# Neck Stretching



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Ok, so what does it mean when they stretch their neck way out and tilt their head upwards, and kind of sway their head to the side? It almost looks like they slept in a bad position and have a sore neck  I see them do this when I watch them interact, but now my little ober does this to me when I'm interacting with him.


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## gsbswf (Apr 5, 2009)

*Re: Body Language*

It sounds like you are describing a behavior I have seen related to fighting. Sometimes it seems like a posture that doesn't go anywhere, like a "don't mess with me" thing that the other goat understands and doesn't escalate. Other times it precedes the turning and running sideways with the raise up on hind legs and head butt at the end. If one of my guys does it with me, I walk at him to let him know I am not intimidated by it. Sometimes they face me and think on it for a few seconds, but so far have always decided not to mess with me.

Of course, it also sounds like a scratch my neck/ears request, depending on how they go about it.

Are there any angry goat noises involved? I am trying to visualize, and I seem to recall some sort of ridiculous goat noise that is supposed to be intimidating associated with it.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

*Re: Body Language*

Never any angry noises, in fact, he was in the middle of giving me his sweet little goat kisses and then stepped back and did this. He then scatched up the platform and layed down next to me. When I've seen them do it while interacting with each other, it does look like they could be ready to headbutt, but I never know with these silly guys.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

*Re: Body Language*

Mikey did it a couple times on the trail at dusk. The one time we were being followed by a moose. So I interpreted it as his way of being on edge and alert.


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