Can you have Goat as a Pet?

Can you have Goat as a Pet?

People have different ideas when it comes to having a pet. Most people prefer cats and dogs but some prefer farm animals and goat is one of them.

Despite having the reputation for being a little rebellious, some people prefer having a goat as a pet. Goat is second in the list of common barnyard pets, with chickens being first.

Still, having doubts about the importance of having pets? If you haven’t made up your mind a baby goat will certainly win your heart with its overloaded cuteness and charming personality.

A baby kid is called a kid or billy. Kids are little hoppers; you can see them hopping around from one place to another with their herd.

Having any pet is a big commitment and it is always expensive and time-consuming. So, before you decide about having a goat as a pet, you must think if you have time, knowledge, resources, etc. to care for them.

You must know how to raise goats. An overgrown hedge or bush or garden is no good reason for keeping a baby goat as a pet. Goats are animals that need your love and care, they are not gardeners.

Best Goat Breeds for keeping as a Pet

Almost 200 breeds of sheep exist in the world and all of them have some specialty for which they are kept. But, only some of them can be kept as a pet and few are discussed below:

• Pygmy Goats

The pygmy goat is small in physique as compared to other breeds. It is small, compact, and stockily built and is generally seen in petting zoo attractions. Pygmy is only about 21 inches tall.

• Nigerian Dwarf

Roughly standing 22 inches tall, the Nigerian dwarf is the most common breed of goat that is kept as a pet. It usually is a part of goat yoga and can be a great companion animal.

• Kinder

Kinder is the crossbreed of pygmy goat and Nigerian dwarf goat. It is adaptive and can easily live with children, hence they are easy keepers. Kinder can weigh anywhere between 70 to 100 pounds.

• Nubian

Nubians are large in physique but they are most socializing which is a plus point. But if you live in a town or have a small house this goat is not for you. Nubians are very loud and since they are big they need open space to roam around and graze.

FAQ Before Having a Goat as a Pet

There are so many questions that come to mind when you decide to have a pet. The knowledge helps you to take care of that animal. Well, here we answer some most common questions which will help you in raising a baby goat as a pet.

• Biting

Some people say that goats bite, but it is not true. The goat only bites if it feels threatened, which every animal does if it feels threatened. The way we use our fingers, a goat uses its teeth in the same way. If the goat bites you it will feel more like a pinch, and not likely break the skin.

• Potty Training

Goats excrete a lot, so if you keep them indoors for some time, you need to train them. You must train them where to go for potty so that there is less mess for you to clean. Apart from that, their litter box must get cleaned daily to prevent exposing them to harmful viruses or bacteria.

• Head Butting

The most common that a goat takes is head butting when it is afraid. It does not matter if the threat is a four-legged or two-legged creature, you will get the head butt. While having a goat as a pet, train them because this type of behavior will bring out the natural response of the other animals. The result will be conflict.

• Horns

Most people prefer to dis-bud their goats, but horns protect the goats from predators. The horns act as a weapon for self-defense. But there are some scenarios where the goats attack other goats, animals, or humans.

Both sides have their pros and cons. The best way is to train them, make them acquaintance with all the animals and people of the family. It is necessary to build animal and human relationship, so that they may feel safe and secure. Thus, preventing the head butting.

• Safety

The goats are not fierce predators. They are herbivores that never have the intention of harming other animals. So, if you live in the outskirts of the city on a farm or someplace isolated, keep the goats install for the night.

• Fencing

Goats are little hoppers, they run around hopping from one place to another. If you have open space inches for them to graze, make sure to have the fences up. The height should be about 47 inches tall for standard-size goats and 32 inches tall for miniature breeds.

Things You Need to Know Before having a goat as pet

Before getting a goat you must learn everything possible about them. You must know what do baby goats eat? If you want to keep them for the breeding purpose or for their milk. You need to give them a proper diet to increase their fertility rate, for that you must know how to increase goat weight?

Keeping all of this in mind we share some important points for you to know before having a goat as a pet.

• Goats have socializing nature

If you think that keeping one goat will give you companionship, you are wrong. A goat is a herd animal, but if you keep it alone it will not be good for the goat.

Keeping it with other animal have a rare chance that your goat will get adjusted to the new environment. After all you neither your other animals speak goats. It is best to get at least two, so they don’t feel lonely.

• Goats live a long life

Goats live a fairly long life as compared to other pet animals. It can live anywhere from 12 to 15 years. Some even live up to 18 or 19 years.

So you must realize that having a goat as a pet is not a short-term commitment. It is not easy to find new homes for unwanted goats, so you must think this through before getting some baby goats as a pet.

• Buy goats from reputable breeders

Often it is seen those baby pet animals are separated from their mothers early for the sake of money. So you must check if their breeder from whom you are getting your kid is a legitimate one or not.

The important thing is, you must not take a newborn kid who will be separated from your mother, as it might cause serious mental and health issues in the future.

Conclusion

It is necessary to understand that not all breeds are for keeping as pets, so it’s important to choose the right one. This article is a guide for you to walk through the points which will help you in deciding if you want to keep a baby goat as a pet.