# Newborn mouth



## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

My Nubian gave birth to 2 little girls this afternoon (they are Nubian/NDG crosses). One of them is doing great, nursing well, but the other I haven't seen nurse yet, though she is looking for it a lot and trying, but I've noticed she is holding her mouth open. Mama is trying to clean the Inside her mouth non-stop, which baby girl doesn't like very much lol, and it does look as though her bottom jaw is swelled a bit. Upon closer look, the tip of her tongue is also black ?? Is that normal? These are my first Nubian babies, but I've never noticed something like this is a NDG baby before. This mama is a first timer also, and she's definitely acting like one!! Knocking the babies over, stepping on them, ugh, it's a mess! So I could see her having injured her a little bit maybe. What do you think? Should I be worried?


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

She's adorable but her jaw does look a bit strange, and I've never seen a black tongue. I hope it's ok because it's really cute. Can she close and move her jaw properly? If you flick her tongue does it flick back with a reflex? Try feeling and moving her jaw to make sure it's not broken or dislocated. Mama could have stepped on it by mistake. 

If you put your finger in her mouth, does she try to suckle? It's very important that she gets something to eat soon. Try holding her up to the teat and see if she'll latch on. If she can't seem to latch on, milk mom out a little and try feeding from a bottle or from a syringe with the needle off and see if you can get her jump started. If her jaw is injured she probably won't be able to suckle by herself and you'll need to bottle feed her until she heals. If the jaw feels broken or dislocated you'll want to get a vet involved as soon as possible.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

Damfino said:


> She's adorable but her jaw does look a bit strange, and I've never seen a black tongue. I hope it's ok because it's really cute. Can she close and move her jaw properly? If you flick her tongue does it flick back with a reflex? Try feeling and moving her jaw to make sure it's not broken or dislocated. Mama could have stepped on it by mistake.
> 
> If you put your finger in her mouth, does she try to suckle? It's very important that she gets something to eat soon. Try holding her up to the teat and see if she'll latch on. If she can't seem to latch on, milk mom out a little and try feeding from a bottle or from a syringe with the needle off and see if you can get her jump started. If her jaw is injured she probably won't be able to suckle by herself and you'll need to bottle feed her until she heals. If the jaw feels broken or dislocated you'll want to get a vet involved as soon as possible.


I got her to latch on finally! She was suckling on my finger, so I knew she was ok in that sense, so I milked a little out and gave it to her with the syringe and gave her the taste and then I held her head up there and put her mouth right on it. Looks like we had the same ideas Damfino! I am still concerned with the jaw and tongue, but she seems to use it all normally at the moment, so I'll give it time and see what happens. Maybe the tip of her tongue was sticking out of her mouth in utero, and it caused it to discolor?? That's probably a crazy idea, but just a thought hahaha.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

I have an adult wether with black on his tongue like that, and I have also seen it on dogs' tongues. I think it's just a thing that happens in animals, just colorful spots in their mouth.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

I have seen it on other animals as well, just never on a goat, so it was kinda freaky! Lol. Her mama is still trying to "clean" her mouth, which more looks like she thinks she's a bird and she's feeding her young! But she has slowed down on doing it at least, because I was getting worried she would suffocate her because she had her whole mouth and nose in her mouth!! Baby girl, who my son has now deemed Frieza, is nursing awesomely though, regardless of what is happening with that jaw. I have to attach a photo of both of the two girls, because they are just beautiful and oh so adorable


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

My Nubian girl has a black tongue so that's probably where she gets the colored tip. I would watch and make sure the mom isn't biting it, though. That seems strange, her trying to clean her mouth. She obviously feels like something isn't right.


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

Out of curiosity, how does this doeling look now?


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

She’s doing great Goat_Scout! The obsessive mouth cleaning continued for a few days, but it seemed to slow down a bit, or maybe baby girl could just get away easier once she got stronger and more stable on her feet! Lol. I have noticed in certain shots of this baby girl, her bottom jaw does look SLIGHTLY off to the side, but it’s incredibly subtle, and causes her no issues whatsoever, so I guess it’s just the way she is. The only problem I have with her now is that she calls out Constantly!!!!!! It never ends!!! And it’s loud screaming calls, not nice sweet goat “baaaaaas”. I cannot figure it out. She’s in with her mother and sister, so it’s not like she’s separated from everyone, she just likes to hear herself I guess. I was going to keep her, but I just can’t do it!! If I can’t figure out how to quiet her down, she’s gonna have to get a new home! Hahahaha


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

Awww, I hope she quiet's down for you! I have one kind of like that right now, except he is screaming all the time because I'm in the process of weaning him. He's 5 months old but still has that high-pitched "baby voice". 
Did you know that Nubians are a more vocal breed? Maybe that's why your girl is yelling even though she is with her mama/sibling.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

My mama Nubian I’ve had now for 2.5 years, and she is definitely more vocal than some of the NDs, but not constantly like this little girl hahaha. I did have a Nubian buck previously though, (he was actually supposed to be the daddy with this Mama when they got old enough to breed, but he was killed by a bobcat at 11 months old) and he never would be quiet either! But I figured with him it was because he was a spoiled rotten bottle baby, and wanted my attention all the time! He was a character! Big boy, over 100lbs already at 11 months old. I was so sad when he was killed because I was looking forward to their kids! My profile pic on here is a pic of those two when they were young, they’re just the cutest!! I love Nubians!!


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