# Is this a Fainting goat or a Pygmy goat?



## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

My moms friend gave us this little black & white goat because her daughter was no longer taking care of her (it was a pet).

The lady's daughter's boyfriend bought it for her, he paid $300 & said he didn't get any papers. He told my dad that the goat was a Pygmy goat, but my moms friend told my mom that the goat had a "seizure", fell over, & when she went to go see about her, she got back up like nothing was wrong & it scared the crap out of her lol.

I don't think she is full grown, but she's not a young baby either. She is def older than 3-4 months.

How can I tell the difference between a fainting goat & a pygmy (besides the goat "fainting")?

Here is a picture of her taken in June... I'll try to get some better ones soon.


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## Kimmerz Cali Kidz (Apr 30, 2011)

:scratch: No idea... don't know much about fainters or pygmies... I would only know how to check by the faint...  hopefully someone will have a better answer for you soon! 
Sure is a cute little thing!


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## Springbett Farm (Jan 5, 2011)

Looks like my fainters and not like any pygmy I ever had :wink: Also, a lot of fainters are black and white- not as a rule- but I think the founding goats may have been black and white. She's cute!


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

By color - that is not a pygmy - and if it is having "seizures" and popping back up - my guess would definitely be fainter - or a cross


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree not pygmy ...try to spook the goat and see if it stiffens up and/or falls over then gets up......that will tell you... if it is fainter.... it is a pretty Goat .. :wink:


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

Try scaring it and see if it faints. If so, it's a fainter  if not, it may be a Nigerian. I have NEVER seen a PB Pygmy be that flashy. Fainters can be super flashy, and it seems alot of the ones I have seen have been black and white. :thumb: She's as cute as a bug   :lovey:


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

I think she's probably a fainter. Looks like one. Almost def. not a pygmy IMO. She sure is pretty though!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Nope...not a pygmy. Color suggests either a mix of Nigerian Dwarf or Fainter, especially if she seizes up.

Most people will call a goat a pygmy just because it's short, not realizing that pygmy is a breed, not a size.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

*BOO!*
Did she faint????????

But, seriously, She is pretty altho I would have no idea what breed she is.


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## kid'n'kaboodle (Mar 5, 2011)

Itchysmom said:


> *BOO!*
> Did she faint????????


 :ROFL: LOL


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

Itchysmom said:


> *BOO!*
> Did she faint????????
> 
> But, seriously, She is pretty altho I would have no idea what breed she is.


LOL OMG :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

Itchysmom said:


> *BOO!*
> Did she faint????????


LOL!! :ROFL: :slapfloor:


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Itchysmom said:


> *BOO!*
> Did she faint????????
> 
> But, seriously, She is pretty altho I would have no idea what breed she is.


 :ROFL: :ROFL: :slapfloor: LOL!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> BOO!
> Did she faint????????


 :ROFL:


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## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

Thanks everyone!! She is very cute & I am really hoping she's a fainter. I haven't tried to scare her yet, but will soon & I'll let y'all know what happens. Thanks for all the help!


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## Jdyson (Jul 20, 2011)

I can't scare mine and make them faint, they just look at me like I have lost my mind, lol. They will faint for food though! :greengrin:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the older they get the chances of a full faint are much harder to achieve. They mostly just stiffen up and walk stiffly for a bit. When kids they fall over "faint" because they havent yet learned how ot keep their balance when their muscles stiffen


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Fainting goats are a breed so they do have a standard. You can tell a purebred fainter by the shape of their ears and there eyes. They tend to have a bug eyed appearance. The horns are also a giveaway. Here is a typical fainter head and shape. There are many purebred fainters that do not faint...and some crossbreeds that will so generally it's not a good way to judge breed although it does give you an idea of what is in its pedigree.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

There adorable Jess.... :thumb:


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

They are SOOOO cute!!! I have always thought fainters were darling, but yours are ADORABLE!!!!


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Well first off, I would not try and SCARE any goat. Truth is goats do remember and scaring goats does not make friends. As far as the pic I saw I would say that you have a Myotonic or a high percentage. If your goat faints, and it will in do time if it faints at all, you will know you have at least a high percentage. Jessica is correct in recommending the standard as a guild line. Percentages that faint. When bred to other breeds, Myotonics or Tennessee Fainting Goats will seldom produce a kid who stiffens in the first 50-50 cross, but it does happen from time to time I have seen one in a stressed moment do this on our place. We don't know precisely how the myotonia gene is inherited, but it begins to appear more often in kids who are 65% or more Myotonic, and the degree of stiffness will vary according to the strength of the gene in the parents. Most fullblood Myotonics display a range of stiffness according to how the gene is inherited by each individual goat. The Myotonic Goat Registry has developed a fairly subjective but helpful method of identifying this degree of stiffness and will allow one to rate and document the stiffening characteristic of their goat. The International Fainting Goat Association at this time still requires a down, or stiff picture. A rare few fullblood Myotonics do not stiffen at all and are known as "limberlegs". I tell you of the two registries because you can at some point register your goat as found if you like once you have determined the goat fits the standard and does in fact faint. The more your goat is comfortable in his or her new sorrounding the more you will see these carictoristics of the breed come forward.


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## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

UPDATE... Boots is definitely a Fainting goat!! :thumb: 

My mom went outside to get her head unstuck out the fence & she got scared & passed out! :slapfloor:

The guy that bought her said he did not get any pedigree papers on her so we can't get her registered, right?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Did she lose conciousness? If she did, it's not because of the Myotonia...they don't pass out, they just stiffen up and fall.


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## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

liz said:


> Did she lose conciousness? If she did, it's not because of the Myotonia...they don't pass out, they just stiffen up and fall.


That's what I meant... she was still awake, just fell on her side & stiffened up. In a few seconds later she got up & walked off like nothing ever happened.


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## Springbett Farm (Jan 5, 2011)

I think MGR (the Myotonic Goat Registry) has an open registry still. I think you could register her with them.


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## animalluvr (Feb 12, 2011)

Springbett Farm said:


> I think MGR (the Myotonic Goat Registry) has an open registry still. I think you could register her with them.


How do I get her registered? We're new at this & don't know much about registering goats.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, you can register with IFGA (International Fainting Goat Association) as a Heritage goat. You will need a left side picture, Right side picture and a fainting or down picture. You can also register her as a found goat with the MGR (Myotonic Goat Registry). This requires two side pics, either side, and you send it in. These two I know for sure can be done. There are other Registries but I have not sent papers in with them yet. Hope that helps. Thier websites can tell you more. The others you can check out it Pedigree International, I have goat registered with them as well. AFGO (American Fainting Goat Organization) and Myotonic Herd Group. All have web pages and facebook pages, all have a sign up process as well.


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