It has been two days since Zippy died......Esther is pathetic. She bleats far more than normal and has gone off the bottle. Won't even take the nipple in her mouth. Can goats become that depressed and lonely or is she getting sick?? She doesn't appear ill...no bloating, nothing.
yup she is depressed. As soon as you can do get her a buddy. Is she eating anything else? Try being out there more with her and giving her loads of attention. Do you have goats around you? can you take her for walks to visit them?
She is drinking water from her water bowl and is nibbling at the pellet. I took her on a walk and she ate some grass along the way and wagged her little tail the whole time. When I put her back in the pen, the bleating began in earnest again. I really do think she is depressed. She tried making friends with the cat but the cat wasn't so interested. I want to get her a friend but I don't want to get just "any old goat" either. I am SOOO hoping I can find a female ND or Pygmy for her this weekend!!!
OK - I know goats need a buddy but this is bordering on the ridiculous! :roll: She is physically A-OK....I even took her temp. to make double sure that fever wasn't an issue in her not taking the bottle. Is it possible that her vaccination had this side-effect on her??????? She had it two days ago..,
Here is something you can try....and it was by accident that I found it would work! A mirror placed in her stall or house where she can't break it...behind a panel or secured with fencing, she'll see herself but to her it's another goat. When I brought my Bootsie home at 6 weeks almost 9 years ago, she was the only goat for awhile, was in the house with me thru the day and would play and rop around with the cats...anyhow, I "lost" her in the house one day and she was super quiet so it took me a bit to find her...she was standing behind my bedroom door intent on the little goat looking at her! She found my full length mirror. Til her "sister" came along, that mirror was her best buddy! No more crying when she was put up at night as she knew her buddy was in her stall waiting for her.
This is why we are getting a third goat......last month one of my boys got really sick and I thought if he dies what will I do about the other being alone and as you know, you can't find another goat overnight (at least I couldn't)! So we have another one coming the end of April.......all 3 are wethers.......my guys are just pets and very spoiled and it would kill me to have one left alone......my 2 boys I have now freak out if one can't find the other.
She is very depressed and she doe need a buddy very soon. How old is she? The Mirror is a great idea. I would only do that for a short time until you can get another goat. They love to go running and jumping together and head butting.
I did know her buddy just died and that is what makes it even worse for her. She had a friend and now it is gone. I am just saying to get another friend as soon as possible for her.
Well, we are getting another doeling this afternoon. The crappy part is that I don't know if Esther will make it that long....honest to goodness she acts like she is going to die. She won't walk around her pen...just lies there and occasionally gets up and moves. She drank some of her bottle this morning but isn't even nibbling at the grass or hay. She seems "floppy" to me if that makes any sense and not "steady"....her pupils are larger than normal. No fever, no foaming, no bloating. Normal urine...normal poop. I swear, if Esther dies, I am SOOO done with goats. This is kicking my butt emotionally, not to mention what it's doing the the children. How I WISH I knew what to do between now and later this afternoon!
can you bring her inside? I would let her run around the kitchen and just let the kids play with her. she obviously just wants the companionship. She still may not really like the new goat when it arrives so be prepared it may take time for her to adjust to a new buddy.
I have brought her inside.....she won't play or run or do ANYTHING but lay there and look like she's on deaths door. ARGH!!!!! I just gave her some rehydration, just in case since she isn't drinking much from the bottle. We will see if that perks her up. I am going to go ahead and bring her in again...I thought I'd try her near the other animals and see what happened. Nothing. I am SOOOO much better at figuring out human kids than caprine kids!!!!!
yes drench her with water - it doesnt take much for them to get dehydrated, and give her some nutri drench or childrens liquid vitamines. about 3ccs or so (or 1 tablespoon) Cuddle her and talk softly to her. Some probios wouldnt hurt either. But if you dotn have any of that then yogurt works too
I 2nd what others have said and it is good that you are getting her a buddy. But, you shouldn't get so down on yourself you are doing everything possible. .
When my sister and I got back from getting her doeling, Esther was dead. My son called me from the house when I was on my way back. I've no idea why my doelings died.....the only thing I can figure is that they ate something that was bad for them but what???? Not sure where to go from here.......LOVE little goats........don't want another disaster.......
I am so very sorry! Do you have the baby with you now? The one to replace Esther's sister? If so, then please do try and get her a playmate. Don't let this discourage you, there was definately something else going on with the 2 doelings, the stress of losing her buddy brought on stress and therefore an underlying problem came to a head.
I have to agree with Liz I have heard and seen goats depressed but never die from it in such a short period of time! I am so so sorry you are a good goat mom, do remember that!