# Pygmy vs Nigerian Dwarf



## tenfairytoes (Oct 1, 2012)

What's better or what is the difference. I think my children and I would be really happy with silly little goats over these big milkers. (that we're not milking nor are they preg) I have a pygmy wether he's adorable he was my impulse buy. But what's the difference? Is one a better pet? Mannerisms which is better?
Thanks ahead of time.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Both are equally great temperments as pets ... I raise Nigerian Dwarves since we wanted a miniature dairy breed. These animals are the best pets I have EVER had. And I've had a lot of pets.

I would just look around and see what you find -- as pets I'm pretty sure they're perfectly equal. :thumb: The biggest thing is to find out their parent's temperments and how the kids were raised. Those are a huge factors. If you buy a kid that had sweet parents and were raised with love, you really can't go wrong with any breed!


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

tenfairytoes said:


> What's better or what is the difference. I think my children and I would be really happy with silly little goats over these big milkers. (that we're not milking nor are they preg) I have a pygmy wether he's adorable he was my impulse buy. But what's the difference? Is one a better pet? Mannerisms which is better?
> Thanks ahead of time.


Pgymy is more of a meat goat, and Nigerian is a mini dairy goat.

Just like any animal buy a friendly goat if that is what you want. Although it's pretty easy to tame even some of the wild one's because goats and food = love!

The thing is most people call any miniature goat a pygmy.. Usually it's a Nigerian or a Nigerian/pygmy/??? cross.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Shellshocker66 said:


> The thing is most people call any miniature goat a pygmy.. Usually it's a Nigerian or a Nigerian/pygmy/??? cross.


That is true ... if your goat has splashy coloring, it is probably a Nigerian Dwarf. But many people think that miniature = pygmy. That isn't a bad thing it's just that there's a lot of confusion, and there are a lot of "pygmy" owners who find out they actually have a mixed breed.

The main way you can tell them apart is that pygmies are allowed to be caramel colored, black, or agouti (roan, I believe). They can have a white poll (top of head) and white belt on their tummy. They are generally much stockier and more "compact" looking.

Nigerian Dwarves are allowed any coloration, and also can have blue eyes. They are the same size as the pygmies but have the build of a full-sized goat in a smaller package, so to speak.

IMO, both are equally adorable. <3


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> That is true ... if your goat has splashy coloring, it is probably a Nigerian Dwarf. But many people think that miniature = pygmy. That isn't a bad thing it's just that there's a lot of confusion, and there are a lot of "pygmy" owners who find out they actually have a mixed breed.
> 
> The main way you can tell them apart is that pygmies are allowed to be caramel colored, black, or agouti (roan, I believe). They can have a white poll (top of head) and white belt on their tummy. They are generally much stockier and more "compact" looking.
> 
> ...


Yep even I fell into the same verbiage after I purchased some mixed breed miniature goats. They were listed in the paper as pygmy so we always referred to them as pygmy goats, even long after we knew they were Nigerian crossed with probably more Nigerian LOL!


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## tenfairytoes (Oct 1, 2012)

pygmy is a meat goat I did not know that. They are so cute and fat I am not sure I could. I have what I think is a pygmy wether maybe he's not he is quite splashy. I may have just renamed his breed on my own because the breeder does have Nigerian dwarfs. Thank you all that was VERY helpful!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Nope, that's a Nigerian Dwarf, for sure! At least mostly.


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## tenfairytoes (Oct 1, 2012)

haha I am positive I just changed his breed on my own. I love him! Of course when I went looking for goats the lady opened the door and a real pygmy fell out into my arms abd I was done. Something anything was coming home with me for sure!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

If I was in the market for a pet I wouldn't care which breed -- both are perfect <3


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## zubbycat (Oct 14, 2012)

So is my guy a pygmy? That's what I was told.  http://www.thegoatspot.net/photo/nigel-204.html


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

zubbycat said:


> So is my guy a pygmy? That's what I was told.
> 
> Nigel


He looks Nigerian Dwarf to me, but without registration to prove purebred, he's likely a Pygmy/Nigerian cross


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## zubbycat (Oct 14, 2012)

Ah, lol. No registration on this guy. From what I've heard he was kind of a rescue (he and his donkey) from a petting zoo that went belly up. He's my little mutt! Lol.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

We have both Pygmy and Nigerians and a few crosses actually.

They both equal great pets, if you aren't milking then it really doesn't matter. 

Most people get ND's because they are a mini milk goat!

Although any goat is a good goat as long as they were brought up with love and attention. Although I also have bought some "wild" goats who now are worst than my goats I had bought that were brought up with attention. 

"Pygmies" (I say this in quotes because everything is a pygmy if its small to most) tend to be cheaper in my area. So check out prices, see what appeals to you.


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