# Taming my 2 ND does



## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Nearly 2 weeks ago I finally entered the world of goat ownership! I bought 3 nigerian dwarf does, one doe from Goat Song here on the forum, Ke$ha, she's a total doll! Everyone loves her! The other two I found on craigslist. Its a mom and doe kid pair, they are well bred and beautiful. However, they are not tame like I was led to believe they were. The baby is very wild, the dam is slightly less, but still uncatchable, and its a total rodeo when I do manage to get her. I have been writing a little about trying to handle them on a thread I started in the health section, and figured I should just start an actual thread about my trials and tribulations of trying to tame these two little does.

Here are the two stinkers. HoneyDew is the mom 17 months old or so, Cantaloupe (Lupe for short) is the baby, going on 9 weeks old now. 

































A few days after I got her. She has grown so much already!









And just for good measure, Ke$ha and Lupe eating on the sweet lix block. I didn't realize I was suppose to get loose minerals, so I got a block. I will get loose minerals when they finish the block. THey go at it pretty well, so it shouldn't be too long lol. I got Ke$ha from Goat song, who got her from firelight ranch, so she's been on the forum a while. She's SUPER friendly, and now that she's been here a couple weeks, and is settled in, she's really really affectionate. She was just resting her little goat head in my hand earlier today, it was super sweet lol. Unless something terrible happens, I think this might be her last home lol. 









I got them home 7/22, so I of course handled them that day. I handled them a good bit the next day too. I caught and dewormed them and gave them some nutridrench two days later as well. Oh yes, and under the advice of the lady I got them from, I was giving the baby a preventative cocci treatment (that ended up actually giving the poor baby diarrhea, a dose of pepto, and stopping the preventative treatment had her right the next day).Then I didn't handle them for a few days. I figured they had enough of me, as it seemed like they were hating me more and more. My mom got a hold of the adults collar and held her there for a bit one day.

7/29 
Well I got my hands on her today. Man, she is SO wild, its pretty disappointing. I kept her on the lead for 15 minutes or so, just pet her and tried to keep her from bolting off, and tested her how she felt about giving to pressure. I was really mislead about how tame her and her baby are. I honestly would not have bought them had I known. Sigh. Oh well, live and learn! All the signs were there, I just ignored them.

Anyway, the scurs are not as bad as I was thinking they are! One side is pretty much knocked off on the tip on its own, a couple more head butts with the other one and it should be taken care of. The other still had a bit of space between the tip and her skin, so I have a little time to find an appropriate tool to use. THe hoof nippers are just too big for the job, plus I need at least one persons help too, maybe even 2!

8/2
I got a hold of the baby today, she was eating and I just grabbed her collar and started petting her, took her about 3 seconds to realize what was going on, and she started freaking out. No screaming for her life this time though! I held her in my lap for a good 10 minutes, just petting her. She's super soft and cute! Then later tonight she actually sniffed my finger! It took her a bit to get the courage up, but she gave me a little snuffle! I feel like that is progress! I also pet the mom once and she watched me do it Maybe I should make a thread on taming my does.

8/3
I got a hold of the baby again this morning!! I didn't hold her long though, probably a minute or 2, I was right in the middle of morning barn chores and had a bunch of other stuff to do. She hated it as usual LOL. I pet Honey goat again too. Yay for handling the goats!


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

I know probably in your other post everyone told you the way to a goat heart is through their rumen! Sometimes it works, especially if you withhold food unless they eat it from your hand, especially really tasty treats that they can't resist!

Might also help to make a small pen to keep them in till they tame down some, if nothing else it might make you life easier for catching them :whatgoat: 

The little stinkers are sure cute!


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Oh yes, I forgot to say Honey is readily eating out of my hand  She comes up to me for that, and I can gently pet her on the tip of her nose with a finger lol. THe baby showed a little interest in me for the 2nd time tonight too! She was about a foot away from me, and turned towards me so she was like maybe 8 inches away. I think getting a hold of her the last 2 days has been a good thing. 

I can block them in the stall to catch them. I just havnt had the time to do that this week.


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## KYLeona (Aug 2, 2012)

I am dealing with the same issue, taming 3 of them that I was unaware were so wild. (Also a craigslist purchase).

I took a few days off work since my mom was coming in from out of state and I am thankful I did, in the mornings I go down and just sit for an hour or two reading a book and letting them watch me. Last night I put raisins in the crate with them hoping they will get a taste for them.

