# How old is too old?



## lifeishorsesarelove (Nov 1, 2017)

To burdizzo a goat? I came across an ad for two pygmy ducklings that are currently living locked up in a shed in the city. Someone received them as a joke (!) And is stuck trying to get rid of them now.

I feel so badly for them and wouldn't mind trying out goat life before getting registered stock. But I'm not keeping bucks - so they'd need to be snipped! Would it be feasible to use a burdizzo on them? Or should I walk away?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How old are they?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If they are too old, I recommend a knowledgeable goat vet do it.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Many goat owners say if it can still fit in a calf bander, they can be banded. I'm not sure about burdizzo. But a dose of Banamine before attempting either wouldn't hurt.


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## Redbarngoatfarm (Jul 8, 2015)

Be careful, Bucky behaviour won’t change after 10-12 months or older in my experience- they may smell less, but already learned to be rutty boys....


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

I banded a 9 month old buckling with a California bander. He was uncomfortable for a couple of days, and it took a solid month for everything to fall off, but that thing worked great.


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## lifeishorsesarelove (Nov 1, 2017)

This is why I shouldn't be allowed on the internet after work - they're supposedly around a year old. 

But if they've been living alone in a shed, they also haven't really been exposed to girls..? I feel so badly for them *and* they're stinking cute. But I should probably just walk away.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Hmmm I’m not really sure on this one. I know a big risk with castration with a knife is them bleeding out because the blood supply is huge in mature boys and banding is safer because they really are not bleeding any. With the burizzo your basically breaking all the tubes in there so I’m not sure what that would do with the veins in there. I think if I were to get them I would invest in a large bander for them instead. 
It doesn’t matter if they have been around girls or not with the Bucky situation. They will cool their jets to a point but may not act totally not like a buck.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

If it were me I'd go for it. You can band a goat at any age if you have a burdizzo or the right kind of bander. You might call around to some local vets and ask if they have one or both of these tools and find out costs. The boys will need some banamine but they should be fine. At this point we don't even know for sure what age these bucks are. They may only be six months old, and if they've never been exposed to does they probably won't retain any buck behaviors once they are wethered. 

I've wethered several bucks at 10-12 months old after using them for one breeding season and have kept them for packgoats afterwards. They're great! The only time I notice some buckish behavior is when a doe is in heat during peak rut season. My head honcho wether gets worked up, but if I separate him from the girls the behavior disappears immediately and completely like flipping a switch. 

This sounds like a worthy rescue and I don't see any reason why you shouldn't give it a try.


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