Friday, April 18, 2014

Locating Miniature Goats For Sale

By Essie Osborn


Looking for a really cute and unusual pet? Miniature goats for sale in your area might be the answer. These animals can be found by locating breeders or looking for someone who has had goat babies and needs to find homes for them.

The local newspaper classified listings are a good place to start, as well as any specialty sales flyers that list a variety of items. Online sites can be good if you limit the search to your local area. There may be a 4-H Goat Club near-by; although most of the members will have standard size animals, they may know of minis that can be bought.

If you want a reputable breeder, the internet is a good resource. Buying from a breeder means that the goat you get as a baby will not turn out to be of mixed parentage. Those who want a mini won't be happy if the animal grows to a far greater size because one parent was a full-size goat. Having papers on the animal or at least seeing both parents can help avoid this kind of unpleasant surprise.

People buy these mini-farm animals as pets. They are extremely cute, very social, like to be around people, and are easy to care for. They don't need a lot of space. A big dog house or small shed is fine for housing, or even a corner of the garage. They need protection from dogs and weather. A backyard is big enough, and you can take them for walks on a leash.

They make good pets for children, if a few rules are followed. It's almost instinctive to grab a goat by the horns and push against its head when it's little. It's a fun game and children especially find it hard to resist. However, teaching a goat to butt with its horns is sure to cause problems when it matures. A goat, like a dog, must be taught to respect people and not be aggressive even in play.

All animals love to eat, and minis often get overweight and even obese. They can be as wide as they are tall. You will have to follow a strict feeding routine to keep them at an ideal weight. They'll need other diversions to keep their minds off food, but they are lots of fun to play with, will lie near you and chew their cud if you're sitting outside, and can even learn a few tricks.

They also love to eat all your favorite shrubs and trees. They actually prefer brush to pasture. If you don't want them to denude your lawn, you'll have to tie them up or confine them to a pen. They tie out well, quickly learning not to fight a chain, but they need to be where dogs can't bother them. A goat is a natural prey animal for a dog, and even a normally gentle neighborhood pet can quickly kill a goat that's unprotected.

Another reason to confine them is to keep them off of your car, as well as those that belong to neighbors and visitors. They love to get up high and can easily jump onto the hood and then to the roof of an automobile. This is definitely not good for the paint job.




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