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Pet Pygmy Goat – Is It Ideal To Bring One Home

Pet Pygmy Goat: Is It Ideal To Bring One Home?

Dogs and cats are popular yet typical choices as pets. Who wouldn’t want them? They are easy to raise and train, and they provide their human friends with warmth and sincere companionship. While those characteristics are not debatable, there are other animals that possess such qualities as pets. One of them is a pet pygmy goat.

A pet pygmy goat is a great choice and a very friendly animal to keep at home. But what exactly is it? This type of goat is a domesticated animal that is smaller in size but similar to the normal goats in almost every other aspect. Adult females are only 16 inches tall, while full-grown males reach about 23 inches in height. Their size is proportional to their weight as they only weigh 50 to 85 pounds.

Basing on their sizes, one can say that pygmy goats are not too different from dogs and big house cat breeds. But the more important question is; is it ideal to bring a pet pygmy home? Yes, it is, and these are the reasons why.

They are simply adorable:

As mentioned earlier, they are small in size and structure, making them so adorable. Not all goats are cute animals. The smaller-sized breeds goats are the more attractive ones. Another aspect is their color; they have varying colors for you to choose from. These colors include black, tan, white, agouti, and mixed colors. If an adult pet pygmy goat is already adorable, what more can their offspring be?

Pygmy Goat Kids.
Pygmy Goat Kids.

Read: Goat Diseases and Control Guide.

They are good at showing their emotions:

According to BioExpedition, pygmy goats display their emotions by leaping very high and wagging their tails. They nudge you here and there when seeking your attention, and they can be a little loud from time to time. They are capable of hiding their feelings quite well, too. Their gentle nature of expressing their feelings makes them very safe around children. Moreover, they are very responsive to humans, making every moment with these goats more enjoyable than you think.

They can be moody sometimes:

When you start raising them from babies, they easily adapt themselves to you and your home environment. Although they easily form a unique personality, there will be cases when they can become so unwelcoming, which sets them apart from dogs. Besides that, they tend to show they’re angry when you wet them. So don’t even try to splash water over this type of goat if you want a peaceful life with it.

But in general, pygmy goats are docile and good-natured creatures. When raised properly, they can be great companions at home.

Their housing is simple to construct:

Pygmy goats are very simple creatures. A simple enclosure is suitable for them, and they don’t require any fancy housing. This will help you save a lot for their shelter. As long as you set up their living place properly and keep it dry at all times, they will always be comfortable.

You may also keep some sleeping and playing materials inside their house. Mom.me suggests that keeping a pet pygmy goat in the house is not advisable. This is because they are very playful, and goat-proofing the entire house can be very difficult. It is best to build their house in your backyard.

They are not high-maintenance:

Compared to other pets, the expenses of caring for a pygmy goat are not that high. They do require nutritious foods, but they don’t cost that much. You can easily supplement the standard goat chow with grass hay. They can graze when you have abundant grass. When a pygmy goat is pregnant, it is required to give her a commercial goat feed to meet the energy requirements.

For fun, you may feed them with a handful of grains from time to time. There are a few plants that may be toxic for your pet pygmy goat. You should avoid feeding them with Azaleas, Japanese yew, and Rhododendrons. And another important note to remember, you should provide them with clean, fresh water regularly.

Tips in Raising Pygmy Goats:

All this indicates how precious and easy it is to have pygmy goats as pets. However, you should read through the following tips to have a grasp on how to raise them properly.

  • It is better to raise females rather than males. Males have an unpleasant odor. It is their natural smell, which may be challenging to eliminate. If you can be comfortable with the odor, then you may have the male pygmy goat for a pet.
  • Remove the horns of your pet pygmy goat. Their horns can be very dangerous and painful when they give you a slight nod. For safety measures, disbudding the goat should be done immediately. This will help you avoid any accidental hurting. Once the horns are removed, their heads are soft and harmless.
  • Regularly trim their hooves. You need your pets clean and presentable. Their hooves grow fast, and you should be able to trim them every 4 to 6 weeks.
  • Don’t forget their vaccinations. Always make sure you vaccinate them on time to avoid sudden death or sickness. They also require checkups from time to time. If possible, have the checkups yearly to help you trim down the costs.
  • If you’re going to adopt a pygmy goat, consult your county livestock regulations. Some counties may not accept pet pygmy goat for different reasons. It is always heartbreaking to bond with a pet only to have them taken away from you due to regulations. Make sure you do adequate research first.
  • Regularly deworm them. Your pet pygmy goat requires deworming, at least, every two years. This is very important for hygienic and health purpose, and you should never miss it.
  • Acquire them from a registered breeder. You definitely want the best, so don’t settle for just any kind of pygmy goat. Make sure that buy them from a licensed breeder who can give you more details about a pet pygmy goat.
  • Have a good fence. To easily monitor your pet pygmy goat, keep it secured in your compound with a good fence. They tend to wander a bit, and you don’t want it to become a nuisance to your neighbors. This will also keep them away from predators since they are easy prey.

Because goats are naturally a social animal, you should consider at least having two pygmy goats as pets. This is to ensure their happiness and comfort. Their gestation period is 5 months, and young ones wean for 3 months.

You should also keep in mind that they reproduce fast. Females may have 1-4 young ones every year. They also tend to have multiple births. You should definitely take this into consideration. Generally, pygmy goats are lovable and adorable creatures, and they make great pets for your kids and people who love animals.

Read: Pygmy Goat Care Guide.

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