I would say that I KNOW how super busy you are but if you can squeeze some time in to just sit in the stall with them for a while. Have treats available for when they approach but basically ignore them. Their natural curiosity will win out. Plus its a way for them to associate you with good things and not just being caught against their will. 

I'll follow this thread to see how your progress goes. I'm excited to see them come around on you  
:lovey:


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Good job Audrey. They are so cute. I think that every new goat that comes to us seems to act a bit wild. They really start to love people tho.. it won't take long before you have some 'pesty' little curious loveable pets.


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## InChristAloneMom (May 23, 2012)

I had that happen to me as well. I will never, ever buy a goat again without visiting it in person first. :angry: 

I hope you have better luck than I have...tasty treats haven't even improved one of them {a 2 year old}. sigh


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I caught the baby again today! I held her for a while and picked all the burrs off her. Today she was a little less terrified, she wasn't so catatonic. She was looking around a bit, took a bit sigh  and she looked at me and snuffled my face! Huge progress!!

KyLeona I totally do hang in the pen with them. Luckily the dam is now taking treats from me, she will walk right up to me for treats, but getting a hold of her is a whole other story. 

Packhill I so can't wait for the day these two are pesty! lol

InChrist yeah, I won't be either (unless its from someone on the forum again). I am sorry that you havnt had any progress with your goat!


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## stevepax (Jul 14, 2012)

We had a nervous one at first, probably not as wild as you are describing, but I just spent a bunch of time sitting out there mostly, and he got used to us. And occasionally handing out treats brought him around pretty quickly.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

They are curious and cant stand to be ignored. It is fun to see how they react to you going out near them and digging in the dirt or just doing something to make them curious.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

It took us until the first kidding for one of our does to like us. Now she is our sweetest doe.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I have been reading about that happening Woodhaven! I am hoping, that if I don't get these two real tamed before this spring, that they will bond more during the pregnancy/delivery.

Today the baby LET me pet her! She watched me reach my hand out, and place it on her, then she walked away. Walked, not ran! Also, after she watched the two adults come up and sniff my hand, she walked up and sniffed my hand!! I am calling that HUGE progress! I am going to try to catch her again tomorrow, I think its helping!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds like things are getting better.... good job :thumb:


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Yeah! That is progress


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

It seems like the baby is really starting to come around a bit now! She walked up and sniffed my hand 3 times today, and then one time was when the 2 adults were being silly, and she then reared up at my hand. It was SO cute! The mama doesn't seem to be making such progress, but she does readily approach me, and will snuffle my hand, and let me pet her on the nose, she comes galloping into the barn when she sees me. Its just that as soon as I even try to pet her anywhere else, she runs off.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

sounds like you're making great progress! packhill boer's suggestion of digging to get the curious is a great one. give it a shot... the results are bound to be amusing 
M.


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## Utterly Blessed Farm (Dec 21, 2011)

My heart goes out to you :hug: ~ it can be so frustrating dealing with goats that don't want people contact. We have one doe like this but we bought her knowing that she did not like people contact as we bought her from a very honest breeder. She is wonderful other than that and she knows the milking routine and is wonderful on the milk stand. She just does not want any other people contact. However, she absolutely loves animal crackers. I buy the big bag at Walmart and she gets an animal cracker after she is done on the milkstand twice a day. She probably will never really trust me or want to be near me but she is beautiful and has beautiful babies so we will accept her like she is.

I agree:


Shellshocker66 said:


> the way to a goat heart is through their rumen


 try animal crackers they are tiny and cheap :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

With older goats... it can take a bit longer...but eventually and don't give up :thumb: ....she will come around ...I hear great progress already..... :wink:


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

I got a doe off craigslist, just under a year old. Most timid and impossible to deal with. Not only did she not like being within five feet of people, she also was very good at escaping her stall at night. Her previous owner just kept her in the back yard and never did anything with her; even fed her and her companions off the ground rather than in feeders or buckets.

Definitely agreeing with the way to their heart is through their rumen. Pheobe has really turned around in the year that i've had her. She still doesn't get anywhere near new people, but she's pretty tolerant of my mother and I. Sometimes she even comes searching for attention. She loves nibbling on my fingers for some reason.

Basically all I did was just sit in the pen for hours until she finally came up to me on her own terms. I would also pet and scratch her at feeding time, which for the first month or two made her stop eating and run away, but now she couldn't give two flicks about it. She's still very skittish and new things make her nervous, but she's so much better than when we first got her.

Just keep with it. You'll get there!!


