# Bottle baby wont drink water



## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

He's off bottle and has been for weeks. He won't drink out of bucket unless I put my fingers in bucket and tries to nurse. Then he puts whole head under water eyes open, I have to pick his head up for him to breath. He wouldn't touch it for days if I didn't help him. What do I do?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Get down there and show him. Is he your only goat? Usually babies have mom to show them how to do it.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

use a more shallow dish for him..add a bit of molasses to make it taste good...and as Karen said..show him how...but do keep watch he stays hydrated...if he isn't getting enough I would offer a bottle of electrolytes to keep him hydrated a few times a day until he catches on...( never bottle feed plain water)


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## reggalce (May 2, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> Get down there and show him. Is he your only goat? Usually babies have mom to show them how to do it.


Please take a video of this if you do it. 

I'm having the opposite problem. 2 month old wethers I want to bottle feed for awhile and they have no idea why I keep putting a bottle in their face.

What about those hanging water nozzles?


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

We have 7 total. He is with another bottle baby wether, that's off bottle at same time that one seems to b doing fine. I separate them when feeding. I get his head up so his nose is out of the water, but when I let his head go he goes down, as far as where his horns were.


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Reggalce~ lol about video of me showing him

But here is pictures I. Can't figure out how to post video


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

happybleats said:


> use a more shallow dish for him..add a bit of molasses to make it taste good...and as Karen said..show him how...but do keep watch he stays hydrated...if he isn't getting enough I would offer a bottle of electrolytes to keep him hydrated a few times a day until he catches on...( never bottle feed plain water)


I will try the molasses tomorrow, he is hydrated. Thank you


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

yiks..he really gets in there lol...yah..try a more shallow dish that he can not get his whole face in...you will need to refill more often but its safer...
look forward to when you can post the video lol


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm amazed that he is willing to put his face in so far! 

It is really hard to get older kids on the bottle. 8 weeks old is ok to wean if you can't get them to take the bottle.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks for the laugh at the photos! (I'm sure it is frustrating for you, but the picture its' self sure is funny!)


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Ok I've changed his bucket to a bowl, tried the molasses still not drinking on his own. I have to put my fingers in the water to get him to drink. He will look at the bowl or bucket, even smell at it 
But won't touch it. It's like he's looking for my fingers. I can't keep doing this till show time. What do ya'll think if i tried a bucket with a nipple on it 
At least he will drink and I don't have to water him every 2 to 4 hours


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

its not good to feed water through a bottle, im sure its the same with a bucket nipple..you can make electrolytes for him and try that..I dont know if I gave you this recipe but here it is again  

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


Mix well and drench or let them drink it. Most of mine love this stuff unlike the electrolytes you buy..


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Thank you for the recipe I will try that. 

I'm new to the goat world, why is it bad to do water in a bottle or bucket? Is it just because they need to learn to drink normally? I don't know


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

your welcome..hopefully he likes it and gobbles it down for you

here is a link to explain the water in a bottle issue : ) 
http://goat-link.com/content/view/198/33/#.UaWFnGSDQxc


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Thanks for the link, I'll update in a day or so and let u know how we're doing


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## reggalce (May 2, 2013)

Made me laugh too. New guy trying not to litter the board with new guy posts so I didn't say anything but I liked it. That is hilarious. Too bad you can't enjoy saving it to show him when he grows up.


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

We had a dog that would do that with the water and blow bubbles. The picture is just too funny. I hope he figures out water soon.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

usually these things are like the "Little bo Peep" story...leave them alone and they come home.... but in his case..he will drink...keeping a dish that is shallow will help keep his from inhaling too much water...which its self can cause issues..but usually they will drink..he just needs time...but I would certainly keep an eye on him to be sure he stayed hydrated..I had to give a few bottles of electrolytes a day to one doe to keep her hydrated until she got it... but I think she liked the electros so much she would have liked for me to keep giving the bottles lol


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Well nothing new here. He still won't drink till I show him, when he does he still wants to put his head in it. We did go buy a replacement for him. ( just in case he drowns himself) my daughter can still show. I'm not giving up yet!!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

if his dish is shallow he wont drown


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## goat_shower_4-H (Jun 2, 2013)

