So much has been going on these past couple of weeks! We went from being a family of five to a family of 8 in a week. We got a house bunny. We adopted two goats. Goats! I was fortunate to get the bunny, which my children affectionately named "Tom" (as in
Tom and Jerry) from a wonderful family on
Craigslist. He's about two months old and the calmest little guy...as you can see. He does freak out a bit when the kids chase him, as I would, too. They're getting better with him, as he is with them. It's been an interesting adjustment. I've never been a pet person, but I am in love with this little guy. I think it's probably because he requires very little from us.
The dogs that have been in my life have been very needy, as dogs are. I don't do well with needy. Tom is litter-trained, for the most part. He will try to mark his territory once in awhile, which I promptly squelch by removing the poop and cleaning the area so the scent is gone. And he does not smell. The pee and poop are absorbed by a natural litter called
Yesterday's News. We have the ferret litter right now...it was on sale. As you can see, Tom does not have access to the litter, so it doesn't matter what type right now. We give him carrots, rabbit pellets,
Timothy Hay and Alfalfa, broccoli and water. Tom just hops around the house and usually relaxes under the Pack-n-Play, if the kids are about. If it's the husband and me, Tom will stretch out on the floor.
It's hilarious. We had planned on getting goats for a couple months now. I found a breeder on Craigslist and took the boys to go and visit. In her ad she stated that there were goats that were only a few days old. I figured we'd take a look, pick out which one we wanted and then come back in a month or two. Well, we went home with two goats that were 4 days old. When I asked the woman why she got into breeding goats her reply was, "For money and meat." At the same time Eli said, "Mom, I want that one!" and pointed to a Saanen. Sure, baby, let's get these goats out of here! I couldn't take all twenty, so I opted for two. The woman didn't ask if I knew what I was doing. She let me go with two goats and $70 later I had them in the back of the car. I knew nothing about goats. On the drive home all I could think of was HOW I was going to explain to the husband why I came home with two goats... The pen hasn't even been built. They needed to be bottle-fed.
Fortunately, for me and the goats, the husband thought they were too cute. I called a local farmer about hay, seeing as it was 6pm. He was great enough to let me come to his home and sell me a bale. We made a little temporary home for the goats in the basement of the shed. I also had to buy goat nipples. They attach to soda/water bottles. And whole milk. My goodness! So, I've been bottle-feeding these sweet little animals before nursing my own little one. Then I have to feed my older boys. And of course, there's Tom. Oh, and the husband. He's got to eat, too. It's been so hectic, but I love it. I guess I'm a farm girl at heart?
This morning the husband built a small pen in the shed. It's perfect and I love it and him. We have a light hooked up to provide additional warmth for the little doelings. They really are the sweetest things. Some things I have learned about goats in the past week: A sneezing goat is a playful goat. They love to curl up with one another. A goat will nibble on your fingers and clothing as a way to identify with you. In allowing a goat to do this you are allowing him or her to be a part of your family, and you a part of theirs.
Disbudding a goat may seem cruel, but it's necessary in order to keep a pet goat, and anyone around the goat, safe.
As you can see, I had the goats in my kitchen for a couple hours, before realizing that it wasn't going to work out well. Trying to keep the children out of the kids' poop and pee just wasn't going to happen. And I couldn't do my daily things in the kitchen with the goats penned up there. They sure did like it, though. They also seem to like the new area...all snuggled in the hay. It's like it was meant for them. The boys named the goats. The Saanen is Jerry...see above-mentioned note regarding Tom. The Nubian is Brownie. I'm assuming it is because she is brown.
So much has been going on these past couple of weeks! We went from being a family of five to a family of 8 in a week. We got a house bunny. We adopted two goats. Goats! I was fortunate to get the bunny, which my children affectionately named "Tom" (as in Tom and Jerry) from a wonderful family on Craigslist. He's about two months old and the calmest little guy...as you can see. He does freak out a bit when the kids chase him, as I would, too. They're getting better with him, as he is with them. It's been an interesting adjustment. I've never been a pet person, but I am in love with this little guy. I think it's probably because he requires very little from us. 
The dogs that have been in my life have been very needy, as dogs are. I don't do well with needy. Tom is litter-trained, for the most part. He will try to mark his territory once in awhile, which I promptly squelch by removing the poop and cleaning the area so the scent is gone. And he does not smell. The pee and poop are absorbed by a natural litter called Yesterday's News. We have the ferret litter right now...it was on sale. As you can see, Tom does not have access to the litter, so it doesn't matter what type right now. We give him carrots, rabbit pellets, Timothy Hay and Alfalfa, broccoli and water. Tom just hops around the house and usually relaxes under the Pack-n-Play, if the kids are about. If it's the husband and me, Tom will stretch out on the floor. 
It's hilarious. We had planned on getting goats for a couple months now. I found a breeder on Craigslist and took the boys to go and visit. In her ad she stated that there were goats that were only a few days old. I figured we'd take a look, pick out which one we wanted and then come back in a month or two. Well, we went home with two goats that were 4 days old. When I asked the woman why she got into breeding goats her reply was, "For money and meat." At the same time Eli said, "Mom, I want that one!" and pointed to a Saanen. Sure, baby, let's get these goats out of here! I couldn't take all twenty, so I opted for two. The woman didn't ask if I knew what I was doing. She let me go with two goats and $70 later I had them in the back of the car. I knew nothing about goats. On the drive home all I could think of was HOW I was going to explain to the husband why I came home with two goats... The pen hasn't even been built. They needed to be bottle-fed.
Fortunately, for me and the goats, the husband thought they were too cute. I called a local farmer about hay, seeing as it was 6pm. He was great enough to let me come to his home and sell me a bale. We made a little temporary home for the goats in the basement of the shed. I also had to buy goat nipples. They attach to soda/water bottles. And whole milk. My goodness! So, I've been bottle-feeding these sweet little animals before nursing my own little one. Then I have to feed my older boys. And of course, there's Tom. Oh, and the husband. He's got to eat, too. It's been so hectic, but I love it. I guess I'm a farm girl at heart? 
This morning the husband built a small pen in the shed. It's perfect and I love it and him. We have a light hooked up to provide additional warmth for the little doelings. They really are the sweetest things. Some things I have learned about goats in the past week: A sneezing goat is a playful goat. They love to curl up with one another. A goat will nibble on your fingers and clothing as a way to identify with you. In allowing a goat to do this you are allowing him or her to be a part of your family, and you a part of theirs. Disbudding a goat may seem cruel, but it's necessary in order to keep a pet goat, and anyone around the goat, safe. 
As you can see, I had the goats in my kitchen for a couple hours, before realizing that it wasn't going to work out well. Trying to keep the children out of the kids' poop and pee just wasn't going to happen. And I couldn't do my daily things in the kitchen with the goats penned up there. They sure did like it, though. They also seem to like the new area...all snuggled in the hay. It's like it was meant for them. The boys named the goats. The Saanen is Jerry...see above-mentioned note regarding Tom. The Nubian is Brownie. I'm assuming it is because she is brown.
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