# Goat reared on back legs



## crzygoatgrl (Mar 30, 2015)

This morning I was out with the goats after feeding taking a few pics and one of the bucks came up to me and started tugging on my shirt and giving me goat kisses on the arm like he does when he wants a good scratch behind his ears. I gave him a scratch then moved to his back like I always do and he hooked the back of my leg with his horn and pulled. I got out of his hold and he then reared up on his back legs. I yelled at him and he put all feet back to the ground and looked at me like I was overreacting. No other issue. Why would he do this? He has never acted like this before with any of us and he usually quite the lovebug.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Sounds like he is either rough playing or he is challanging you. Either way you need to stop his behavior by taking him to the ground next time or squirting him with a water bottle. Rearing up is what they do before they head butt you but him hooking you with his horns needs to be addressed also


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I'm curious as to how old he is. I know that the older our bucks get, the more they act "bucky" even when they've been wonderful bucks before that. Nature and maturity combines and produces an all out buck. It's bound to happen to (most of) them. Please be careful.


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## crzygoatgrl (Mar 30, 2015)

He's just over a year old. He was wagging his tail just before so I guess he could have been playing but I still don't like it. I have three children and don't want him doing this to them. We don't leave them unattended with the goats but still.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

The goat kisses he give you? Is he licking you like they do when they are flirting with does? If so, he is viewing you as a doe to be flirted with. You need to stop this asap.

I've had goats for 35+ years and I have never had a goat lick me except a buck that is flirting. That gets stopped right off.


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## crzygoatgrl (Mar 30, 2015)

Ahh! I didn't realize that or I wouldn't have let him do it. He's in with a doe but I have never seen him lick her. Obviously I am new to all this so your advice will be well received. Now I feel a bit silly. ��


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## purplemountain (Jun 2, 2014)

Look up Beserk Male Syndrome. Sounds funny, but my llama raising friends take it very seriously. Also have heard of hand raised bulls acting out. Not common in goats from what I have heard, but still seems possible. Here's an interesting article:
http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/Bottle-raised males can be very dangerous.pdf


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

What an interesting article. I wonder how often this might happen in goats? I have heard of it in sheep, but I also think rams are more aggressive than bucks in general. At least the ones I've been around have been. I've known quite a few adult bucks and while they've been "pushy and loving" during rut have never been downright dangerous. Even the bottle fed ones.


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

Very interesting.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I've been very lucky with my bucks, as all have been bottle raised by me. However, while I do bottle them, they stay with the herd so maybe that makes a difference? 

My Nubian will try to flirt with me, doing the tongue flapping and yodeling, but has never gone beyond that. He doesn't do it any more, tnank goodness. It was annoying.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

Saw the reference of llama's beserk male syndrome - had that happen -he attached himself to a doe and attacked me with his neck for getting near her. Castration solved that problem. Babied rams can be very agressive - had that once also. Bought one that after I got him she told me how she babied him -carried him around and sang to him as a baby. I would never have bought him if I had known sooner. He was good in the freezer though. Bucks don't seem to be that way like some of the other animals, at least in my experience. I had an adult nubian buck attack me once - pinned me against a tree - a one time situation in the many years I had him. I was younger then and thought maybe the female cycle in me cause it. Who knows. I was careful after that. All the time I had him he was good except that once. Dealing with the males can be difficult at times. We have a 300+ lbs katahdin ram now - gentle but I stay away from him and just deal with my ND bucks. Hubby takes care of him.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Do you have a goat buddy? My bucks NEED their other buck friends to rough-house with, or they would have no way to expel that energy. 

If he tries again I would try the spray bottle. But I would also try giving him a friend, if he doesn't have one, and maybe some toys to expel energy.


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## PygmyMom (Mar 3, 2014)

A very seasoned goat owner once told me that "bucks are not pets, they cannot be trained or tamed". It has been my experience that she was 100% accurate in that statement. I don't doubt that there are "nice bucks" out there. But a buck is a buck is a buck. Good luck with yours!


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## crzygoatgrl (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks for all the info! He started getting pushier and it got to the point where I couldn't walk into the pen so I flipped him flat onto his side and sat on him for awhile until he stopped bellowing. I hurt his pride a bit but haven't had trouble since.


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## FloatnRockRanch (Feb 7, 2015)

The buck we have does the same thing! Constantly pushy and several times reared up. He tries to bite your clothes. It's hard to tell when he is just loving up or acting bucky. I know I could never flip him and sit on him. My hubby has had to put him down twice for head butting and threatening our kids and ended up hurting himself in the process. I just try to act mean and tough. The does are in with him and when I get after him for being pushy he takes it out on them, chasing them from the stall or trying to mount them.


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