The "untouchables"

[shy sheep]

My sheep aren't fond of being touched, they practically don't allow it. I get to rub their heads for maybe 5 seconds before they are done being touched. I only get to hug them when they're eating, and even then I'm forced to be cautious about it. Does anyone have any tips to make them huggable, or even petable? They come to me, but not for pets or rubs. What to do, what to do....

 

[BrownSheep]

A) pen them individually for a week or so. Tough them Constantly!
B) start again with lambs. It is easier than adult ewes.

Really hugging them is unlikely to every be comfortabl for the sheep and I really wouldn't suggest it. Petting on the other hand they'll warm up to if you spend hours doing it.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover=)]

I'd assume Sheep aren't 'huggable', in fact, not many animals are. Well, they can be, but they don't enjoy it, esp. if their prey animals, they see it as something wrapping around them.

Try getting a little bit of grain and saying that they only get grain if you pet them. While they eat stroke them all over, and gradually make it les grain and more pet, so they learn petting is a good thing.

I wouldn't hug them

ETA- I'd listen to Brown sheep. lol, I know how to tame animals but if Brown has a better idea, lol.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Having sheep enjoy getting hugged is entirely possible. But not all sheep will go for it and it really depends on how they are raised. We use a taming technique that is a combination of bribery and brain-washing. We usually start when the lambs are 1st born, but it can work with adults too.

If starting with very young lambs, we handle them almost daily by catching them and cuddling them, making them lay in our lap, eventually they realize that we aren't hurting them and they relax and start to enjoy the attention. Lambs will often be very friendly for a few weeks after they are born and then they will go through a crazy stage where they think that everything is going to eat them. This is were we begin halter training. It seems to calm them back down.

With adults it is bribery plain and simple. Bring them lots of treats. Find something that they love to eat. Ours love bread and corn chips, but other sheep like veggies or fruit. Bring them the treats often enough so that they associate you with the yummies and they start coming to you for it.

This technique doesn't work on all sheep, but it usually works for us.

These are all pictures of our sheep......

We start very early for the lambs born on the farm. This little guy was maybe an hour old at this point.

This sheep is Steve. SHE loves to be hugged and pet so much that sheep will come up to you in the middle of the field and lean against you.

 

[Bossroo]

There is nothing more dangerous than a pet RAM lamb ! Soon it will grow up and hormaones start to flow then when one least expects it... one will get hit by one of these lovable fuzzball bulldozers in the back, legs, etc and one just may end up in a hospital.

 

[purplequeenvt]

There is nothing more dangerous than a pet RAM lamb ! Soon it will grow up and hormaones start to flow then when one least expects it... one will get hit by one of these lovable fuzzball bulldozers in the back, legs, etc and one just may end up in a hospital.

I actually have a different opinion on this subject. If the ram is handled properly then there is very little risk. We have been raising sheep this way for 12+ years and have had no issue. Our ram lambs are very sweet and friendly, but they know their place. This is the point of all the handling from birth. They know and trust you, but they also know that you are the boss. You can do what ever you want with them. We currently have 7 adult rams and with the exception of one (which we purchased) they are complete gentlemen. Even right now during breeding season with all the hormones floating around.

The first picture that I posted is 2 of our 1st lambs...both rams and both BOTTLE-FED. They were the sweetest things ever. Anyone could do anything with them. We even cart trained one of them.

Just my opinion, but whatever.

 

[secuono]

My ram started breeding this month and this year he is letting me love on him and being far more accepting of me. So I also don't believe all rams need to be avoided and treated like high security prisoners, but anyone owning one should always keep an eye out and not get into a spot where you're open for a butting.
I've got two lambs that still don't like me, I didn't like the idea of catching and stressing them when they were small. Hopefully next year I'll get over it and have one so nice I take it to stores.

 

[BrownSheep]

I own a friendly ram....who happens to be agressive. He was apparently bottle fed when we bought him. We treated him like a pet and now he is perfectly capable of breaking a femur. He holds no fear of humans and view us as other sheep that need to be put back into the pecking order. Through the summer he is generally calmer but I don't trust him. I WOULD never risk having a friendly ram. I'm not saying possible but it is far more likely to blow up in your face.

 

[purplequeenvt]

I own a friendly ram....who happens to be agressive. He was apparently bottle fed when we bought him. We treated him like a pet and now he is perfectly capable of breaking a femur. He holds no fear of humans and view us as other sheep that need to be put back into the pecking order. Through the summer he is generally calmer but I don't trust him. I WOULD never risk having a friendly ram. I'm not saying possible but it is far more likely to blow up in your face.

There is a huge difference between a truly friendly ram and one that is just being pushy/disrespectful and if you ever have the pleasure of owning a true friendly boy then you will know what I mean. But yes, the "friendly", pushy, semi-aggressive rams can be the most dangerous, especially if you aren't paying attention. Bottle lambs have more potential to be aggressive because they don't have the same respect for people that a normal sheep would have.

I honestly think that a lot of a rams personality is nurture, although there is definitely a component of nature too. One of our ram lambs from this spring (by the one mean ram) showed signs of aggression from a very young age. Both he and his sister were very interested in humans from birth. She was more of a lover (at a week or 2 old, she would climb into people's laps with no encouragement and take a nap), he on the other hand, started testing things and would rub his head on you and then give a little test butt. Whenever he did this, he would get a swift kick in the rear and be sent on his way. He is still pushy - and not long for this world - but he knows better than to try to butt people.

We sold a ram to someone a few years ago and we just got an email from them because they need to get a new unrelated flock sire. They said that they sold the ram to someone down the road and at his new home, he gets out of his pen, opens the kitchen door, and takes a nap under the table before going back outside......not mean at all.

I apologize if I've high-jacked this post....I'm just a little touchy about the whole "all rams are mean, don't ever make a pet out of your ram" thing.

 

[Shelly May]

Raising sheep from babies is alot different then purchasing older sheep and teaching them that you are
not there to harm them. petting them on the head is the problem!!! you should never pet them on the
head if you didn't raise them. Reason being is this is a sheeps natural defense the rams and ewes butt
each other on the head for deciding the pecking order, a sheep you didn't raise thinks that you are looking
for a fight or something, Start by trying to give them a treat something you know they will like, when they
get the courage to eat it out of your hand, slowly try to pet or scratch under thier chin and down thier neck,
this will take many attempts and days of consistency but they will come around and learn to like it. after
a few months of this they will trust you and you may be able to go farther. But never pet/scratch a ram on
the head if you didn't raise it. this only encourages the ram to fight. P.S I feed my sheep vinilla waffer cookies
they love them.