check em in another hour

If he seems outta sorts, back in he'll come, and we'll try again with the bottle!

Thanks!!!

Gofast...Chaz is one purty, um, healthy lookin boy

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Sometimes you can leave the kid with mama and supplement him if needed.

Also, some kids have a nipple preference. Some like the human baby nipples, some like Pritchard, some like the lamb nipples. Personally, I've had better luck with the human baby bottles.

 

[Hound]

Dumb question, but why can you only get a cc into him at a time? He won't take anything willingly from you at first, you'll have to put the syringe to the back of his throat and steadily deposit the milk. The same applies for the bottle; open his mouth, put the nipple in and hold it in place until he begins to suck. Sometimes gently working their jaws helps.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
You don't want the kid to aspirate the milk, which could cause more serious problems. He will get hungry enough that eventually he will willingly take the bottle.

 

[X2Farm]

I actually used the syringe to put droplets onto his tongue, not down his throat... I learned my lesson w that after having a calf die from aspiration

Using the syringe was a lot easier then the bottle, so when I got frusterated w the bottle, I just did the syringe again. I don't get much in him at a time, due to his fussing/stressing. Don't wanna wear him down much... he was only moments from death when I found him sprawled in the stall.

I sure hope he's not nipple picky!

Think we might pick up a regular baby bottle tomorrow though, since dollar store has em cheap

I hope he does ok w/Mama. Its COLD as the dickens out there, and there's a huge storm rolling in (snow/ice) so I'm leary of leaving him out there, due to him bein weaker and feeble. But, we'll see in about an hour how he's doin. Maybe I can get a chance to get some pictures too