Miniature goats make wonderful pets. They enjoy grooming and attention in the same
way as a dog or cat does. Miniature
goats are sensitive and affectionate, thriving with the family’s care and
company.
The African Pygmy Goat is the best goat breed to keep as a
pet, weighing about thirty-five pounds as an adult and standing about two feet
tall. These small goats are intelligent
and easily trained.
Happy miniature goat owners follow a few essentials of petgoat care for a happy, healthy, well adjusted goat.
Male or Female Goats
All miniature goats are bright, alert, and friendly. Depending on what you’re looking for in a
goat will help you decide whether to get a boy or a girl goat.
Female pygmy goats produce up to two quarts of delicious
milk every day. They’re also odor free
and friendly.
Male pygmy goats carry a distinct odor, but you can have
them 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 a Goat
You can train miniature goats to walk on a leash using the
clicker training method. Clickers are very effective training tools, often used
for training dogs, dolphins and whales.
The African Pygmy Goat catches on quickly, learning the
behaviors you want. Goats want to please
you because of their sensitive nature. This makes training much easier.
You can also teach your 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.
Miniature goats make ideal pets, and they also trim your
lawn and eat weeds.
Housing for Goats
Miniature goats don’t need much in the way of housing. All they require is a small shelter from the
rain and wind, and a small area for grazing.
You can even let your goat live
in the house with the family. If you’re wondering; Yes, you can housebreak yourgoat.
Feeding Your Goat
Miniature goats are inexpensive to feed, which is a plus for
pet owners. Pygmy goats graze outside,
and you can feed them hay whenever they want.
During the winter, feed your goat grain if he can’t go
outside or grass isn’t available. When
feeding grain, only give small amounts depending on how much your goat weighs.
Miniature goats can get sick from too much grain, so it’s best to ask your
veterinarian or miniature goat breeder for the correct amount of grain to
feed. Also, only feed your goat grain that’s
formulated for goats, such as, goat
chow, goat grain, or goat ration.
You can also give your goat dietary supplements. Baking soda
helps reduce the acidity of the rumen, which is the first of four chambers in
the goat’s stomach. You can give Selenium
to help build antioxidants but only in areas where Selenium is low in the soil.
Vaccinate Your Goat
Like all pets, your miniature goat needs vaccinations to
remain healthy. A tetanus toxoid shot is
a yearly shot given to pet goats, and baby goats need a series of three
vaccinations for Clostridium perfringens bacteria. Consult your veterinarian for information on
all vaccinations for common goat diseases.
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