My sweet little Goat bites me!!!

[Duckchick2011]

Well, I know goats aren't supposed to be able to bite especially considering that they don't have any top teeth but some how my little pygmy goat manages to get a bite in on me sometimes.

I don't really know why she does it but sometimes she just seems to get really excited about me being there. She will run over and start pawing me and jumping on me like a big ol' puppy, usually If she's doing this I will get down on her level and try to calm her down.
It is then that she will sometimes reach out and give me a bite, usually on my nose or my neck(nothing serious or pain full just unpleasant)

Any one have any clue what would make my sweet little puppy dog goat do this to me...(I only have ever owned 4 goats in my life, including the two I own now and she is the only one who has ever bit me...funny since she's the only one that has ever followed me around and loved on me as much as she does....) Sigh...I wonder if biting is a sign of affection in the goat world

 

[Matthew3590]

Could it be that she is in heat in is seducing you?

 

[drdoolittle]

Was she a bottle-baby? My 2 Nigerian wethers were bottle-babies, and they do that with me. I think they are looking for food-----even though they are over a year now! Either that, or it is just a way for them to show affection.

 

[glenolam]

Sounds like she's just curious and wants attention. As I'm sure you know, all goats have different personalities. Her's could be a mischevious one!

 

[4 the Birds]

It would be best to put an end to biting and for sure jumping up on you. Dogs are the same way.... you need to make them stay down with a knee and make them behave. Goats are smart and they will obey if you teach them. Ours often mouth your clothes when you come for a visit. When I am working in the goat pen I often need to bring a super soaker with me to keep the goats from taking my tools or nudging me to play.

 

[Matthew3590]

Quote:
I could just see someone having to chase a goat that had a hammer or a screw driver in its mouth!

 

[Duckchick2011]

Quote:

I could just imagine that...goats stealing tools and getting sprayed with a water guns

Luckily my goats aren't quite that mischievous but the jumping is starting to become a problem, the sad part is that it was one I unwisely encouraged in the beginning because it made it easier to catch them and worm them and such.
The biting is something I am a little unsure of how to stop...I think maybe it is just curiosity or a way she show's affection(even though she was not quite a bottle baby she still see's me as mommy)Another thought that just occurred is that the pawing and nipping
may be her demanding to be fed(even though she is a very well fed goat

)

The more I think about it the more I realize that Isabelle is a bit of a spoiled goat, she is little princess Isabelle and she knows it...perhaps I should be a little more stern with her but how do you get that kind of idea over to a goat...(I don't think I own a super soaker

)

 

[glenolam]

Squirt bottle. You can get them fairly cheap from Wal-Mart or the like or re-use a Windex bottle or something like that - just be sure to rinse it out well.

Squirt them right in the face (be mindful of their eyes, of course) and they'll back right away and wonder what hit them.

 

[EweSheep]

One time I slapped my Nubian girl HARD on the side of her mouth. She didn't do it again. That was the only and last time she ever bit me. Looking back, I don't think I could have done differently but it did work at the time. Not a good idea if you have a goat that is head shy but mine wasn't. It was the reaction from me at the time. Would I advise this? No. If I had other resources to deal with biting goats, I would have applied them.

One time I took a ball bat to a billy goat that kept head butting me. I don't know him since I was taking care of the herd when the owner was away on vacation. One twack, it was done. He was stunned of course but he was smart not butting me again.

 

[mrszlopez]

So funny ! I have a Nubian Wether who was a bottle baby and he never nipped at me. I also have two sheep & a mixed female Goat and neither of them have either.
I got a little Pygmy buck this weekend & he nips as well !!