# Parrot mouth?



## black-smith

Has anyone every had a kid born with an overbite?

I've never had it happen before, but my doe accidently got bred by a new buck and one of her kids has an overbite...
Everyone I talked to said put her down at birth because she won't be able to nurse, and even if she can, she'll starve to death as soon as she is no longer sucking.
I considered it, but decided to give her a chance, and at three months old she's my biggest kid. 
Has no trouble eating, chewing her cud or anything.
There are no mouth problems on either side as far as I know, would it just be a random thing?
And is it something that would be passed on if I bred the kid?


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## toth boer goats

Parrot mouth can be passed on...somewhere in the genetic pool.. one animal must of had it.... then when bred to that buck.... it came out in the offspring.....as he must of had it in his gene pool as well


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## Dodge 'Em

I had one born this year. He was one of the biggest I had a weaning. Of course he went to the pound pen.


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## ksalvagno

I'm guessing that the overbite isn't too bad. I have seen parrot mouth in alpacas and that cria definitely couldn't eat. Since it is genetic, you may want to just sell her as a pet.


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## Happy Hobby Farmer

We had one with bad parrot mouth, the worst I've seen. I wethered him, and he went for meat at 3 months old weighing around 65lbs. He didn't have any trouble eating, nursing or drinking water.

That is something that can be passed on, and its better to breed it out, then keep breeding it in.
I wouldn't breed those two together either anymore now that you know, and the doeling should not be used for breeding. I personally would make sure she went for meat (only because most people around here say they won't breed, but then there's always an accident and the goat gets bred anyway). But maybe you could find a good pet home for her.


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## RMADairyGoats

I agree. It is not something that is good to have in the herd and would sell her as a pet or sell her for meat. I have never had a kid be born with parrot mouth, but knew some folks that did and she died at 3 days old.


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## black-smith

Thanks guys,I definitely won't repeat that breeding!

She was a tripplet and has a brother that I would like to keep as buck, would he be carrying the same gene?


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## Happy Hobby Farmer

This is just my opinion - but I personally would wether any males from that pairing and sell the females as pets or for meat. I would not keep any as breeders, because they can carry that gene even if it doesn't show.


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## freedomstarfarm

Well if you keep him a buckling there is a chance he carries the gene even if he doesn't show it. He may also not carry it. Each goat kid from a breeding gets their own set of DNA so it is hard to know if he will carry it. You could repeat the breeding another 10 times and never have the issue show again; that may mean that the offspring aren't caring it or that it isn't showing. Yea it sucks and is a hard choice to make about the buckling. I personally wouldn't redo the breeding and would wether the buck just to be safe and hopefully keep the issue out of your herd.


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## nagismom

So, now I have a question...I've seen nubian kids that get an underbite as they develop their noses...if a young nubian is parrot mouthed is there a chance that they'll outgrow it/become less noticable as their nose becomes more prominent? I've never had a parrot mouthed kid but have seen underbites a few times.


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## nubians2

My nubian wether developed an underbite as he aged. I honestly didn't see it when I bought him at 4 months. He weighs in at about 140 lbs now. He did have an issue when he lost his teeth at a year of having to hold his jaw off to the side. His teeth must have rubbed because it is better now that his teeth fell out. I wish he didn't have it but he is healthy and it adds to his "character".


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## 1Northernwaye

Can all breeds of goats carry or pass on this gene I have a percentage boer that was bred by PB Boer that gave birth to twins one if fine the other looks like has parrot mouth


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## Suzanne_Tyler

Yes, they can.


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## JK_Farms

There are some upsides if you do that breeding again it might not happen. My neighbor breeds his goat and she has a bad parrot mouth. She is his fastest doe and she's never had kids with any parrot mouths


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## mariarose

It sounds like your neighbor's doe had a developmental issue rather than a genetic one. What do you mean by "his fastest doe"?


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## JK_Farms

Sorry autocorrect drives me crazy it auppos to be fattest doe


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## mariarose

Ah.


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## toth boer goats

This thread is quite old. 

Parrot mouth is not a good thing to pass along or attempt to pass along.


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## judygoatgal

I had a doe give birth this morning to two boys bot parrot and one looks open between in the pallet he was full of fluid and just now trying to stand ,i tubed him twice already with plenty of colostrum and the other one is stronger and nursed the bottle .they will be pets certianally not for breeding.


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## toth boer goats

This is a very old post.

If the goat has no issue nursing and later able to graze and eat, it is OK to be a pet.

Cleft pallets can be an issue though.


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