[Hilarysmum]

On another forum someone had advertised well handled uncastrated male goats as suitable as pets.  Another person pointed out forcefully that males could be very smelly and difficult and that to be suitable for pets they should be castrated.

Several other forum members felt the posting was unduly harsh and that the posting could deter possible buyers.

I wondered what people here think ....

[Rosemary]

I know diddley squat about goats, but generally, uncastrated males don't make the best pets. They have "urges".

Sounds like the whole point of the post was to deter possible buyers  But folk who don't know better sometimes buy animals on the strength of what the "experienced and reputable" seller is telling them, then it all goes t*ts up and it's usually the animal that suffers.

I have sheep and I'd never sell an entire ram as a pet. My ram's pretty docile and friendly but he does smell a bit and can be a bit "boisterous". Not pet material, unlike my wether.

I'm sure goatkeepers on here will have comments to make.

[Fowgill Farm]

I only really know about pigs and have 3 uncastrated boars on site, one retired firing blanks 7yrs old and still having 'urges' and wanting to fight the other two thro the fence as he still thinks he's top pig! One is nearly 4 and can be a handful when the mood takes him and my youngest of 10months can be bolshy when hes in with a gilt in season. They all smell and my OH takes especial ofence at their perfume!
I would never recommend anyone kept uncastrated pigs as pets they're meat and thats it. Most of the time at 24wks i'm glad to see them go because they're such boisterous terrors.
Mandy 

[robert waddell]

maybe the person should not have been as forcefull     but how do you inform others that this is not the best idea
it is not every stock owner that keeps the males of there particular breed for the very reason pointed out        smell    boisterous and it is an extra mouth to feed  but everybody has there own views

[Beewyched]

View from a pig keeping "non-goatkeeper" (though my mother had them when I was a child) ...

I agree whole heartedly with Rosemary here - it's the same with pigs too.  I would never sell an uncastrated boar to someone wanting a "pet" & I use that term very loosley, as I have Kunes NOT MICRO PIGS - NO SUCH THINGS (sorry have to get that one in). Even with Kunes being such a small, friendly, docile breed the boars soon get feisty when the hormones kick-in & it's careful breeding & selection for temperament that makes the difference between stud or sausage.

I think this forum is an excellent resource to those looking at keeping a different breed & I am sure all advice is made with the best intentions for the animal's welfare.  Maybe some of us get a little heated at times, but I think it's driven by a passion & compassion for our animals.

[AengusOg]

Male goats smell pretty rank, especially during the rut, and the smell is almost impossible to remove once on clothing and skin. Anyone who bought one would very quickly learn the error of their ways when they started to lose friends, or when they were banned from the shops.

I can understand some people getting irate about some of the things people advocate as being pet material. Shades of micro-pigs, perhaps?

[Rosemary]

Male goats smell pretty rank, especially during the rut, and the smell is almost impossible to remove once on clothing and skin.

plumseverywhere makes a coffee soap that is guaranteed (I think) to remove even the smell of billy goat  Maybe the seller of the uncastrated male goats should throw in a box for good measure 

[Beewyched]

 

[doganjo]

It's a well known fact that anyone walking bitches says 'oh no' when they see a big black lab heading their way - they are the randiest dog I know and they are rarely castrated - god only knows why you would keep an uncastrated dog if you aren't going to breed with it.  Mine are both entire but are used at stud, but I recommend castrating at 1 year old for my pups.  My breed is not a big one but they are very strongwilled. 

What are the regulations about 'pet animals' anyway - you still need a CPH and movement licence don't you?

[Beewyched]

Yep Annie - you are right about the "pet" farm animals needing to be covered by the regs.  I can only speak for pigs, any breeder decent breeder will insist on seeing a CPH number BEFORE releasing any pigs/pigletts to their new home, will provide the movement paperwork ensuring the animal is correctly marked for moving & will give advice to the new owner on the regs.

However, from some of the things I've seen, heard & directly experienced this is not always done.  I know there are members of organisations - SPKA, RBST & Smallholders Ass's really trying to raise the welfare standards & I think it's down to us all to play a part in this.

Afterall this is the welfare of the animals we all love & care about 

[Fleecewife]

Not having seen the wording of the original email which caused offence, I can't comment on that, but the message is absolutely correct, as everyone else on here has said - uncastrated males are not suitable as pets.  Sounds as if Billies are stinkier than most, but some people will accept anything.  What concerns me more is the unnatural life he would lead and the damage he could cause to people as well as property. By using forceful language, the original poster has certainly brought the subject into the limelight, so success there 

[Hilarysmum]

Thanks for all the comments with which I wholeheartedly agree.  I love this site. 

[Brucklay]

Although I don't have my own Billy - as I take my girls to the Billy - last year one didn't take first time and I was offered the Billy for the week just to make sure - it was a good plan as the Ram had moved out off the wee paddock to join his girls and he would be next to all my goats. I knew he was smelly from my visits, just on my clothes and the smell from my goats after a few seconds of contact, what I failed to consider was the wee paddock is closest to the front door and depending on wind directing you got a very strong blast of Billy smell when you opened the front door!!! Not pet material.

[Beewyched]

Doesn't HM start some interesting topics? 

[doganjo]

Doesn't HM start some interesting topics? 

Anyone who calls pigs Hilary and Digby and allows them into her house and on the furniture is BOUND to have interesting things to talk about