A favourite at Ted’s Corner, goats are social and friendly and are also one of the oldest domesticated animals in the world. Because of this, goats can make a perfect addition to your family. But if you have owned goats, you will surely know they’re definitely not the creatures many people think they are. So what are some things you need to think about before adding this four legged member to your family?

Goats are herd creatures, they love being social. That’s one of the things we love about them! But to be sure they don’t get lonely, you can’t just have one. A minimum of two goats is required to keep them happy. Like most pets, goats love attention. They love getting petted and eating food directly from your hands but make sure to give your goats equal attention. Goats are intelligent animals and can become jealous if another goat is getting more attention than them.

Goats require a space to explore. They are curious creatures and love to explore and need plenty of room to do so. The Brisbane City Council classifies goats as livestock so are only allowed to be kept on rural properties without requiring a permit. Goats also require a living space that provides both sun and shade, as well as protection from the elements such as wind and rain.

We all want our goats to look nice and shiny. To keep your goat’s coat looking great they’ll need to be brushed to help shed loose hair and dirt they may pick up from roaming their home. You can use a dog brush or a horse curry comb.

As well as brushing, it’s important to keep goat’s hooves trimmed. Goat’s hooves grow live nails, and because they’re not running around on rocky ground you’ll need to trim them to keep them at a healthy length. If they get too long, they can curl or crack which can cause your goat some pain. As a guideline the hooves should be trimmed every 6 – 8 weeks.

Despite the idea that goats will eat anything and everything, they are actually fussy eaters and they eat a lot! They prefer to eat food that hasn’t been soiled or that has fallen on the ground so it’s important to use an above ground feeder. Goats tend to graze on grass, weeds, and shrubs, you can also supplement their diets with hay & high protein grains. If you’re going to have a garden near your goats, remember not to plant plants that are toxic to goats, such as azaleas and roses.

As you can see goats aren’t for the faint of heart, but their intelligence and personality make them a pet like no other that your family would love so much. If you love them but have decided that a goat may not be for you, that’s fine. You can always pop down to Ted’s Corner at Capalaba Produce and say hello to your local goats. We might be biased, but we think they’re the GOAT.

We truly think goats are fascinating creatures! So we’re going to end this post off with 5 fun facts about goats that you can surprise your friends with!

1. Goats can be taught their name!
2. Goats sneeze to warn each other of danger.
3. Goats don’t like the feel of water, they would rather jump over a puddle than walk through it.
4. A baby goat is called a kid.
5. When a goat is giving birth it’s called kidding. 

From your goat loving team at Capalaba Produce.