With all the adorable and charming out look appearance, sheep make many people tempt to bring this wooly animal into their house. Oftentimes, people still thinking that raising sheep are only for livestock business – you’re wrong. In fact, there are ways to take care of sheep as pet at home – if you interested. But, we have to admit, that these numbers of people whose interested to pet a sheep are countable. Majority of people would raise these small ruminant as livestock.

But, who could blame them? Livestock farming is famous as one of profitable business among other – especially the sheep farming. You didn’t have to had a large land to start this business – you could even raise sheep in a small farm as the beginning. As you know, sheep hold its loyal meat fans – especially lamb meat (lamb is a sheep under a year). Whether you decided to raise sheep as pet or livestock, you should devoted yourself to take care of them wholeheartedly.

You need expand your knowledge how to keep them healthy inside and out, example: how to boost their immune system. Extensive knowledge about first aid also needed, in case there’s emergency situation which could happen anytime. Prepare yourself to face this kind of situation is part of your duty as an owner, that’s why, perhaps – beside stocked some chemical medicine – you should learn some natural remedies you could apply as the first aid (which is safer).

Keeping sheep as pet would surprise you at many levels (in a good way, of course). You will cover a lot of things you never thought about sheep before, as time goes by. These 4 surprising facts of keeping sheep as pet would make you fall in love harder than before for this animal. From the inside and outside, you would find out that this animal is wonderful animal. No wonder, why they are become so famous among other small ruminant animals.

So, prepare yourself, my friends, here are: 4 surprising facts of keeping sheep as pet you should know!

1. General Facts You Should Know

Sheep were part of domestic animals in Central Asia approximate about 10.000 years ago. And now, there are more than a billion domesticated sheep around the world.
The females sheep are called ewes and the males sheep are called rams, and the young sheep (under a year) was called lambs.
Been traced that sheep production was begun during the biblical era, which generally used as sacrifices ritual for sins redemption, thanksgiving and others.
Over 40 breeds was spread in the USA, and more or less over 900 different breeds was spread around the world.
The wool that comes directly from the sheep was called raw wool and been 70 steps of processing to produce its highest quality.

2. Sheep’s Behavior

Social Behavior

Sheep are socialized and very gentle animal.
Sheep needs to see another sheep. In fact, they need to have visual contact to reduce excess stress.
Sheep would be stressed out when they were separated from other sheep.

Flocking System

Sheep has a very strong herding which usually called as flocking (only for sheep).
Sheep has sharp instinct. They will run from something that frightens and dangerous (mostly from predators) – then merge into a big flock as defensive and protection modes.
This protection mechanism showed by sheep bring advantage for people. It allows one person to care for a large numbers of sheep.
If you decided to pet sheep, it’s recommended to bring more than one sheep as pet – to make sure that your sheep would feel accompany.

Sheep Senses

Sheep are prey animals, which constrains them to be careful to ensure their survivals from the predators.
Sheep are shared the same five basic senses, included: sight, touch, smell, sound, and taste.

Following Leader

With the flocking instinct and mechanism, make sheep – naturally will follow their leader. One sheep moved, everybody moved.
Apparently, 400 sheep in eastern Turkey was dead caused by this flocking mechanism in 2006.
Since they were a lamb, the ewes (the mother) will encourage their kids to follow the dominant figure and, and follow him submissively wherever he leads them.

3. Fun Facts of Sheep

The First Mammalian Animal to be Cloned

There are two ewes, precisely in 1995 have been cloned – which in fact, become the first mammals that ever being cloned.
The two of the ewes names was Morag and Megan.
A year later, an ewe was cloned for adult somatic cell – her name is Dolly. Since then, Dolly become the most famous sheep in entire world.

They were Gifted with A Wonderful Memory

Sheep has a strong vivid memory about faces, whether it’s other sheep faces or human (primarily you, as an owner). So be pleased folks, your sheep definitely would know you as their lovely human.

There are Homosexual and Heterosexual

This fact is very astonished, yes – there are two types of sexuality among sheep: the homosexual and heterosexual.
Some ewes prefer to choose another ewes as their partner of life, and reciprocally with the rams. Some rams prefer the other rams to be their partner of life.

4. Man’s and Children’s Best Friend

A Good Pet

Sheep will be a very good pet, consider with all the facts that proved that this animal was a gentle and submissive animal.
They would easily respond to you and would know you as their beloved owner.

Bottle Babies

When you raise a sheep with bottle feed since they were a lamb, they naturally will bond to you and regard you as their mother.
If you will get a best pet for applying this method to your lamb.

Fun Facts about The Relationship Between Sheep and Kids

Taking care of sheep will be an excellent lesson for children to be more responsibility and to be respectful to animals.
With the gentle and docile characteristic make lamb suitable for almost every disabilities children. Sheep known as non-aggressive animal on earth. So, if you have children, you need to worry when your kids hanging around with this animal.
In USA, sheep has become the popular project called for as 4-H project, the largest youth organization. It’s open for children from 8 to 18 years old.