# Looking for some advice....



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

It has been awhile since I have posted, my daughter was very sick and had to have surgery then came the holidays and the flu! Anyhow, Oliver our billy pygmy has not changed behavior much since he was wethered. He actually has butted my daughters hard enough that they have had large bruises. He gets out of every place I put him and wants to be in with the girls. He has jumped 6' fencing and gotten into the does pen! When he gets in there he chases poor little allis around til she cant run anymore and I have to try and grab him and pull him back out. We decided as a family to sell him so he could be with other males and wethers. Someone is coming up to my house in Lancaster PA from Dover Del. to get him today. I am a little worried though because he is going to pick him up this afternoon and will keep him in an enclosed horse trailer while he is at an animal auction and his girlfriend says he is usually there until around 11pm. Then its the drive back to Del. My kids are concerned that he will sell him at the auction and as much of a pain as he is, they dont want him sold at an auction. The woman did say they raise and show pygmy's and boers and they will use him for breeding but for some reason I just feel like something is off. My son has said that if the guy looks shady and the trailer is crap not to let him take oliver. Is that right to decide after he gets here I dont want him to go with him and try and find someone closer to take him? It is hard because I bottle fed him from three days old and he is a love bug but just too much for us to handle.


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## goatbless (Jan 10, 2009)

I am confused about the part where it is stated that he is wethered, but then said to be planned for use in breeding.. If you are not sure you want to sell to these people, save them the trip and cancel the appointment. That is what I would do anyways... good luck finding a good home for him.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

We had him banded and he is wethered and I told the woman this. She said she had other males. I did just talk to her and she said she meant that she would keep him in with the billys she uses for breeding. I just am not sure if its letting him go, we have never sold any of our animals, that is making me hesitant. I also have a little bit of concern for him being in a horse trailer for ten hours or more by the time he returns to delaware after the auction. They were already coming up to this area, it is just twenty mins outside of where they will be for the auction.


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

I would be a bit apprehensive if he was going to be in a "trailer" at an auction fo rany amount of time.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

I was thinking that too, oliver has been jumping almost six foot high fences, I cannot keep him in anywhere, I am afraid he will hurt himself and not only to be in a space for that long. i think I might just call and say I am not comfortable with him being in a trailer for that long.


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## Mully (Jun 23, 2009)

I would not trust them ... sounds a little fishy to me ... but that is just me as i have been burned a number of times being that i am so trusting. Tell them your kids have changed their mind.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

i made the call and told them my kids would rather him go locally so they can visit him from time to time. i told them we werent comfortable with him being in a trailer for that long and he said he could come up saturday and put him in the back of his truck :veryangry: i said, thank you but we will relocate him locally.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

sounds like they were just trying ot make it work -- I wouldnt get mad at them. It isnt their fault that you happen to be a distance from them and 10 hours in an enclosed vehical is nothing -- mine were 14 hours


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

I agree with Stacy

He would be more than fine in the trailer for that long- I had three goats in a horse trailer shipped to me from MN- took three days for them to get here, and they were perfectly fine upon arrival.
I also made a trip to NC last year and we drove as much as possible but of course had to stop here and there, and we had some goats on the trailer for about 24 hours or more, again all fine upon arrival.

But if you just dont feel comfortable with the situation, thats of course your call and you need to be okay with your decision once he is gone.

Good luck finding him the right home! :thumbup:


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

I agree with Stacey. If they were up in the area for a certain time frame, they just had to make due. I hope you find another home for him. Maybe you could post pictures here? I'm about an hour north of you, but have no idea what'd I do with a goat that insistently clears 6ft fences. lol


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

the woman called me back and she emailed pictures of their farm and where they would keep him. she understood the apprehension and assured he will have a happy place to live. i told my husband about the advice and the transport and we agreed he will be happy and taken care of and they have even offered updates and we could visit whenever we wanted. i do feel better and feel dumb now but we are going to go ahead and send him to his new home today. i hate being new and feeling so unsure..................