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Well after hearing some of these other stories, I am feeling better about my two! Lol.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I caught both of them today! I held Lupe for a long time, and then carried her up to the house and got my mom, and my mom held her for a while too. THen I caught Honey and we tried to take all 3 of the girls for a walk. Honey did not want to cooperate AT ALL! So we made it about 60 feet down the aisle way, and then we went back to the pen Lol. Then I dewormed everyone Lol.


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## silvergramma (Nov 9, 2009)

if you have a milking stand,, try this ,, feed from your hand in morning feed on milking stand in evening.. once she is locked in you can desensitize her brush her and also feed treats from your hand,, you can also let the kid on the stand with her or get another stand facing mom so they can see each other...worked for someont I know.. try everything and dont give up.. my goats are afraid of strangers but once they see them on regular basis in our lawn chairs they get used to them..


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I do not have a milk stand, but when I do catch them I pet them all over. Today I handled the moms udder. I think today was the first time she took treats from my hand while I had a hold of her. The baby will NOT eat out of my hand though. She's too timid. At least she is sniffing my hand about once a day at this point, sometimes more


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I notice Lupe taking more and more interest in me recently. She has been getting really close to Ke$ha, and ke$ha is so dang friendly, I think Lupe is taking note of it. Honey is not making any progress, infact it seems like after I caught her and dewormer her last time, set her back. Now she needs her feet trimmed, I don't think the lady did a great job, because I have only had them a short time, and now her hind feet are looking really over grown. So next time I catch her, I will have to deworm, and trim her feet. Luckily after this time they are done with all their deworming. The lady I got Honey and lupe from only used herbal "dewormers" so I have got them on a proper deworming protocol now. Lupe was seeming like she could stand a little trim when I had her last time, so I will do a bit of trimming on her too. Oh man, this is going to be real fun Lol.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

ha ha . well. Goats are so weird. Maybe they will take a turn and be friendly after the hoof trim time. We had that sort of thing happen.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

audrey said:


> The lady I got Honey and lupe from only used herbal "dewormers" so I have got them on a proper deworming protocol now.


I do have to butt in here a second ... we have been using only herbal dewormers for a year now and our goats have done extremely well on it. Only time we've had to use chemical is when one of our doelings got coccidia from all this heat and humidity. (=


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Honey is not making any progress, infact it seems like after I caught her and dewormer her last time, set her back. Now she needs her feet trimmed, I don't think the lady did a great job, because I have only had them a short time, and now her hind feet are looking really over grown. So next time I catch her, I will have to deworm, and trim her feet. Luckily after this time they are done with all their deworming. The lady I got Honey and lupe from only used herbal "dewormers" so I have got them on a proper deworming protocol now. Lupe was seeming like she could stand a little trim when I had her last time, so I will do a bit of trimming on her too. Oh man, this is going to be real fun Lol.


 If you have to do treatment...vaccines or trimming get that all done at once...goats remember when you do that and think... the next time you come around ...it will happen again....that is why the setback happened.... After a while of working with her... she will soon forget and you should see progress....with her... she may take a bit longer but ...it is possible.....keep trying :wink:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I caught Lupe again today, first time since I dewormed her last time. I picked all the burrs off her, we pet her, and then I held her in front of me on the ground. Normally she just goes limp and won't stand. Today she STOOD there!!! I am taking this as a HUGE improvement! I held her with just one arm across her chest, and held her until she wasn't bracing against me at all. Then I let her go and she walked away  Tomorrow will be their last deworming in the 3x every 10 days rotation, and will be trimming their feet also. After this, the next time I will have to "do stuff" to them, will be at the end of september when I have the vet out to do dentals on the horses, I will have her draw blood for the cae/cl and johnes tests. I will probably need to trim their feet again by then too, so will get all that out of the way at once then too. \


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds wonderful...great work...keep it up..... :thumb: :leap:


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## AmyJo (Aug 17, 2012)

I love to read all of your progress!!! It can be so frusterating but it sounds like you are doing so well!! 
I to got goat babies and were told that they had human contact and were tame only to find out that they had not, grrr. It took me about 2 months but they are really coming along now. 2 are extremely friendly and follow me around every where but the 3rd is still pretty timid. I just spend lots of time with them and sit in their pasture area and read a book or suntan and let them come to me for attention. Treats have not really worked the best because they do not seem to be interested in any of them. Even tried watermelon, which I've heard they love, but they were not interested at all. The only thing they seem to love and come running for is their grain  
Good luck to you and I will enjoy reading your posts as they are adorable in your efforts


