# Can wethers go into rut?



## Brigitta (Jun 15, 2020)

We have had our two wethers for a little over a year but I still very new to all of this!
Our two boys were banded at about 12 weeks old and we saw the boy parts shrivel and drop off, they looked like they still had "something" so my husband's friend who had raised goats for many years came over and checked them both and said they definitely had no testicles and whatever was there might be be fluid there still but it was not anything to worry about.
They are a little over a year old now and are sweet, (usually) well behaved and entertaining
They have always displayed some "bucky" behavior but I read here many times that is not unusual and it wasn't major do I didnt worry about it but lately they have really changed their behavior and are peeing in their mouths and on their legs and chasing my dog, humping one another, making crazy noises and not being the sweet boys we are used to. 
Can wethers go into rut? If so how long will it last, or could it be they are not truly wethered? They have pretty big horns and beards but they have never been super smelly or aggressive.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Hmmm. That's interesting that they have big beards...usually wethers don't have beards, or at least very big ones!! Could you post pictures of your boys?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'd verify with a vet that they really don't have any testicles including possibly internally.


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## Brigitta (Jun 15, 2020)

This is one, I can't find a close up of the other right now but his beard is similar


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Just going off the way he looks, to me, he looks like an intact buck, not a wether. He's stunning though!! Could you get some pictures of his back end?


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

I also agree with what Karen said.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Wethered NDs I found this thread you created a while about back about your boys and thought it had more info and pictures about the situation that would be helpful for others on here trying to help and give suggestions. 😉


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

I'll give that a 3rd. I only have wethers, they were 3 years old in February and April. Scarce beards, not as much horn length, physically built more like a doe, no peeing on themselves, no behavior changes. The closest thing to bucky behavior has been from the lead goat, once. The top lip curled up from the scent of a deer doe in raging heat standing and flagging 6 feet from the fence line. The picture above looks like a buck, not a wether.

Edit: It appears the sack that was dropped in the pictures on the other post was missing one of it's two sides. The width of the dried sack looked off.


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## Brigitta (Jun 15, 2020)

Yes back when they were smaller I was concerned too but they really didn't behave the way they do now they were sometimes rambunctious and did weird/gross stuff but were really sweet and affectionate. I read so much on here from others with wethers with buckish behavior that I didn't think it was going to a big problem.
I don't have any female goats around, but I would like to know!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need a vet to check them. The horns and beard say buck not wether.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, see a vet.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

He’s a cutie! Definitely looks like a buck to me…but I agree with seeing a vet to verify!


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

It's sounding like when he was banded that part of the cords still had some of the tissue above the band which most likely has left him with some hormone producing left in tact.

Vets would have to do an internal inspection to verify this which would be costly and hard on a goat. In all the years I worked as a vet tech only saw one horse go through this in a secondary castration and some retained testicles. But if you felt both testicles when you banded then it is most likely a small piece of tissue left above the banding site on the cord.


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

@Brigitta Were these 2 boys related to each other? Same sire or closely related dams?



Brigitta said:


> (Wethered NDs thread)
> My two Nigerian Dwarves were wethered before we got them at about 9 weeks, then their little "parts" shriveled and fell off a few weeks after we brought them home.


Other than the banding job being done incorrectly on these 2 goats, by the same person, I will be thinking outside of the box. There may be the possibility these 2 males had an undescended testicle, (genetic fault) at the time of banding. The dried sack appeared non symmetrical in the posted picture in the thread, Weathered NDs, post #7 above has a link. Sometimes an undescended testicle will drop down when the male becomes older. The OP first noticed they appeared to have a sack (though smaller than usual and also non symmetrical per posted pictures on the other thread) around 6 months of age. 

Totally agree a vet needs to examine at least 1 of them, determine if there is a testicle present, and advise how to proceed with finishing up the sterilization process.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

There's been several cases of bucklings having 4 testes. 2 in the sack and 2 undescended.


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

@Brigitta Any updates about your wethers? Are they still partially intact?


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