# New goat owner... Help! Hope I am doing this right!!



## Trisha (Jul 28, 2015)

Hi! This is my first time posting on here and I hope I am doing it right. I have a few questions, as a new goat owner. About a month ago I purchased two baby goats (5 months old). One is a doe and one is a wether. I am absolutely crazy about them both and want to be sure I am doing things right for them. My male seems to have what I think is this "fish tail" looking tale. We feed the manna pro lose minerals and his eyelids seem a nice pink color. I did the manna deworming pellet food last month on the 28th. They both have dry skin and some flakes but I do not see any mites or fleas or anything. The female is way more flaky and is shedding so much it's crazy! I did baths in mane and tail shampoo then re did baths the following week with selsun blue for dandruff (which helped a lot). My female, Violet, is very attached to me and screams so bad if I leave her and I don't know how to get her to calm down when I can't be out with them ?? Sorry for so much in one post, I am just worried and want to be sure I am doing what's best for them. We live near St. Louis, Mo and it's very hot and humid!! Thanks so much!!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Welcome and get ready for a goat addiction! :lol: 

For the fish tail, that is a copper deficiency, or possibly a lack of vitamin E to absorb the copper. For the hair falling out and dry skin, that sounds like a vitamin E deficiency as well, or perhaps a lack of fat in the diet. 

For the worming, I don't really recommend the pelleted wormers, they just don't work as well and usually have a very narrow range of worms they kill. 

What are they getting as far as hay goes, and any grain? Are they weaned or still on milk? Also what breed?


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## Trisha (Jul 28, 2015)

The addiction is already here! 
They are weaned Nigerian Dwarf Goats. The previous owners told us to feed a cup of sweet 10 feed in the morning and evening. I mixed in black oil sunflower seeds hoping to help with the skin issue. We also leave hay out (Timothy grass clover type of mix). The previous owners gave me one syringe full of worming medicine but said not to do it till October. I have done a lot of research but it's so different when you have them and are so worried you are doing the right thing!


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## Trisha (Jul 28, 2015)

How do I increase the vitamin e in their diet? Is manna pro loose minerals enough? Thanks so much!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can give vitamin E pills for humans. Usually people have to give additional copper and selenium/vitamin E.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Start here on copper... Vit E is actually important to Selenium not copper, although there may be some selenium problems going on here as well. Can we see pictures of your goats to help you?

http://saanendoah.com/copper1.html


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Well hold on now, I had a doe that had really bad fishtail, despite being bolused, loose minerals available and mineral shots. Gave her a vitamin ad-e shot and her tail hair grew back in. And you specifically told me to give her vitamin E :lol:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Very true but, her fishtail wasn't growing in because she wasn't absorbing her selenium properly. See copper and selenium fight with each other so, a newly bolused goat may be depressing her ability to absorb selenium. Giving the vit E tips the balance without wiping out the good of the copper.


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## Trisha (Jul 28, 2015)

I will do some close up pictures tomorrow of the tail and the dandruff!! Thank you all so much for your responses !


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## Trisha (Jul 28, 2015)

Here are some close up pictures of Violet and Norman. Norman has the fish and a little dandruff and Violet has the extreme dry skin and dandruff


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