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I am glad you are enjoying my taming diary  I hope I look back on it one day and wonder how it was that they were ever so timid Lol. Though, I don't know that I will get through to Honey much more, but I am feeling pretty hopeful for baby Lupe these days! The last 2 days she's really been enjoying talking to me, a WHOLE lot! Lol. My friend didn't make it out today to help me trim feet, if she doesn't make it tomorrow it will have to get done anyway, as they need dewormed too. I took them all out today for a walk around the yard. They were so cute, all huddled together "heeling" at my side.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug: :wink: :greengrin:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

My friend came out and helped me learn how to trim feet, and showed me how to man handle them. I dewormed everyone and gave everyone but Honey some nutridrench, I wish I had done her, but she had struggled so bad about the dewormer that I didn't. I will catch her again soon and give her a squirt of it too. I did all of Ke$hes feet, and most of honeys feet, I didn't to Lupes feet because she is so little it just seemed like too many cooks in the kitchen with my friend holding her. Honeys hind feet were a bit of a mess, they were starting to get pretty warped looking, I think its been quite a while since they had been done, and they look SO much better now!! Being a farrier, these things really bother me Lol.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:thumbup: good job.... :greengrin:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Thank you!  Today I went and met the guy who I will probably be hiring to do the disbudding on my kids next year. His herd looked nice, everyone was super friendly. He says he charges $10 a kid, and that includes the CDT vaccination and wound spray on their heads. I feel good having this lined up! Now they just need negative blood tests (and I am like 100% sure they will be), and as the time draws nearer, iron out details with the buck owner, and everything is basically all lined up for breeding and kidding season!


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Audrey- I am feeling your excitement about an upcoming kidding season. Oh... love all the excitement and anticipation that goes along with it. It is such a good experience.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

audrey said:


> Thank you!  Today I went and met the guy who I will probably be hiring to do the disbudding on my kids next year. His herd looked nice, everyone was super friendly. He says he charges $10 a kid, and that includes the CDT vaccination and wound spray on their heads. I feel good having this lined up! Now they just need negative blood tests (and I am like 100% sure they will be), and as the time draws nearer, iron out details with the buck owner, and everything is basically all lined up for breeding and kidding season!


Thats great that you have someone to do this for you!

Be aware though that the CD/T vaccination should be given to does 4 weeks before delivery so the newborns get the antibodies through the colostrum .... a CD/T vac in a newborn is not neccesary, tetanus anti toxin would be a better choice for quick, short lived protection but as long as your does are vaccinated, babies won't need their own until 4-5 weeks and boostered with a 2nd dose 3 weeks later, if your does have not had the vaccine at all, they should get a 2cc injection at 3 1/2 months preggy then the 2nd dose 3 weeks later.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with Liz... :thumb:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I AM excited  I love new ventures, especially ones that involve adorable animals haha. Thank you for the vaccination explanation! I def. will be asking for the whole pregnancy vaccination schedule again, when the time draws near  Especially since it looks like I will be getting 2 more does in a couple weeks, and one is bred and due in december!


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Well I havnt been working much with Honey or Lupe, but they are still warming up to me! I spent the last week or so just letting them be close to me, but not trying to touch them. The other night Honey had her head SO close to my hand while I was dumping grain in her bowl that I Had to move my hand to keep dumping! lol. They are really getting comfortable with just being near me, and in the last couple days I have been working on touching them again. Just little pets here and there, mostly with Lupe, as Honey has been letting me pet her nose and chin more (she still won't let me put her beard though dang it). Lupe just kind of walks out of reach now when I pet her, instead of running away and hiding, so all the time, its progress!!

I am picking up the 2 new does on tuesday too, so that will be fun!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

It does take time for them to be comfortable with you, even adults can be wary when they don't know you or their new home. My newest doe Whimsey has been here since mid June and she has become such a lovebug though it took quite awhile for her to allow me to scratch her back...she'd let me rub her cheek and ears but would move away if I went to pet her elsewhere, she now stands and allows me to pet her all over, she gets this look on her face like she's thinking "please don't stop!" 
Honey and Lupe will come around, they're comfortable enough with you that they know there's no need to run away.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Liz thats cool! I hope these 2 get that comfortable with me. 

