# New Pygmy owner in KY!



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

I am a very proud and excited mama of 3 pygmy's. We brought these 4.5 month old darlings home on Wednesday. They are still skittish since the breeder did not handle them. We are patiently waiting and working with them, it's a slow process but I am optimistic! The little boy is "Cosmo", and the girls we think are going to be "starla" and "luna"...


----------



## mhoward2 (Jun 30, 2012)

Is the boy wethered? At 4.5 months he is plenty old enough to breed the doelings and they are much to young.


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

They're precious! I'm sure you'll get through to them. The key to friendly goats is a LOT of human interaction. We dam raise, but every single day are out there playing with the kids. They're so much like bottle babies now that they'll even call us when we haven't given them their attention for the day XD


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

He is wethered, I am not in a position to breed this year. I do have a mini numbian buck though that I am arranging to breed them with next year. 

I have tried continuously to increase the interaction. They are so skittish. It is frustrating. 

They went into the crate on their own last night which meant that I didn't have to chase them down. That was a huge relief. Today I have spent a few hours here and there outside reading a book and letting them see me ignore them. They came closer earlier but still no contact initiated. 

They ignored the raisins in their crate last night although the one showed an interest in sweet feed this morning (they were never fed grain before)

I am just trying to figure it all out piece by piece.


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I would seriously reconsider the choice of buck you plan to breed your pygmy does to.... even if he is a "mini" Nubian, you run a big risk of the Nubian in him making the babies too large for the does to deliver. I would personally not use him, try to find a nigerian or pygmy buck.
Are these 3 for sure Pygmy's? Are the parents registered or is there other proof that they are purebred?
They look to have possibly Nigerian Dwarf in them with the length of their legs.


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I would have to agree with liz. Pygmies already have a hard time with kidding, and the Nubian in him could prove fatal. I also agree ... these guys look part Nigerian Dwarf! Some people do not know the difference between the two. Pygmies and Nigerian Dwarves originated from the same breed, but became very different. Pygmies are stockier, Nigerian Dwarves have the shape of a full sized goat in a smaller package.


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

Thanks for the heads up about kidding, we have at least a year before I even seriously contemplate breeding so I'll put a pin in that one. 

There are no papers, I bought them as pets off a guy from craigslist. Not the safest way as I have found out. All the mini's in our area were going for like 175 or higher for one goat. 

So they are probably a pygmy ND cross? Hmmmm, no worries since they are seriously just backyard pets..


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Leona... I have started my herd with pygmy/nigerian crosses and I still have my "original" doe Bootsie, crosses are just as sweet and to me are very hardy...I've never had any issues come up with any of my cross goats, even with parasites. The only thing with crosses that made me choose Registered nigerians was the udders and milk production...with cross does, you just don't know the udder genetics behind them and I so enjoy milking. Bootsie didn't have a bad udder and her capacity was good but not as good as my registered does BUT she stayed in milk for 26 months after her last delivery in 2008, when it comes to the attention they get wether they be pets or producers mine are all treated the same and I don't think I've ever met a goat that can read to know wether they should "act" like a papered pet.
I breed for the milk production, without kids I wouldn't get the milk.... if I didn't have the desire to milk I likely would have a herd of pets, I don't breed just because of cute little babies, even with my cross doe Angel who never was a milker, she made beautiful kids that went to loving pet homes and helped offset the cost of her feed.
It's all a live n learn experience when it comes to goats...I got my firsts out of the local horse trader ads, after years of "learning" I realized that there is more to a goat than what most people think which is another reason why I chose PB, I know through pedigree's what to expect and even in the cross kids I've had here...they may not be PB but I have the knowledge of their genetics as far back as great grandparents because of the research I've done.


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

Thanks Liz, all very good points! 

I have been wanting to get goats as pets for a long time, but I only recently took the plunge. I am learning more about these awesome creatures everyday.

I did get some more pictures over the past few days as they allow me to sit outside without them fleeing. They still aren't coming to me but at least I am seeing more of them. I am hopeful that they will continue to improve. Otherwise, what's the point???? They are pretty but if you cant handle them, that makes a poor pet.

Here is my Cosmo rubbing up against the fence. And the girls with him also rubbing on the fence. They sure like that!


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

Last 2 good pics I got, the one is Cosmo at our back door. I have gotten to where I can approach him there and he wont run. I can even sit there and crack the door open without him running. But they do back away.


----------



## stevepax (Jul 14, 2012)

That Cosmo is a handsome devil. Will they eat from your hands? That's part of how we got our wether to come around.


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

Not yet, but we are working on it daily. Spending a lot of time just sitting, talking and being with them. Cosmo will sniff me more now than before. Today he sniffed my hand, my arm and then my face haha :leap:


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They are really cute... :thumb:


----------



## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Aaawww.. sounds like they are coming around! Very cute! Thankfully, they are very curious creatures.. and are lead by their stomachs!


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

The end of week one was celebrated immensely this evening as all three ate a cracker right from my hand!!!!! 

I am over the moon at the progress we are making! 

:lovey: :wahoo:


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

That's wonderful!! I'm sorry that they're not tamer ... it's all about quality time with them right from the start that makes them so friendly. But I bet that with the amount of love they're getting now they should turn right around.


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

With some time and a LOT of patience we have completed week one and have made amazing progress! 

All three are at the point where they will sniff me, 2 of them will eat from my hand and the wether (Cosmo) will let me scratch his hindquarters while one of the Does will let me touch her nose before she takes her cracker. 

The most shy and cautious doe is slow to warm up but she is coming around. I am very pleased overall! 

:lovey:


----------



## meluvgoats (Apr 19, 2012)

WELCOME FROM IRELAND!!!! :greengrin: :greengrin: :greengrin: !

When I got my goats they wouldnt let you near them but I got them tamer by kneeling down in the goat shed and have a couple of pellets on the palm of your hand. After about two days they might come over and take a little bit of feed. At this time dont say a word and dont make any movements. They will eventually after a week or two let you pet them. A way to a goats heart is through the rumen after all! :hi5:


----------



## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome!!! 

I have been super busy BUT every night I take a few minutes to spend with them and work on increasing contact and socialization. 

As of today; they are allowing me to rub between their horns, rub their chins and Cosmo will let me rub her sides and she will let me nuzzle her. 

Using animal crackers she will nuzzle my face even!!! 

HOLY CROW! We have made some serious progress!!!! I LOVE my goat sweeties :lovey:


----------

