# Hates bottle still at a month



## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

So i just bought 3 bottle boer babies. they were sold to me as a set and i had to take them all. two of them are awesome and drink in about 1 min. the third hates her bottle. she is never interested in it at all. the other two are bottle crazy. im feeding the two that drink great 16 oz 3x a day. im lucky to get 8 oz 3x a day. thats with me holding her down and forcing her to drink it. they all eat hay and grain. i just dont know what to do. she seems alert but i am always worring about her aspirating the milk. she is also smaller then the other two. they are wormed and vaccinated. today while i was trying to feed her the bottle she ran away to chase my daughter around for her bowl of cereal. i just dont get it. i have tried to cover her eyes, put sugar on the nipple, warm it. im jsut at a loss. anyone have any suggestions. i really dont want to lose her. thanks Heather


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

How old are they? Have you tried putting a bit of honey on your finger and sticking it way back on her tongue? That is supposed to help them know how to suck and then you put honey on the nipple and they are supposed to figure it out. If nothing is working you might have to tube feed her which isn't fun but you gotta do what you gotta do. That is pretty crazy that she isn't interested...if she doesn't know how to suck though that would make sense.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I bet they fed her milk out of a bowl. If not I would try it that way. At 6 weeks I had kids loose their mom. Couldn't get them to take a bottle but would drink out of a bowl. Its not recommended to do it this way because crud can get in the bowl but I would hold it off the ground and make sure their noses were clean. If that doesn't work maybe its the nipple. I know my son was real picky about his nipples and would starve before changing to a new one.....my daughter would eat anything shoved in her mouth. How old are these kids??


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Sold a doe last year and kept her 2 kids. They were a month old. Got the doe to take a bottle and then the lamb bar within a week. The boy, refused any forum of milk. Bottle, bowl nor a another does teet. So he got free choice alfalfa and a bit of grain. Regardless to say he was stunted. Then out of now where when he was about 3 months old, one day he decides to see whats so cool about this bucket I bring in twice a day for the other babies penned with him. So I grab him, put the lamb bar nipple in his mouth and he instantly starts to suck! Like he had been doing it all along.

So can just never tell on the ones who refuse. Though, you might try to remove her freed and make him wait to get her bottle. Try at the 12 hour mark and then again at the 18 hour mark. Being hungry may be enough to make her eat. But once he has she feed back in front of her, she will most likely go back to being a pain 

OH and I often wondered if these hard cases just dont like the taste of milk? Might also try to give her milk from a single doe and then try a different doe if she still doesnt want it. Might just need to find her a does milk she likes.


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## FutureHopeFarm (Feb 4, 2014)

Hang in there! You can do it! I know it's rough because we had new born babies whose mother wouldn't take care of them and they wouldn't take the bottle for the longest time. Don't give up!:stars:
I also would say that you should always use warm milk. Just a suggestion.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

try a bowl -- I know people who have had success with kids drinking out of a bowel much better then a bottle. Its not ideal but much better then the kid not getting any milk at all. Try to elevate the milk so her head is a bit more up and not straight down like a dog eating. If she has to do straight down then slowly transition her to it being elevated. Figure out what works for her.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Are you using the same milk the previous owner used?


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

She is a month old. we have had her for alittle over a week. they told me that she never liked the bottle and that they would syringe about 4 oz in her and then let her drink off another mom that would tolerate her. we tried to syringe her at first but we werent getting any really into her just all over all of us. we dont have any other moms in milk. i will try the honey at her next feeding. also they did milk replacer in the syringes. we gradually switched her from her milk replacer to raw cow milk (we have a dairy farm). im not going to give up on her ofcourse, but this is probably one of the most stressful things. this morning i only got 2 ozs in her. she just wont suck the bottle. i worked with her for 30 minutes. i also tried to bowl feed her in the beginning but she wasnt getting that either. i just dont want to lose her


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

If she doesn't start eating you might just have to tube feed her even though that isn't fun. Hope the honey works! *crosses fingers*


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## HouseElfLamanchas (Apr 12, 2013)

You could always try does match the stuff is 45 to 50 bucks a bucket here but it works weve never had a kid refuse does match and they all grew up big. 

She might not like the taste of cows milk weve tried cows milk and got refused all the time. 

If you have any friends who have milk goats ask them if they have any spare goats milk for bottle babies. You might get lucky. Also see if there is a local or nearby milk goat farm/store that sells goat milk for animal and human use. They should sell by 2$ a gallon if not cheaper. 

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I currently have a bottle baby that wouldn't use a bottle at birth- he was a preemie. At 4 days old, he finally started to suck. I switched him to Does Match last week from cows milk and he did fine for two days. Then, he suddenly decided he didn't like the bottle again. Even for cows milk. He will however nurse his momma, but she doesn't have enough milk for two.

SOOO, I finally found a solution- I think he likes the feeling of being under momma. I sit cross-legged and put his two front feet on the floor in my lap area, straddle his belly over my left leg and put my chin on his head. He then sucks down his bottle in no time. 

Before he took to the bottle though, he had no sucking reflex and I tube fed him for 4 days.