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

Great news!
Sounds like they really want him- someone that is willing to go that extra step to assure you of the home they are offering really means a lot!

I think you are making a great decision! :hug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

you are only trying to ensure a good home -- I would be leery about the whole auction thing too, but the fact that they are willing to make it work means something. 

Selling is hard, you try and try to make the right decisions and sometimes we dont so I can understand the apprehension. I just didn't want you to think that the trailer for that long was cruel and unusual punishment, he will survive


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

thank you all for your input! i dont know why i thought a goat traveling would be any different than when we moved across the country with a dog and only stopping occasionally. they do really want him, she lost a show doe and wants me to let her know when our babies come so she can purchase one if there is a doe. she loves olivers coloring and i just want him to be with other boys where he will be happy. i think the hardest is that i bottle raised him and he is a love bug but he is too rough and i have seen him buck allis in her side and had the vet out to check her.


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## goatbless (Jan 10, 2009)

Glad to hear that they were willing to go the extra effort to reassure you that they would be a good home for your boy.. It is good to be picky about where your animals go to, and even better that they will even let you visit him if you want. That makes it so much easier to have peace of mind. It's not easy to give up an animal you raised, but sounds like a really good situation he will be going to. :thumb:


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

Yes, glad to hear it. I would just be apprehensive about the trailer since they were at an auction. But I'm glad to hear that they are able to make it work!


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

when they showed up i really was second guessing myself, the trailer was not an insulated enclosed trailer, he did not have any hay or straw in it. the guy told me when he went to pick up the enclosed trailer, it had a flat tire so he had to use this one which was his friends. when i went and got some hay to put down for oliver i saw little holes rusted through in the floor in some spots but i put as much hay as i could down and made sure he had some to eat. there was no place for water and i was really worried about that. i cried when they left again second guessing. the guy was really nice and he was petting him and holding him and talking to him. the other thing that worried me was the openings at the top on either side of the trailer. i really thought he could jump out of them if he was scared enough as there was no way to secure him in the trailer and oliver can jump. i know that once it got dark he wouldnt try if he couldnt see. i did send an email asking how he did and letting them know if it doesnt work out we will take him back to just let us know. i did worry all night and i know i wont feel much better until i hear from them on how is doing. am i crazy???


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## Mully (Jun 23, 2009)

It is good to know that they "proved" themselves. The trailer part seemed normal but the auction was what made me skeptical. All the best !!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I'm sure he will be fine. Sometimes it is so hard to give up a goat that we love and care about. If they sent pictures and told you more aout their set up and such, that is really going the extra mile and I think you can rest easy that he got a good home. Just see if you can keep in touch with them. From what i've read, they seem like very nice people that will give him a good home.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

i think it was so hard because he was a bottle baby and was spoiled! i didnt receive an email back yet, but they may be out trying to catch him to put him back in lol!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I know what you mean. I have had a couple bottle babies that are very very special to me. They're so hard to give up. :sigh:


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

i just got off of the phone with olivers new family and he is adjusting well. he's been following them around all day, tried to get into the house once and been playing with their puppies, the puppies chase him then he chases the puppies until they bark at him then he runs to them lol. i feel much relieved and happy now that he settled so well into his new home. i know he was happy here but will be happier to have boys to hang out with! thank you all for letting me vent and reassuring me and also for all of your advice!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Well sounds like Oliver has a nice new home, congrats. No worries most of us goat people are crazy :shocked: 
The first one is always hard to part with.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Glad to hear that Oliver is settling in, he sounds as though he will be quite happy :hug:


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## KGW Farms (Nov 25, 2009)

Don't be so hard on yourself! I would be weary too. You have shown them that you are a wonderful goat mommy and have taken very good care of your herd. They will appreciate that if they are truly goat people who care about their animals. I would have questioned them as well! Especially the part about the auction.


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