Pet goat?

[Elwar]

Ok, when we went to get our chicks my DW fell in love with this baby goat that was at the farm. Now she's talking about getting a pet goat.

We're definitely not on a farm, but we have a decent sized yard that the dogs run around in. She's pretty much wanting a goat to be like one of the dogs.

Do the dwarf or pygmy goats stay fairly small even as adults? Can goats be house trained? What kind of setup would I need in my yard for when the goat becomes an outdoor goat?

Any other advice on raising a goat as a pet?

 

[calicokat]

My MIL has several that were dumped on her by her DD. I can tell you that when they live outside your landscape is at risk. These free range on her 4 acres and in a couple of short years they killed off the blackberry bushes, fruit trees and other smaller stuff. Maybe if it was just one it wouldn't be so bad though. No idea about house breaking, but they eat all kinds of stuff, so not sure they'd be good inside (furniture, clothing, who knows what might get gobbled on, LOL)

 

[Sillystunt]

um, house train.....NO! It's livestock not a dog. Can you put a diaper on it when little and keep in house,yes. It will eat everything in your house.

Mine ram my dog, we keep them seperate.

Dwarfs stay small even as adults, smaller then pygmy's. The goat needs a pen outside. They don't like to get wet.

If its a male it must be nuetered(wether) or they STINK and a get aggressive. And also goats are HERD animals. It has to have another one with it. 2 girls, 1 girl & one wether...etc

Tell your wife to do some research before she gets it! They require a special diet~
Copper, minerials, hay , grains etc

visit backyardherds.com for more help and ask around
also visit my byc page...my nigerian goats are on there. the larger one is the mamma and she is full grown. Smaller her son and he will get a little larger. Also get them dehorned, mine aren't and they have already gotten me

 

[Southernbelle]

-Pygmy goats are very small, like knee-high.
-I don't think they can be housebroken, they climb really well and eat everything, so I think they'd be destructive in the house!
-They're herd animals, so you need at least 2 for them to be happy.
-Stay away from intact males, they have a strong smell.
-They prefer brushy type foods and will eat grass only after they've eaten all the vines and brush they can get.
-They have small pellet-like poo, like a rabbit, so not hard on the lawn
-Very entertaining and full of personality!

 

[hikerchick]

Goats are herd animals so it is cruel to have only one goat.

As far as I know, they are ALWAYS outside animals. I would never keep a goat indoors. The only time I have goats in the house is when they break in.

You can keep goats in a pen if you are concerned about your landscaping. They also need shelter; a plastic dog house will do in a pinch. They need plenty of room to play and plenty of green stuff to graze on.

 

[Elwar]

Ya, I think she was wanting to keep the goat inside when it was young. That's what the farmer where we went to see the goat did.

I told her that she'd need two goats...she seemed to think that having dogs to hang out with would be enough of a "herd".

I'm not too big on the idea but I figured I'd check out what goes into raising a goat.

I just can't see the goat running around in our house on the tile and hardwood floor...and outside we have a boat ramp, if the goat fell into the water I couldn't see them as being very good swimmers.

 

[hikerchick]

Goats don't like water. Mine have fallen into the pond a few times and now they stay off the rocks.

 

[Peeper]

Goats are great pets! Yes they are herd animals but if you get them young you ARE their herd. They cannot be housebroken. Their is NOTHING cuter than a baby goat!!!

 

[hikerchick]

Quote:
That wil only work if you are willing to sleep in the pen with them.

Our first baby goat cried all night long her first night.Day two, we had a second goat.

Now we have 6.

They are kinda like chickens in that way - addictive.

Oh, and you are correct -there IS nothing cuter than a baby goat.

 

[aaronzclark]

Well I have 4 pygmy goats with a half an acre fenced and i started with one bottle baby after that I was hooked but i would get two. I keep mine in my backyard with my dogs they run around with them and play with them, and for shelter i just have 2 extra large igloo type dog houses and a dog pillow in it for them and actually the dogs sleep with them and the poultry lol but if you have a fence for them there is not the much you have to do with them besides hay water, and grain and a hoove clipping every couple months they don't have the mind of a cow lol there mind is more similar to a dog so they like to jump and climb, Hope it helps get one and you won't regret it.

By the way Pygmies are better the Nigerians