For years and years, I've wanted Pygmy goats. Every time I went to the county fair as a child, I'd beg for one. Finally, the year I was allowed to get a goat, they were all sold. Thus, Harry the guinea pig entered my life. Bought as a consolation prize for not getting a goat, I adored Harry. He was the same color as a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup with a bit of white and fit in one hand. I spoiled the little guy, making a huge cage for him, brushing his glossy fur, letting him out to run around the room every day. He was even paper trained! But, as far as pocket pets go, he wasn't the most interactive. Rats and mice held more appeal to me, and after a year of loving him, I gave him to my sister's friend. The last I heard, he was happily squealing for treats and lived the good life.
Years passed. Well, one at least... While visiting my friend's house and going out to see her lamb, low and behold, there was a darling little Mini Nubian in with Dandy the Lamb. After texting her what a cute little toad he was, she told me to go look in the bathroom. As instructed, I entered the bathroom. A tiny little black and white Nigerian popped up, maaahing loudly. After having my fingers sucked off, I knew I had to have one. As soon as my friend got home, we went down the road to have a look at the rest of the baby goats. Enter Petunia. Barely a week old, she was the only spotted girl left. After chasing her around and around, we finally caught her under a hay feeder. I looked at all the other kids, but never put her down. She was perfect! Dark chocolate and white, she was the stockiest, smallest kid there. Her full sister was even the smallest goat in the herd. After working out a payment plan, she was mine. The whole way home she screamed and screamed, definitly not happy to leave her mommy. By the time we got home, she had finally quieted down and was dozing peacefully. Since the weather was so cold and wet and Petunia was sooo cute, she became a house goat. Skipping about merrily in her little goat coat, she was smaller even than the poodles. We provided her a Fat Boy box as a toy and she spent many hours jumping on and off it. Then she discovered the couch!
Since she had to be fed every two or three hours, my mum made a frantic call to her work. She worked with disabled elementary school children and thought they might like to see Petunia. So off Tuney went to shool where the children loved her and played endless games of "follow the leader." This year when she went back as a substitute, all the kids were asking where Petunia was and if she could come back.
Now that Tuney is grown, she still thinks she's a house goat and runs for the door whenever she's let out. Since she couldn't stay inside with the dogs any more, it was time to get her a friend. After weeks and months of waiting for another girl kid to be born, there wasn't many choices left. Finally, luck prevailed! An add in the paper offered Pygmy goat kids for sale, and although I was planning on getting another Nigerian, I thought I'd go have a look. By the time I'd gotten there, many many people had called and where on their way to come pick out a goat. I had my heart set on a little brown girl with a spot of white to be called Buttercup, but once I saw the silver darling, I knew she was the one. Her mother had only been 9 months old and it didn't look like she knew what to do with a baby. "Buttercup" was very thin and didn't jump around like the Nigerian babies that I'd seen before, but she was so darling I couldn't resist. I decided to leave her with her mother to keep gaining weight and promised to come back on Saturday to pay for her. When we went back to pay for her, I just couldn't leave her. Figuring bottle feeding couldn't hurt to fatten her up, off we went. It was a calmer journey this time and Pansy (Buttercup didn't seem right) was very glad to drink her new milk.
After we'd fattened Pansy up, we'd decided to let her and Petunia meet each other. Petunia didn't like being upstaged by a young whippersnapper and kept butting Pansy until we had to keep them separate. Finally, when Pansy was quite a bit bigger, they could play together on the lawn, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that we put them in together. They still need separate dishes and Petunia still tries to butt the stuffing out of Pansy if she thinks she'll get out the gate first or is being petted, but they will share a crate at night and love to play on the A-frame together. All in all, a very happy pair!
Years passed. Well, one at least... While visiting my friend's house and going out to see her lamb, low and behold, there was a darling little Mini Nubian in with Dandy the Lamb. After texting her what a cute little toad he was, she told me to go look in the bathroom. As instructed, I entered the bathroom. A tiny little black and white Nigerian popped up, maaahing loudly. After having my fingers sucked off, I knew I had to have one. As soon as my friend got home, we went down the road to have a look at the rest of the baby goats. Enter Petunia. Barely a week old, she was the only spotted girl left. After chasing her around and around, we finally caught her under a hay feeder. I looked at all the other kids, but never put her down. She was perfect! Dark chocolate and white, she was the stockiest, smallest kid there. Her full sister was even the smallest goat in the herd. After working out a payment plan, she was mine. The whole way home she screamed and screamed, definitly not happy to leave her mommy. By the time we got home, she had finally quieted down and was dozing peacefully. Since the weather was so cold and wet and Petunia was sooo cute, she became a house goat. Skipping about merrily in her little goat coat, she was smaller even than the poodles. We provided her a Fat Boy box as a toy and she spent many hours jumping on and off it. Then she discovered the couch!
Since she had to be fed every two or three hours, my mum made a frantic call to her work. She worked with disabled elementary school children and thought they might like to see Petunia. So off Tuney went to shool where the children loved her and played endless games of "follow the leader." This year when she went back as a substitute, all the kids were asking where Petunia was and if she could come back.
Now that Tuney is grown, she still thinks she's a house goat and runs for the door whenever she's let out. Since she couldn't stay inside with the dogs any more, it was time to get her a friend. After weeks and months of waiting for another girl kid to be born, there wasn't many choices left. Finally, luck prevailed! An add in the paper offered Pygmy goat kids for sale, and although I was planning on getting another Nigerian, I thought I'd go have a look. By the time I'd gotten there, many many people had called and where on their way to come pick out a goat. I had my heart set on a little brown girl with a spot of white to be called Buttercup, but once I saw the silver darling, I knew she was the one. Her mother had only been 9 months old and it didn't look like she knew what to do with a baby. "Buttercup" was very thin and didn't jump around like the Nigerian babies that I'd seen before, but she was so darling I couldn't resist. I decided to leave her with her mother to keep gaining weight and promised to come back on Saturday to pay for her. When we went back to pay for her, I just couldn't leave her. Figuring bottle feeding couldn't hurt to fatten her up, off we went. It was a calmer journey this time and Pansy (Buttercup didn't seem right) was very glad to drink her new milk.
After we'd fattened Pansy up, we'd decided to let her and Petunia meet each other. Petunia didn't like being upstaged by a young whippersnapper and kept butting Pansy until we had to keep them separate. Finally, when Pansy was quite a bit bigger, they could play together on the lawn, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that we put them in together. They still need separate dishes and Petunia still tries to butt the stuffing out of Pansy if she thinks she'll get out the gate first or is being petted, but they will share a crate at night and love to play on the A-frame together. All in all, a very happy pair!
