I was thinking about getting a goat. My father used to have a few goats and they were great...kept the yard clean, were very friendly and fun...even if they did chew off the buttons on your shirt. he would even take them on walks and on hiking trips. This was also in the middle east where goats are practically free. they would even sell live sheep and goats in safeway on certain occasions!!

do pigmy's have good temperaments? i've heard some good...and some not so good things. If anyone knows anything about the subject...what breed of goat would make the best pet? i really dont know much about the diff. breeds.

also, how much does a whether COST?

thanks

-- Daniela (Muhawi@aol.com), July 16, 2001

Answers

Pygmies make great pets if you get them young.Whethers run about 25-50 dollars.You can them cheap at livestock auctions.

-- Peg (Ashlinep@localnet.com), July 16, 2001.

Dear Daniela,

I've had both Pygmies and Dwarfs when I was in the country. They were GREAT!!! They were meant as pets, but have found since that they make decent proeduction animals also. I took all three to an MR/DD children's camp once a week and they did very well.

I've heard some derogatory comments about tempermant, but none that I've experience with have ever been anything but friendly and easy to handle. The biggest 'problem' was they're very friendly and people oriented!!

Good Luck!!!

Randle

-- Randle Gay (rangay@hotmail.com), July 16, 2001.

I think no matter what kind of goats you get, the ones raised around young children are the friendliest. Even my bottle fed kids have gotten more and more attitude with my children growing up. They simply don't get the attention that they do when children play with them nonstop. Finding somebody who bottle feeds pygmy's is going to be impossible, which of course is the best! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 16, 2001.

We had pygmy goats, and absolutely loved them, but yes, do try to get them young or at least from a place where they spent a good amount of time being played with. we had one pygmy goat that thought she should sit in our laps, and she fit! It was so cute!!! They are excellent foragers as well. I am planning on getting some more pygmy goats soon, if I can find some babies. I just love them. Ok, I love all goats, but there is something about the little ones that melt your heart. :-) Oh, I paid $25.00 for each of mine. My buck was also intact.

Cindy

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), July 17, 2001.

Pygmy Goats! I love them to bits! We might be getting some more pygmies when we get back from Maine,you can go into the archives and see stories I have posted about my most favorite pygmy goat of all. "Lindsay the Amazing Lap Goat" She was quite the little angel with a streak of spunk in her veins. :-) All the pygmies we had were very good temperamented and I would reccomend them as pets anyday! They're great with small children,aren't very expensive,and love giving their people hugs! My goat Lindsay would even eat everything I ate,including ham and cheese sandwhiches! I would definetly reccomend getting them young,then you can grow up together so to speak. Then when they're older all they'll want to do is hang out with you. Definetly people creatures. :-) I could go on forever about the bazillion reasons why you should get a pygmy goat,but I think I'll stop here. If you have any questions,hey,feel free to ask I'm a big pygmy fancier! :-)

-- Cosmic Country Girl (CosmicCountry@yahoo.com), July 17, 2001.

I've found them to be great pets, and mine didn't chew my buttons! The goat, like most critters, will be as good as the breeder you get it from. The breeder I chose handled the babies a lot and bottle fed.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), July 18, 2001.