Any responsible goat owner will tell you that taking proper care of their
goats and making sure they are healthy and happy is their top priority. If
you own goats you know that often they get fed before you eat. Goats are
individuals. They aren't cattle, sheep, dogs or cats and they have unique
individual traits and needs that require attention if they are going to be
treated properly, in a way that does not stress them. This is something
that many members of popular "rescue" groups do not understand.

Goats are herd animals. While they are curious and may wander off from the
group to explore something interesting, they prefer being in groups. The
worst possible thing someone can do is keep a goat away from other goats,
or in the absence of goats, other compatible animals. People who want pet
goats need to understand this and it is always best that if they want a pet
to get it very young so it will be more comfortable socializing to people.
Rescue group's needs to be educated to the fact that removing a goat from a
herd it identifies with is cruel and unusual punishment for the goat and
can stress it to the point of illness.

•Goats are browsers, they love many weeds, pasture grasses, leaves and
shrubery.They are not grazers, like sheep. They won't mow your lawn.

•There are some plants that are poisonous to goats. Some are more poisoness
than others. You will want to look these up to ensure you have a safe area
for your goats. Here is a good place to start: Poisonous Plants

•Most goats are kept on pasture and/or fed hay. Its very important that
their hay be kept in a dry, covered area, up off the ground so it doesn't
get moldy. Mold can kill a goat.

•Its a myth that goats will eat anything! And they definitely can't eat tin
cans! They actually can be quite picky!

•Many people supplement their goat's diet with a specific goat grain feed.
Its very important to not overfeed grain! It can cause bloat and overeating
disease (entrotoxemia), both which can cause death. Make sure they can't
get into (or other animal feeds) where its stored.

•Many people like to give their goats treats. The healthiest kind of treats
for your goats are going to be things like pieces of cut up apples, carrots
and other fruits or vegetables. No pit fruits, they can be toxic. Mine even
enjoy the peels of fruit like banana, orange and grapefruit!

•Nutrition for neutered males (known as wethers), needs to be carefully
considered because wethers are prone to urinary calculi (kidney stones),
which can become a life threatening condition quickly. They need a proper
calcium to phosphorus ratio at 2:1. Too much grain can greatly contribute
to urinary calculi as well as any foods that have a high phosphorus to
calcium ratio.

•Mold kills goats. Hay and grain should be kept in a dry location. Hay
should be fed up, off the ground. Grain should be regularly inspected, the
mold can appear as tiny white dots on the pellets, which doesn't even look
fuzzy at all so it should be checked diligently and regularly.