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## HouseElfLamanchas (Apr 12, 2013)

loggyacreslivestock said:


> I currently have a bottle baby that wouldn't use a bottle at birth- he was a preemie. At 4 days old, he finally started to suck. I switched him to Does Match last week from cows milk and he did fine for two days. Then, he suddenly decided he didn't like the bottle again. Even for cows milk. He will however nurse his momma, but she doesn't have enough milk for two.
> 
> SOOO, I finally found a solution- I think he likes the feeling of being under momma. I sit cross-legged and put his two front feet on the floor in my lap area, straddle his belly over my left leg and put my chin on his head. He then sucks down his bottle in no time.
> 
> Before he took to the bottle though, he had no sucking reflex and I tube fed him for 4 days.


Whoa! Thats amazing i have heard that this works i just never had a bottle kid that i could try it on myself. Awesome i would suggest this too 

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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

it sounds like to be her sucking reflex might not have been stimulated withthem feeding her by syringe...heres the honey trick 

While she is on your lap, front feet in front of her and back feet tucked, put honey on your finger and stick it on the back of her tongue to stimulate the sucking reflex...do this several times allowing her to suck thehoney off your finger...have a bottle ready with honey on the nippled...once she is going to town on your finger, slip the nipple in..this might take a time or two...keep working on it...This honey trick works great, usually on much younger babies, but who knows..it could work...

Babies need to have their head at a slight upward lift to get milk where it belongs...The problem with a bowl is the rumino-reticular groove (trap door) needs to close off so the milk goes into the abomasum ( milk belly) and not the Rumen which is not yet functional, this trap door will not close of baby is drinking with her head down.....milk in the rumen will not be digested and will become toxic..IF you need to feed her out of a bowl, do as suggested and lift it as high as you can. 

best wishes


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

try happybleats suggestions but also try different nipples. Are you using a pritchard nipple? Those are the best in my opinion. But Ive also had good luck with human baby bottles and making an X to get the milk to flow better.


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## FutureHopeFarm (Feb 4, 2014)

TheGoatWhisperer said:


> If she doesn't start eating you might just have to tube feed her even though that isn't fun. Hope the honey works! *crosses fingers*
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


 I wouldn't suggest tube feeding until she is so weak that their is no other way. I'm definitely not an expert though.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

dizzygal04 said:


> So i just bought 3 bottle boer babies. they were sold to me as a set and i had to take them all. two of them are awesome and drink in about 1 min. the third hates her bottle. anyone have any suggestions. i really dont want to lose her. thanks Heather


Are your nipples new and stiff? If so, try swapping the nipples around. I have kids that hate new nipples, but will suck a nipple that has been 'broken in', so to speak.


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

FutureHopeFarm said:


> I wouldn't suggest tube feeding until she is so weak that their is no other way. I'm definitely not an expert though.


I kind of agree with you. It should be a last resort but YOU DO NOT want to wait till they are so weak that there is no other way...by that time you have already half lost them. Just my thoughts, I'm not an expert either but tube feeding doesn't hurt them and if that can help them keep growing while you are still teaching them to drink from a bottle that's the best way. 

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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

ok so i tried all almost all the things that you told me about (honey, crazy hold...lol, all kinds of nipples)and will continue to try to teach her, but i broke down and bought a tuber. i tube calves on our dairy if they are sick so im not scared. the past 3 feedings she only drank 2-3 ozs of the bottle in about 30 min of trying so i just tubed her the rest. im actually feeling much better about this because when i am done she is all happy and wagging her tail. im going to keep tubing her so she can get her weight up. thanks for everyones advice. the goat spot has really helped me in my goat adventures...lol


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

You are so welcome  glad she is happy and full now.  I hope she continues to grow and prosper lol 


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

so i think that she is now getting too much air in her belly from the tubing. she is grinding her teeth and doesnt seem to be too happy. she is 7 weeks old and one day old (i just got offical dates). do i keep tubing?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Grinding teeth is gut pain, I would stop tubing, give cd antitoxin if you have it...is she pooping? Take her temp...101.5-103.5 is normal range


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

she is pooping and it looks normal. havent checked her temp...ill have my hubby do it tomorrow morning. if i stop tubing then she isnt going to be getting anymore milk. she has now completely stopped drinking the bottle..(second day). she is def. my most difficult goat ever! thanks Heather


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Will she eat grain and hay?


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

she is eating grain and hay better then the other two bottle babies, but she is smaller then they are which is why im nervous to not tube her milk.
im going to go out and feed the other two right now and see how she is doing.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

Have u tried diff nipples I know people say there baby prefer human ones


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would look into the milk pellets. Also some calf manna.


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

milk pellets....thats awesome! im going to talk to my hubby about them! this might be the answer to my prayers! 

so i tubed her 12ozs and finished with 1oz of veg oil (read it online). this was what i did this morning and during the day she seemed to be grinding ALOT less. she was even wagging her tail when i was bringing her inside.


