Sunbathing Goat on Lounge Chair Is the Definition of 'Living the Dream'
I have a friend who is enchanted by goats. She seeks out petting zoos and goat-yoga sessions, and bemoans the fact that our neighborhood HOA allows backyard chickens, but not larger farm animals, or she’d have a billy or two of her own. And hey, we all get to have our favorite animals. I am one of those nutty people (no pun intended) that actually puts out food for squirrels, so I can’t judge. Except I do. Goats? Really? The stubborn, aggressive, bitty bullies? The ones with horns and a penchant for chewing through fences? The animals with the bizarre, hourglass-shaped eyes?
Yes, the very same. And yet, people love them. I admit, after watching this video I may have to rethink my stance on goats. This one is undeniably adorable.
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In this video, a goat keeper sneaks up on one of her charges enjoying an afternoon of sunbathing on a lounge chair. “You can’t tell me these animals are not just dogs with horns” she says, as she shows the snoozing goat, looking for all the world like a blissed-out puppy just enjoying a nap.
Related: Goat Becomes the Most Amazing Babysitter to a Litter of Tiny Kittens
Maybe the destructive, angry goats I knew in my youth are just grouchy because they are bored. After all, goats are actually extremely intelligent and if they don’t have activities to keep their minds and bodies entertained, they get destructive. This is another trait they share with energetic and intelligent dogs.
Goat Enrichment Activities
Smart goat keepers fill enclosures with a variety of enrichment activities, such as toys, climbing structures, and even hidden food treats. This goat farmer put a whole “sandbox” of dirt into a pile for her goats to explore and play in. Sun loungers may be a new idea, but certainly one that this goat finds comfortable.
Additionally, goats are very social animals, who like to hang out in herds, or at least with a few other of their kind. (Perhaps one of the reasons my neighborhood doesn’t want us keeping them. If you only have one goat, it’s best to keep them with similar animals, like donkeys or sheep.
Enriched Goat Enclosures
The bad-tempered goats I knew in my youth may have been lonely or bored, chained up in little yards with nothing to do and not much freedom of movement. Happy goats, like the sunbather in this video, are animals that have far more enriched enclosures, full of places to explore, things to climb, and curiosities to investigate. Old giant spools are cheap and make excellent climbing platforms for agile goats, as well as stumps, ladders, barrels, and even piles of dirt.
Goats like grooming stations too, and will naturally brush themselves against rough tree bark. You can ape the activity by attach the heads of brushes or push brooms to fence posts or other stationary areas for the goats to rub themselves on. They also will take to a kiddie pool, an especially welcome respite in the summer heat.
Goats have very good eyesight and actually like brightly colored objects. Traffic cones, brightly colored balls and even stuffed animals can add a lot of enrichment to their enclosures as well.
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