New behavior

Donna1982 · #1 10/25/11, 07:47 PM

Johnny Goat just got over his pneumonia and now he does something strange. It started right before he started getting ill. He will come behind me and push on my legs. Thinking it was his way of pushing his weight around I smacked him and told him no. Which it did stop for a bit and now hes doing it ALL the time. If I stand still he comes behind me and on my calf and pushes. Not hard but enough to know hes there, and if I smack him his tail wags like hes the happiest kid around. Also last night he started to lick on my leg and then "nibble" and if I yell at him he wags his tail. He will chase after me and will not leave my side. This is the goat that was very to his self and would not stand still long enough to get a pet. Now that is all he wants (which I dont mind loving on him). Just can do with out the pushing and nibbling. So what do you all think?

nehimama · #2 10/25/11, 08:23 PM

Is he a young buck? Seems to me he's starting to show dominance?

FrogTacos · #3 10/25/11, 08:50 PM

I had a Pygmy wether that displayed the same behavior - it was just his way of asking for attention. If I tried to pet him when he wasn't asking for it, he would walk away from me.

As for the nibbling - all of my goats do it, I would consider it abnormal if I had one that didn't.

Donna1982 · #4 10/25/11, 08:51 PM

He's almost 5 months wether. That's what we thought to but what's with the tail wagging when yelled at?

FrogTacos · #5 10/25/11, 08:56 PM

The only tail wagger I have is a month old bottle baby buck. He wags when we pet him or when he is gulping down his bottle.

LoneStrChic23 · #6 10/25/11, 09:03 PM

Can't help you on the tail wagging......All my boys do it & have done it since babies (bottle babies). One of my Alpine does does it too (she's also a bottle baby).

Donna1982 · #7 10/25/11, 09:07 PM

All mine are bottle babies and they wag when being pet just none of them do it when getting yelled at.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 10/25/11, 09:36 PM

We had an old lady goat who would do that, looking for head rubs.

wearegoats · #9 10/25/11, 11:02 PM

I think Johnny goat just wants your attention good or bad. You know the old saying that bad attention is better than no attention. He's getting just what he wants and he's happy no matter what. I think too, that he knows who fixed him up when he was sick so now he has become your sidekick. Turn him into a pack goat and he can "help" you around your place. Remember, You said every animal on your place has to have a job.

Donna1982 · #10 10/25/11, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wearegoats

I think Johnny goat just wants your attention good or bad. You know the old saying that bad attention is better than no attention. He's getting just what he wants and he's happy no matter what. I think too, that he knows who fixed him up when he was sick so now he has become your sidekick. Turn him into a pack goat and he can "help" you around your place. Remember, You said every animal on your place has to have a job.

I plan on him being my pack goat momma. Jesse (4 yr old nephew) on the other hand told me NO lol. His job is to eat.

I just dont want to make a problem goat that I can't handle when hes full grown. I keep forgetting hes not even 5 months yet. He is my shadow now that he is healthy so I think you are right about knowing I made him better. and if not I would like to think so lol.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 10/26/11, 07:40 AM

I agree with the others. I think he just wants your attention. All of our goats will nibble on our fingers or peice of clothing while were loving on them or if were not paying attention to them they'll do the same. None of mine push me for attention but they will come & stand so close I think they'll knock me over though sometimes.

mpete · #12 10/26/11, 09:27 AM

He is NOT wanting attention.... He IS challenging you. The tail wagging is also him challenging. Watch bucks when they are pushing each other... They wag their tail. It is a way for them to communicate. You need to stop this right away, especially if he is going to be your packgoat (I keep my guys bucks for a year before I wether them).
When he pushed, you need to push him aside... don't smack him, that won't do anything. If he does it again, flip him.
The nibbling is also a buck behavior. The boys nibble and blubber at the girls as part of the "seduction", although they can nibble just to be curous, like a child.

NEVER push bucks on their forehead.... that is their 'challenge spot'. We push them from the side of their neck. We have a rule here, you can pet them anywhere but the forehead