When we ween our bottle babies we always give them about half aborted of water a day. It gives them a taste. With you kid, you might try a full bottle since he's weened


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## still (Mar 16, 2013)

OMG!!! I've never seen a goat do that in my life! I know you're frustrated but thanks for the laugh. 
But in all seriousness, have you tried just guiding his head as he is looking for your fingers and then not letting him go any deeper? I'm not sure if that makes sense or not. I'm wondering if when he sees your fingers and then goes to put his head in the water you could just gently push his head up until it's just his mouth at the water line? I don't know! but that is crazy. He really does just get in there doesn't he!! I'm surprised that doesn't bother him in any way. Does he choke on it at all?


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Ok when I do a shallow dish he dumps it over or steps in it, gets it all dirty. I can only put about an inch in it to keep his nose out. With a full bucket, When I try to lift his head up to water line he pushes down harder. I have gotten him closer to drinking without my fingers or hand in bucket, but I have to be there for him to even think about drinking 
He would love to have a bottle , when I have a bottled coke out there he gets so excited thinking its for him
So frustrating!!


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

still said:


> OMG!!! I've never seen a goat do that in my life! I know you're frustrated but thanks for the laugh.
> But in all seriousness, have you tried just guiding his head as he is looking for your fingers and then not letting him go any deeper? I'm not sure if that makes sense or not. I'm wondering if when he sees your fingers and then goes to put his head in the water you could just gently push his head up until it's just his mouth at the water line?  I don't know! but that is crazy. He really does just get in there doesn't he!! I'm surprised that doesn't bother him in any way. Does he choke on it at all?


No choking but he will blow out his nose and shake his head. He will hold his breath and drink for like a min. I will time it next watering


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

he is a confusing little man...how about filling his water dish with large clean rocks...prevents him from sticking his whole head in and too heavy to dump...


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

happybleats said:


> he is a confusing little man...how about filling his water dish with large clean rocks...prevents him from sticking his whole head in and too heavy to dump...


That's a good idea, I'll try that
Thanks


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Here we are again, he is now drinking on his own. He puts his nose in the water still but not his whole head. He's getting it down and whatever works so he drinks on his own I'm okay with. My next question now is what to give him to gain weight ? I weigh every Monday the whole month of May he weighed 37 to 38 pounds the this month he is 39 pounds 38 pounds. His stepbrothers are the same age as he is and they all ready way 60 pounds and a little over four Months.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Glad he drinking his water : ) 
Cocci and Tape worm will stunt growth, including horn growth...Maybe have a fecal done and see if this is an issue..
also something to consider... his trouble drinking water from a bucket may be an indication of a genetic defect..this may disrupted his growth...??


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

Woo hoo he weighs 41 pounds today he is slowly gaining some weight. I added crimped barley and black sunflower seeds to his feed it seems to be working. And he likes it. 
When I talk to the breeder that I got him from, she said that she's always bread the same doe and buck the same way and she's never had any problems. I asked her where the other siblings were of his and she said she had 3 boys one of them died, this one is screwed up and the other one seems to be doing okay. she sold him so I don't know if she really knows how that one is doing. 
We had to buy a new goat so my daughter would have a chance to show. From the same breeder


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## Justice-Kidds (May 2, 2013)

happybleats said:


> Glad he drinking his water : )
> Cocci and Tape worm will stunt growth, including horn growth...Maybe have a fecal done and see if this is an issue..
> also something to consider... his trouble drinking water from a bucket may be an indication of a genetic defect..this may disrupted his growth...??


For the worms The breeder told us to worm with cydection and valbasen We haven't had an issue with him and worms. 
And we are pretty good at worming every body regularly and I never thought I would get so excited over poop (When it looks good)


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Valbazen is a good choice for wormer.( not a cydectin fan) but valbazen will take care of tape as well but niether will take care of Cocci....a sulfa drug such as Albon, Dimethox or sulmet or Baycox which you have to order but works awesome...will work for cocci...
glad to hear he is putting on weight..: ) sounds like from the breeder she had a few unthrifty kiddos ..hopefully your little guy will catch up


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