# Moon spot questions.



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

So my new baby buckling got some moon spots from his father. Everything I have read says they start out dark and get lighter as they grow up. This baby is very light colored and his spots are, too. Will they just disappear? I am putting a close up pic of his (the light color) and one of his father (the brown with a dark spot). I have no clue what the father's looked like as a baby but is that the lightened spots? He was still fairly young.. probably not a year old.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

if the pic of this father is an adult, then that is not a moonspot, it is just a dark spot. his spot may disappear, may not, my doe had a spot like that at birth, then by 1 it was gone. moon spots turn cream or silver when they are older, if it was a moonspot dad's would be cream/silver. pics, a buckling young with moonspots, his grand sire Shaddrack from Riley Boer Goats.


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

The father was, in the pic, old enough to breed my girls but not grown. I was never sure of his age but know he was still fairly young. Maybe 6 months or so. I hope the baby keeps his spots, whatever they are. There aren't a lot of them but they are cute.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

My girl Aquafor - aka "Fiona" has the darker spots...... maybe this is what your boy is doing.


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Yeah, those actually look more like what Mr Coffee (the father) has going on, though he obviously has far less of them. So maybe the baby's spots will get darker?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Only time will tell........they may.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

only time... Deisel (my avatar) and Letty (his daughter) have tiny moonspots that turned silver, Diesel after he was 2, Letty at 1 year, Letty's is about a dime size on her side, Diesel's is about the with of your small finger the length of his back, I call it his skunk stripe! and he has one on the tip of his tail. moonspots can be tiny, just 1 hair, or big like Shaddrack's.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

goatblessings said:


> My girl Aquafor - aka "Fiona" has the darker spots...... maybe this is what your boy is doing.


this doe is naturally the darker color, all the tan is loud moonspoting! in Boers she would be called a tiger dapple!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Thanks - I find all these colors hard to figure out - I've only recently had spots in my herd - so I'm still figuring this out!! "Brown with white belt" is much easier to identify!


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Here is a pic that shows all of him. His other side has a white belt and a couple more spots. Also, as far as what he is, if anyone has any more guesses on that, I would love them. So far the best guess seems to be boer/nubian. I was REALLY hoping the kids would get a bunch of spots. We will see what Anabelle's look like!


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

The sire is maybe a Nubian or Boer cross, but I am sure he’s not a cross between the two, since his face is very dished. 

I’m not sure on the buckling’s spot though, only time will tell. 
And I agree with Spidy - from what I’ve seen, usually by 1-3 months old moonspots (dark brownish/gray when born) are noticeably lighter and eventually turn white, cream, or light gray in color.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If they are turning white they aren't moon spots, they are dapples which are different genetics usually only seen in Boers and Nubians.


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

I was told that “dapples” are when they are born white, and “moonspots” are dark gray-ish at birth and lighten up as they get older. I guess it is the opposite?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

No no, hang on here.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

moon spots can never be pure white or black, dapples can be white at birth or roan, or sometimes darker, moonspots are always darker at birth then lighten up as the baby gets older, it may take as long as 2 years to lighten like Diesel's did, but most are light by 1 year old, dapples can be white or black or any other color.


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