How to Adopt a Pet Goat

Goats are farm animals but can be tame enough to become your pet. As with most animals, it is best if you get your goat as a baby, preferably at only a few months old. Your goat will have been weaned from its mother and will be seeking independence and a curiosity of its surroundings. The goat kid is ready to adopt you as its caretaker and provider. There are several breeds of goats that make good pets, such as the pygmy goat and boar goat.

Things You'll Need

  • Grass field
  • Alfalfa hay
  • Goat feed
  • Tether
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain a pen to keep your goat in. A large dog kennel is an excellent choice. A wooden dog house may be sufficient. Most goats like alfalfa hay as bedding. You will want to tether your goat at first, so a length of nylon rope should be readily available for when you bring your goat home.

    • 2

      Visit a goat breeding farm to take a look at the goats. Get close to the goat you are wanting to buy and see how it reacts to you. At an early age, female and male goats act very much the same. The goat that is curious about you, sniffing your hand, may just be the goat for you.

    • 3

      Ask the goat breeder about the temperament and disposition of the goat parents. Calm goats usually produce calm-tempered offspring. As they mature, male and female goats will behave differently. Like most species, the males will seek dominance over the females and will try to get the females' attention.

    • 4

      Check your goat to make sure you are getting the gender you want. At an early age, goats' horns look the same but will curve in different directions depending on the gender of the goat. Decide how many goats you want. If you buy more than one goat, you will need a separate pen area space for each of them. Goats will head-butt immediately, even when they are playing, and you never know when a real fight will break out and one or both of the goats will suffer a serious head injury. Even baby goats are quite strong, and their bony foreheads can impact with great strength.

    • 5

      Have a field of grass available for your goat. Goats eat grass and can browse around a field for hours at a time before their two stomachs become full and round. The goat will immediately lie down and sometimes nap after eating lots of grass. Keep a bag of goat feed available at all times in case of stormy weather or other unforeseeable events that would prevent your goat from grazing in a grassy field. Goat feed can be purchased from farm supply stores and some pet stores.

    • 6

      Talk to your goat -- in much the same way as you would a dog or cat. Goats love human interaction and will rub their faces, forehead and horns on your leg to let you know they like and trust you. Goats have razor-sharp teeth but will try to gently nibble on your clothing; this is a friendly gesture.