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## 91baby (Jan 15, 2013)

See if she will eat some baking soda in a dish, that will help her get rid of excess gas in her tummy. My girls wouldn't have anything to do with Prichard nipple but she loved a regular baby nipple, have you tried that?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I would stop the milk until she stops grinding her teeth...offer her electrolytes in a bowl, or tube it if she refuses to drink but see if she will drink...The oil helps with gas, which might be why she seems to be grinding her teeth less..I would give her a small amount of Milk of magnesia to flush the toxins she may have building inher tummy...its 1/4 cc per pound... 
Sounds like her sucking reflex is not functioning...if you can get it going with the honey trick or changing nipples, the milk pellets maybe your only choice along with calf manna...she is a bit too young to be without milk all together..but as long as she is eating hay and some grain, sheould do all will be ok..her growth may be slow to catch up, maybe even stunted...getting her on the bottle would be better of course butif you cant....do what you must...here is a good electro recipe, might want to cut it in half for her...

Homemade Electrolytes

A half gallon of hot water
2-6 Tablespoons of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses or what you have or honey
1-2 Tablespoons of Either Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda or Table Salt.
1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I had a kid who lost his mom at a month old and refused milk. He was already eating hay and pellets. He ended up growing just fine and was regular size. So she won't necessarily be stunted. Just make sure she gets plenty of grain. If you can get the milk pellets and calf Manna that would be good. I would stop the tubing if you can. Her throat is probably sore from it.


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

This is a video of candy crunching her teeth. i thought that maybe you guys would like to see her. you could let me know if you thought she was too skinny. tomorrow im going to post a photo of her twin sister to compare. thanks for all the help. oh and this video was taken right before i tubed her. i tried not to but i just feel so bad since she is so little. today she is 7 weeks 2 days. i am tubing her twice a day 20 ozs each feeding. she is eating hay and grain, and drinking water.

also for the goat lovers asking about the baby bottles, she doesnt like the three kinds that i have. she wont suck on anything...not even my finger covered withhoney.

thanks heather


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

wow 20 ounces that seems high


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What does she weigh?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree..20 oz is way too much...thats 40 oz a day...

weigh her and multiply that by 16 to get her weight in oz...then multiply that by 10% to see much milk she needs per day and divide that into at least 3 feedings...

Teeth grinding is usually gut pain...she can not digest 20 oz at once...it become toxic in her tummy...I never feed more than 16 oz a day and this is for 4-5 month old standard kids ...

You may need to stop milk for 12-24 hours and give electros instead to giveher tummy a break..I would also be giving her cd antitoxin to rid her body of the toxins..


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

i think 20 oz is normal for boer goats who are almost 8 weeks old. did you guys hear the crunching? 

weights were:
Sprinkle (larger twin, 7 weeks 3days) 22lbs
Candy (smaller twin, 7 weeks 3 days) 15.5lbs
Gabby Cupcake (single, 6 weeks 1 day) 18lbs


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)




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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Didn't hear anything. I would still try to get milk pellets or at least the Calf Manna and get her on that. It really is not good to be tubing her so much.


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

20 oz seems like a lot to me too. We haven't had our babies yet but we help out at our friends farm and they never give their month old babies more than 16 oz. My guess is like that other person said she can't digest all that at once. Also maybe try splitting her feedings into 4 times a day...20oz at once is just a lot. She doesn't look skinny at all..and she's wagging her tail. She looks alright, probably just eating too much.  Bottle/tube babies are always going to be a little behind. 


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

the goats arent a month old anymore. they are almost 8 weeks. dont you think that if i was over feeding them then they would have runny poop and all be bloated and sick? just wondering. thanks for everyones advice.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

beings she is almost weaning age and she is eating grain and hay I would just tube her once a day (since you need to wean her off milk) for another day or two and then stop all together. 

She maybe behind for a little bit but will catch up quickly. Had a 6 week old kid refuse the bottle and I fought her for over a week till at 7 weeks i finally gave up and she was perfectly fine. Ideal? no. But she grew up to be quite good size.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I don't think I would even tube her. If she is eating solid food at over 7 weeks....she is so close to weaning age anyway. She may be smaller but that may just be how she will be due to the issues she's had. I know that I would be calling it quits on tubing. Of course. ..keep an eye on her and make sure she is eating enough dry food. 

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

over feeding can cause many healthy issue...here is a good article to read on the subject...I never feed more than 16Oz at a time...goats cannot digest that much..sometimes the problem is mild..a bit of tummy upset to off feed, grinding teeth and death...20oz is just too much...if they need that much milk they should be grazing and having a bitof grain...I agree with Stacy and kccjer, I would stop tubing and get her milk pellets or just a qualtiy grain and hay ...
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/overfeedingnewbo.html

best wishes


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## dizzygal04 (Jun 6, 2013)

my goat died last night thanks for everyones help. i really think that she wasnt ever going to be right so this was probably best. the kids and i are very sad today but i guess it comes with owning goats. thanks again heather


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

Aw so sorry  yes it is part of farm life unfortunately...prayers sent for you and your family. 


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Oh. I am so sorry. Unfortunately it is part of owning any animals and a part of life period. Doesn't make it any easier tho.

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sorry you lost her.


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