# Taming goats?



## Frozenloc2 (Jan 13, 2008)

I traded a buck today for a pregnant pygmy doe to add to my herd. She is adorable! She is black with a patch of white on her side and frosted ears and muzzle. I have her in quarantine, which btw, how long do you all normaly quarantine for? I gave her a CD/T shot and wormed her. I have heard her cough which is a dry cough? Anyway, she is wild as wild can be. She is so scared out of her mind, shaking with fear. I'm glad she is not too far along in her pregnancy. Have any of you gotten a unhandled doe before and was ever successful turning it into a pet? How did you go about this? I have had wild babies and tamed them down but what about a adult doe?


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

i have had a few does, you may want to just wait until she kids, and try and be there. I got a doe that was wild as wild could be and when she kidded i turned into her best friend. 
Trying to get her to settle down now might cause her to stress a lot and abort her kids. BUt if you want to try a few things now, try putting her in a smaller area and find something she liikes. Animal crackers is good. or apples or carrots. sit in the corner of the pen, get down closer to her level, you dont seem so much as a threat then, talk to her and toss some cookies in her direction. curiosity will get the best of her. You can also try putting a leash on her so you can catch her. Step on it and gently pull yourself to her rather then pulling her to you. Sit with her close to you and talk to her. Show her youre not going to hurt her.
I would quarenteen her for at leas thirty days. I prefere to do sixty to ninety with any goats i bring in.
beth


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yup I've done it.

it takes time and patience. I had one take 6-9 months, another I am still working on 2 years later (great progress though) and another took about 9 months to accept petting and little things and 12 months to really come up to me in the pen for petting.


Ideas that worked for me. Rutine: goats get into rutines very easily. I feed mine all by hooking them each to the fence. With Aspen (work in progress doe) I got her at 3 months but she was wild as a march hare. Most of the time I couldn't catch her but food would bring her around and then I could hook her up. Eventually she learned the rutine and would walk to her hook up and let me put her hook up on but that was it. She still acts flighty now and again. But her kidding last year really calmed her down. Same when with Flicka, feeding time was a good time for me to check her over while she was busy but as soon as I could tell I was doing to much I would stop and let her finish eating in peace. I wanted her to know I wasn't going to hurt her (she was going on 5 at the time).

Check overs: Even the wild ones need to be checked over to make sure they aren't getting skinny or hooves to long etc. Doing this while they were eating really helped to one keep them distracted and two they learned I wasn't going to hurt them. 

Treats are great, but you need to know what they like. Try leaving some things out in bowels or offer them to her. Raisins, crackers, fruit etc.

You can also sit and read a book (when it gets warmer) and they learn to accept you into their herd. If she comes up to snif just ignor her if she does it again, lay your palm out slowly so she can snif that. Everything has to be slow and low. If you try to pet their head they will run.

Stomach rules: A goats stomach tends to overrule their fears. Once she isnt shaking when you enter the pen if you have the time in the morning/night don't let her have grain unless she eat is out of your hand. Slowly each day you will be able to move your other hand closer and closer till you touch/pet her. Scratching always seems to work really well. On their neck, between their horns/buds, their rump or back. As her belly gets bigger and tighter scraching her belly tends to go over really well with my girls. They will even stop eating and get this "ahh" look in their eyes.


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## Frozenloc2 (Jan 13, 2008)

I got excitied reading your post stacey when you said you've done it up until you spoke of months and years later :hair: What have you done with the babies? Does the crazy doe make the babies crazy? I have half a notion to kid her out and then sell her but she really is a well put together doe and I would like her to join the breeding program for good. I have her in a tiny pen with a leash on her. I got to get her eating grain first before she will take it from me. She's never been fed grain before. I love the idea of leaving variety of treats in a pan and seeing which one she likes. I will do that! 

Andrea


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yah it does get disapointing. But wouldn't you know two of my favorite does are the ones I have worked so hard on and even though Aspen doesn't come to me for pettings (but she will let me pet her as she walks by or if she standing near me) she HATES it when I leave. She calls loudly for me. Flicka will stand by the gate watching me leave and give me these little maas and I turn back and she has this pathetic face. I just love her  

I could never have imagined the love I have for this goat last year when I rescued her. She was nothing but skin and bones and scared spitless of me! But she has the sweetest personality and those people who decided against her when I had her for sale ....... their loss is my gain!!!! 

Now to give you some heart I must say that with Aspen I was still in school and it made it hard for me to spend a lot of quality time with her. And from January to May of last year I was still in school. So really I didn't get to spend a lot of time with Flicka until she kidded in June and by August she was coming around! So if you are persistant and work at it more dilegantly the I was able I think it will take less time 

As to the kids.

Aspen was a first freshioner last year - her single buckling had a ROUGH start - read his story on my website, look under "my boys" then "owen" Anyway, he was my friendliest kid of the season and he is still really friendly and his new owners LOVE him!

Flicka's surviving son (one died at birth) was skittish, unfortunatly. But I learned something just a couple weeks ago that the first hour of their life is imprinting time and I know that I was there for his birth (assisted) but I had to leave immediately after for work and I wasn't there to play with him and hold him etc. So I think this caused the negative effect.


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## Buckeye (Jan 29, 2008)

We have had a couple does who weren't handled enough as babies and while they warmed up, they did maintain a bit of skittishness. But since we have four children, their kids were handled LOTS and quickly were very warm and friendly. Mom's continued jumpiness didn't seem to pass on to the kids. 

Time is a great healer for animals as well as people. Give her time and she'll settle down a bit. Being present when she kids is an excellent idea because she'll know you won't harm the kids later.


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## Frozenloc2 (Jan 13, 2008)

What a lucky Owen! I know alot of people would not have done what you did. Remarkable story! I'm very persistent and determined but I'm glad you told me how long it takes so I won't get discouraged. Unfotunately I have no due date on her but I'm around all the time so hopefully I will get a idea on when she is due and be there for her.


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