Honey got her collar off, I Hvant found it yet, but didn't really look. We are going to have to "rope" her I guess. If it goes easier then trying to snag a collar... well, we'll see. Anyway, this morning while they were eating, Honey was being particularly comfortable with me, so I pet her on the back. I was petting her for a good 15 seconds before she realized it and moved away LOL! Then basically the same thing happened with Lupe today while they were out while I was cleaning stalls (a new part of our day, I let them out and they roam around the yard while I clean horse stalls), I pet lupe and she watched, it took her a couple seconds to remember she ws supposed to be scared of me, but even she just kind of moved out of reach. I hope with these 2 more friendly does in the herd, it helps them want to be more friendly too!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:wink: :greengrin:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Yesterday I had all the goats out in the yard, and when it was time for them to come back in, I rattled the grain can like I always do. Honey was the first one to come running, she came and stood in front of me and I fed her treats while we waited for the others. Lupe was next, she came about half way up the yard and the stopped and called the rests of the herd, didn't go on until they came with, so cute! 

I am having the vet out on wednesday to do dentals on the horses, I am going to have the goats blood tests done then, as well as a CDT, and my vet strongly suggests I have them vaccinated with the ivermec vaccination. I will probably just let her do what she wants, and that way I know they will all be on the same schedule and all be up-to-date on everything. I know it will be a huge setback with lupe and Honey, but oh well, they will love me again sometime


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

I must say-I had a doeling this year who when with her mama in our big-3 acre field, would have NOT-A-THING-TO-DO-WITH-US-EEEEEEEEVER....when it came to be weaning time, I had already sold her mama, but put her in with the others to be weaned-that field is like a VERY small fraction of the big field. It worked like a charm. She is TOTALLY friendly now. Try it if you have the space...


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I don't have anything set up right now for another run/pasture. I do have a spot that will be PERFECT in the future, but it will be a bit of a fencing project for sure lol. 

I made a new table for the girls today. As soon as I put it up Ke$ha and Lupe jumped on it. I reached out and pet Lupe, and even though she "hated" it, her desire to stand on the table was stronger then her need to run away


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Having your vet out is good but Ivermect is not a vaccination...it is an injectible wormer, if your goats don't have external parasites or any sign of internal parasites as shown by a fecal I would not elect to have them injected "just because a vet strongly suggests it" and if your goats have never had a CD/T,, it will need to be boostered with a 2nd injection 3 weeks later....will your vet come back to booster or will you do it?


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I know for sure that honey and lupe have never been vaccinated. I can do my own boosters.

ANd yeah, I didn't mean ivermectin vaccine lol, it just came off my fingers that way. She's a great vet, very professional and very thorough. I trust her judgement completely.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

The vet visit went great. My vet is a real great lady. I let them catch Honey, I caught Lupe. They really feel for the animals, and are super mellow and gentle. I actually learned a much better way to catch Honey from them, much less stressful. I am still waiting on the results from the tests. I am on pins and needles over here! I am sure everyone is clean, but still, I hate waiting!

Big news on the taming front today! Lupe took a hand treat from me!!! She took one from my mom last week, but I guess my mom reached her hand through a bush, and Lupe ate the treat on the other side LOL. Today I was patching holes in the fence that she keeps getting out at, and it was just her out with me, so I got some treats and she took one alfalfa pellet from me! I couldn't get her to a 2nd time, but I also got her to eat a piece of a horse treat that the others go crazy for, so hopefully these two things will lead to more breakthroughs with her!


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

Lupe took 4 hand treats from me today! The last 2 I made her get fairly close to me! Then later she walked right up to my sister and sniffed her hand!!! YAY!! This is the breakthrough I Have been waiting for with her! Oh and I looked at her papers, she was born June 29th, not the 12th, so she is like like 3 weeks younger then I thought! She's not even 4 months old yet, and for some reason I thought she was about 5 months old. I suck at math LOL! So she was just like 5 weeks old when I bought her! Aww.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

The taking of hand treats was really a huge breakthrough for Lupe! She doesn't hesitate to walk up to anyone and check their hands for treats. She is still VERY against being pet or caught, but she's not afraid anymore, she's just a butthead LOL! I did catch her a couple weeks ago, and put her in my lap while my sister fed her the occasional treat. It was a colder day, and she was all happy to snuggle in and be warm on my lap. I wasn't even holding her, and she was just chilling, eating treats, getting pettings, and chewing her cud. It was a really great bonding moment! I havnt caught her since, but need to. I know its those moments that will change her ways  

Honey is still the same. SHe will come up and check my hands for treats, but is even more against being touched then Lupe is. Honey is also very wary of strangers, and will barely come up to me if there is a stranger around. She's super submissive/timid with the other goats, so I know its just her personality.


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