# Do goats sleep with their eyes open?



## The.alpine's.sister

I have a 10 day old (-ish we aren't quite sure we rescued her from an auction) alpine kid. She likes to lay against our chests like she's snuggling to sleep. The weird thing is....She won't close her eyes! It's the weirdest thing she holds them wide open! I have searched Google but not found much on the topic or on baby goat sleeping habits at all for that matter. Also when she lays against us after while she will let out a small cry, we figure it's that she's hungry. However when we go to give her the bottle most of the time she rejects it. We try to slightly open her mouth and "gently force" her to take it. Even if we do get the bottle in her mouth sometimes she won't nurse. She had some really runny almost pure water stool the first night now she is more of the runny yellowish color that I hear is normal for baby goats. We contacted our vet and he has her on antibiotic shots and oral wormer. Any advise is much appreciated because we are not quite sure about this. We have nursed a lot of different types of babies but we do not have goats.

                                                                                                                                                                         ~Thanks~


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## SmallFarmGirl

I've never had a kid before but I am not sure exactly what to tell you!  Sorry! There should be someone else to help!


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## ksalvagno

Goats sleep with their eyes closed. Not sure what is going on with your girl as far as never closing her eyes.

Runny yellow poo is not normal. What are you feeding her? When was the last time that she ate? My guess is that she was just taken from her mom and never transferred to the bottle so now you have the problem of trying to get her to take the bottle. Did the vet give her any shots like a CDT vaccine? That is good that she is on the antibiotics and wormer.


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## The.alpine's.sister

We are feeding her regular cow's milk. We are getting some goat's milk today from a friend's nanny. I have heard milk replacer can cause more problems so we didn't try that. She ate yesterday right after I made my first post VERY well for what she has been. I know it's not as much as she should be eating but she sucked down about 2oz. which is more than she has been eating seeing as though usually we couldn't get more than about a tablespoon down her at a time and we were feeding her VERY often. So I would say she is doing a bit better. She has not had a CDT vaccine because our vet told us he wanted to get her healthy before giving it to her. Another question I have, is a baby goat laying on her side always bad? She loves sitting on the couch and snuggling up against us with her head on our chests and yes she is on her side when she does it but she doesn't act funny or anything. Is this still a sign of something bad?

                                                                                                                                                                   ~Thanks~


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## ksalvagno

If the goat is laying comfortably, then it is fine to lay on its side. 

I would say feed her less frequently so that she gets hungry. Maybe wait 4 hours in between bottles and see if she eats more. Usually people give 3 bottles a day.


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## The.alpine's.sister

Just letting you guys know Lily (the goat) passed away.


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## Mamaboid

So sorry to hear that.


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## imamomma

Thanks to everyone for their help.  Took all the advice I could find, gave her all the love we could in her short time with us.  The vet tried.  I knew better than to buy a baby at the sale barn! I couldn't let that scraggly mean looking bear buy that beautiful baby, in hindsight, maybe she would have been better off.   But that face stole my heart and still has it.  I held her to the end.  She died in my arms with me petting her and telling her that her human momma loved her so much!  Don't know if I can ever do this again, it hurt so badly.  But thank you to all the members who tried to answer my daughter's concerns.  She is 15 and gonna be a good critter momma.


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## greenfamilyfarms

A 10-day-old kid should be eating more than 2-ounces per feeding. I'm sorry to see she didn't make it.


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## imamomma

Yeah, we tried different nipples with her.  She was just too sick and too far gone when we got her, I think.  I contacted the vet as soon as I could after I got her and they tried to give her the treatment to help her.  I don't even know that she was 10 days.  The sale barn I got her at was not known for their honesty, but I had to try.
Thanks for your compassion.  I have felt like a complete idiot with some of the people I have asked for help from.  Guess there are those who forget everyone has to start somewhere.
But those people were no one on this site.  All of the members here have been so nice and helpful.


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## Pearce Pastures

I am so sorry


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## imamomma

Thanks so much


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## TigerLilly

Sorry you lost her. Give it time & get another one, but from a more reputable source. Bottle feeding can be a hassle in any situation, but it's also bonding & sometimes fun.

 to both of you. Hope to see you hanging around!


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## hcppam

So Sorry.


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## memelaty

Hi.  New to the forum, but I am wondering the same thing.  I have a triplet that I am trying to save, we lost his brother and sister already.  They didn't get enough colostrum in the first 4 hours and now I have brought him the house.  I have gone from the black nipple to the little red nipple and it wasn't working but I am now syringe feeding him.  The last two feedings he has gotten 4 and 6 oz down.  He is having bowl movements and peeing.  

My lingering question is why does he sleep with his eyes open.  The other babies did as well before they died.


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## Jesusfreak101

I have never had a goat sleep with their eyes open. How old is he? What his temp? Is his bowl movements normal? Have you give any supplements such as vitiamen b, selenium, probiotics? How long has he been bottle feed? Where to you live what the temperature like? If he cold he won't eat. If he never had a bottle before it can be hard to switch him over. Some times the lack viral minerals that can cause them to become really ill.


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