[helskitchen]

So we are having our home visit from Wood Green tomorrow so they can check over the goats prospective new home, and she said that the pygmies need lots of toys and things to jump on.  We have got some chunky wood which we are going to make a bit of a climbing frame platform thing for them, but has anyone else got any suggestions that their goats enjoy that we could put into place without costing a fortune!  Do they like chucking toys/balls around?  Any advice would be gratefully received, thanks!! xx 

[Mays]

i havent been very imagitive & jsut used what we had here already. I had a huge redundant tractor tyre so I filled the middle with earth & stones, and the girls spend all day leaping on and off... and as its rubber I dont have to worry they will hurt themselves  in another area, the goats have huge boulders to climb on, and a tree to clamber around, and some old stone dyke & the remains of an old bothy, they also jump a stream to access another patch of grass.

[Roxy]

My pygmies are too busy stuffing grass down to throw balls around - although Finlay makes his own entertainment, and his dad amuses himself by either ramming the hay shed door, or eating it.

If I put logs etc in for mine, its probable they would use them to stand on and vault over the fence!!

[Brucklay]

Mine seem to want anything they are not allowed (motorbike, lawnmower, insulation off the pipework on the caravan and the goat shed gets daily general abuse) you get the gist. OH made a platform with ramp and then a ramp to a cable drum, tree stumps are played on a lot and boulders - not as bit as I'd like but can't move the bit ones!! We wanted to make sure there wasn't anywhere they could trap their legs in - so far so good.

[Old Shep]

Mine loved it when the series 1 landy was parked in the field - one loved to sleep on the canvas roof!  OH wasn't too amused though    Failing that a pile of stones (walling sort of size or bigger) seems to keep them amused playing king of the castle.

[Mays]

o yes and on route to their paddock they have eye'd up the bonnet of my husbands Merc on a few occasions I think we can safely say if they ever did...them  & I wud probably be homeless within the hour LOL

[Skirza]

We put some round logs out for our goats and a climbing frame which is really just several platforms of different levels. The kids spend all day jumping from one to another and butting each other off. Seems to keep them fairly amused We have an electrical supplies down in the town that had some smallish cable reels sitting outside and they were happy for us to have them (not the really big ones but still big enough for pygmies) you could try something like that

[jinglejoys]

Put something in the pen and tell them whatever they do not to touch or do near it

[helskitchen]

Lol!!  Sounds like my son when he was a toddler 

Had a rummage round the old farm buildings today and found a large wooden cable reel, some barn doors and loads of big sturdy chunks of wood, so OH is now waiting for me to design a climbing frame that he can fix up with his tools that he hasn't been able to play with much since he got them for Christmas 

[ballingall]

Even pallets can be used as jumping platforms. Nail or screw on spars over any gaps- or if you can get hold of the solid topped ones they are great. Stack two or three high, and the goats love them.


Beth

[Beewyched]

Lol!!  Sounds like my son when he was a toddler 

Had a rummage round the old farm buildings today and found a large wooden cable reel, some barn doors and loads of big sturdy chunks of wood, so OH is now waiting for me to design a climbing frame that he can fix up with his tools that he hasn't been able to play with much since he got them for Christmas 

Piccys pleeeease 

[fizzgigg]

a turnip or a cabbage hanging down just about head hight on a peice of string keeps my 2 out of trouble in the winter when there bored

[little blue]

ours love tyres - just asked for ours back when the car had new ones!

the boys play football ... really!  One that is abit flat is better, it doesn't bounce too much and our Cesar can scoop it up with his horns or carry it round in his mouth!

paper food sacks - leave a little bit of grub in the bottom. just dont leave them alone, as they can get them over their heads & panic!

We find that "new" things can be treated with suspicion ... then get played with ... then get left, so change things round a bit. (but gently!)

Tree branches - willow especially; once they've stripped the bark, change them.

Hope the "Home visit" went well HK, how long til you get them?

[helskitchen]

Hope the "Home visit" went well HK, how long til you get them?

The home visit was good, she seemed happy, just waiting for the damn holding number to arrive!  The postman is getting mugged every morning for the post and everything gets thrown aside with disinterest cos its not from DEFRA.  Think we might go and visit them again tomorrow at Wood Green 

[jaykay]

We were told to get picnic benches - you know, those ones with integral table and benches. They were cheap from B&Q and the goats love them. They lie and sunbathe on the table and the kids jump on and off all day - it was a good tip. And it gives somewhere to sit and watch them