Some people choose to have a goat as a pet. Which is okay because not only because it is cute, but also provides you with milk. Goat milk is good for you. It is good not only for your bone but also for your heart and can be an option for someone who has lactose intolerance. You can read more about this on an article about Health Reason to Drink Goat’s Milk here. But goat usually lives in yard or farm. But can we pet the goat as we pet dog or cat which is usually live indoors? Is it possible to keep goat live inside the house?
Well, if you want to, you may have to choose Pygmy goat because this breed is small in size and weight. Generally, it weights around 55 to 75 pounds and it will not take a lot of space. But still, there will be some issues that will follow if you choose to bust the goat inside your house
Before you step in, read also about Basic Guide of Goat Farming here and Take Care Goat as Pet here.
Is it possible to keep goat live inside the house?
Destructiveness — Goat can destroy the things inside your house. They can destroy things through taste testing items or by climbing on top of things. Remember that goat likes to rub its head on a fence. It is actually an eater! Your goat may eat up everything that is in its reach. It is not only bad for your properties but also for the goat because some items or sharp furniture may accidentally hurt its mouth. Some plants are also toxic for goat such as rosea so you really have to be careful about having a plant in your home. Goat is also a good jumper. Even if you keep it outdoors, the fence needs some height and materials requirements to prevent the goat escape. So you should not be surprised if you find your goat at the top of your kitchen table or counters if you want to keep it inside your house.
Eat up everything — Goat naturally browse and eat as much as it needs to. Your goat also likes to spend most of their time eating and drinking. From this instinct, they can taste almost everything whatever they find including things inside your house, like your kitchen countertop, couch, clothes, or your book! Yes, it will be difficult for you to feed your pet goat inside the house. And they also left its organic food such as hay, grass or grain throughout your floor. You really have to sweep your floor frequently and make sure your goat is not chewing on your paper!
Read also about Diseases in Goat Farming
Dehorned your goat because it is dangerous! — If you want to keep it inside, You also have to remove your goat’s horn, for sure. Dehorning goat is called de-budding. Goat’s horn is actually useful in its natural habitat. But when your goat lives in an urban environment or even inside a house, the story would be different.
A goat can injure other goats, people, or animals with its horn. Remember that goat is naturally an active animal. It can break its horn any time. But the main reason why you really have to remove its horn because a broken horn will lead to death. Broken horn may put your goat’s life in danger because there are arteries that run through in it. But dehorning is a painful process. So you may want to do the de-budding when your goat is still young to decrease the trauma from the procedure. Find a veterinarian to do it carefully or even with anesthesia.
A good choice is to have a female goat or a doe. But if you insist on having the male one, the male goat has to be neutered. Intact male goat can be a lot more aggressive. Turning your male goat into wether might save you (and your house!) if you want to keep it inside. Read more about on how to Recognize That Goat is Pregnant here
It is almost impossible and unpractical to keep a goat in the house. Aside from the fact that goat is an eater that not only eat hay or grass but may also eat up your books and clothes. It is also hard to teach them about the bathroom habit. As a ruminant, goat urinates and defecate more frequently than most conventional pets such as cat or dog.
Goat is also a herd animal, means it will always need companion from the other goats or it will be lonely. Therefore, you need more than just one goat in your house to keep it happy which can be a disaster for your house.
But, well, if you are 100 percent determined, having a goat in your house can be done. You just really need to work consistently on training your goat because its traits are different from the usual pet that you keep inside like cat, dog, or rabbit.
So, what is your choice? Will you keep your goat outdoors, or let your goat live inside your house? If these all considerations start to confuse you to choose, let’s compromise: rather than keep the goat inside your house most of the time, let your goat wanders around. Let it spend most of its activity outdoors, in yard or farm that will not only practical for you but also for the goat, and let your goat in when the bad weather so your goat can warm up its body and have a safe place to star for a while. You only have to make sure you have the area inside your house that is goat-proof. Whatever you choose, be kind to your pet and treat your goat nicely!
Read also about Things You Must Know Before Having Goat as Pet