# Goats and Imprinting



## mydakota (Apr 28, 2012)

I have only had goats for a few years.  This is my second kidding season. Last month, my very good natured Saanen doe Juliet gave birth to twin doelings. We named them Charming Annie and Jesse Jane.  Annie was born first.  When I discovered Juliet, she had just given birth to Annie and was immediately overwhelmed with delivering Jesse.  Annie was lying in the straw with the sack still over 3/4 of her body (her face was clear and she could breathe) wet and cold.  She was shivering.  I toweled her off, and in an effort to warm her without leaving her mother to labor untended, I tucked in my shirt, tucked her down inside my shirt, and zipped up my jacket around her with just her head sticking out of the top. I used one hand to comfort her mother, and the thumb of the other hand to stroke the side of her cheek in an effort to soothe her. She pretty quickly settled in and seemed pretty content. After about 45 minutes or so, Juliet had delivered her sister and seemed ready to try and nurse them, so I took her out. She proceeded to nurse her mother and do all the things you want a newborn baby goat to do.  But she has always ever since had a very firm attachment to me.  For at least a week afterward, if I sat in her pen, she would crawl up in my lap and tilt her head out to the side like it was when she was in my shirt.  If I offered my thumb, she would lean against it and rub her cheek on it.  At about a week old, the thumb stroking thing seemed to recede in her memory a bit and she kind of stopped doing that (which made me sad because I found it so SWEET) but she still is very fixated on being near me.  My goat pasture is about 3 1/2 acres.  No matter where the herd is when I go out there, Annie will leave her mother and sister and follow me around as long as I will stay out there. When I leave the pasture, she will scamper back to her herd.  In the evening when I go out to separate the kids for the night, she runs right up to me and jumps up into my arms.  The other kids have to be persuaded to leave their mothers.  Not her. She is very happy and content to go wherever I take her.  I really love the little tyke, and have decided that she will not be for sale.  I am keeping her myself.  But it makes me wonder if it is just that she is a very friendly and loving doeling, or if that first 45 minutes taking comfort in the warmth of my shirt has left her imprinted after a fashion.  I have never heard of imprinting in goats, but don't see why they wouldn't respond like other animals.  What do you think?


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## Mamaboid (Apr 28, 2012)

I think you are probably correct to a point.  Not imprinting so much as you make her feel safe.  We have triplet kids that are now 3 months old.  While Mom was busy delivering the last two babies, my DH did what you did with the first one.  He tucked her into his coat and kept her warm while Elsie was busy.  I helped deliver all three babies.  The little girl that he held is much more attached to him than me, and much more so than the other two.  This week, we took the buckling away from Mom and put him in with the big boys.  When he gets insecure, he runs to me and sticks to my leg like glue, so I think it is a feeling safe thing.


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 29, 2012)

I definitely think it could be called imprinting. That is so sweet!

I know with our sheep, if I handle the baby as soon as it is born and talk to it, the lamb will then react to the sound of my voice as well as its mother's (very convenient for picture-taking, saying "baby" will have the lamb perk up and look towards you). I have been to 1st person to handle all of our babies expect for 2 and those 2 would not listen to me, but if they heard my sister they would cry and walk towards her. The effects aren't as long-lasting as what you have with your goat (it maybe it's a sheep vs. goat thing though).


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## mydakota (Apr 29, 2012)

I am completely smitten with her. Maybe I am the one who imprinted?  At any rate, my husband says she is one smart goat.  She is set for life.


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## ragdollcatlady (Apr 30, 2012)

I think that those first few minutes and hours really set the stage.....our 2 little babies were only 3 days old and would paw at our legs if we weren't petting them or loving on them some way. I believe it was the picking them up right away and being there so much while they were so new. I didn't bottle feed so they don't see us as a milk/salad bar, but climb into our laps for a snuggle any time we are around. I was constantly harassing them right after birth (couldn't help myself, addict you know) so I guess they just figure that's how it's supposed to be!


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