But why exactly do they wag their tails, what breed of goats wag their tails, and can they control their tail wagging?
We are going to explore all of these questions and more in this article as we dive deeper into the topic of why goats wag their tails.
Let’s get into it!
Different reasons goats wag their tails
Tail wagging is a typical and well known behavioural trait that many animals exhibit and possess.
This is true for most pets with tails and definitely applies to goats.
Goats, though it may be difficult to believe, make excellent pets and, like many other pets, it is quite common for them to wag their tails for various reasons.
We will explore some of those reasons in this section.
Because they are happy
All animals are able to feel different emotions and they react in certain ways when it comes to their mannerisms and movements.
Like many animals, when goats get happy, they wag their tails, and they tend to wag their tails more the happier they become.
They can become happy when they are getting treats, playing around with their owners or other goats, when they are eating their favourite food, etc.
Wagging their tales when they are happy is one of the ways that goats show affection for their owner, other goats, and their favourite people.
Unlike dogs, however, the wagging of their tails is not an invitation to scratch or rub them.
While some goats may like this, it is not the case with all of them and, if you do this to a goat that doesn’t like this type of interaction, they can become uncomfortable and react in a negative way.
In general, though if you see your goat wagging his tail as you approach, it means that he is happy and excited to see you!
When they are aroused
When adult female goats are in heat and are looking for a mate, they wag their tails in order to signal to the bucks (male goats) that they are ready to mate.
The wagging of their tails acts as a signal for the bucks and works to spread the scent of the female goats around which can be picked up by bucks from a considerable distance away.
If your female goats are indeed in heat, this tail wagging is usually accompanied by them making an increased amount of noise as well as their vulva becoming swollen.
In the end, male goats become aroused by the tail wagging of the female goats and this increases their sexual performance and ability to mate.
Due to swarming flies or insects
Flies and insects affect animals all around the world, especially in areas that are warm and humid.
Livestock, in particular, are affected by flies and insects and this results in them becoming increasingly irritated and uncomfortable.
In the case of goats, they tend to defecate where they are standing and while they are walking, and this attracts the flies and insects to them.
In response to this, it is common for goats, and other types of livestock, to wag their tails in an effort to get the flies and insects away from, and off of, them.
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do for your goat in this situation, and they will just have to bear it.
To spread their scent as babies
Baby goats wag their tales for other reasons than simply being happy to see their owners or other goats.
They also do it in order to spread their scent around in order to help their mothers identify where they are easily.
Once a goat is born, the mother memorises the unique scent of her kid and uses this to identify which kid is hers when they come to feed.
Goats are very possessive and won’t allow other kids to feed from them.
As a result, baby goats wag their tails constantly in order to effectively spread their scent.
When they get excited
As mentioned above, when goats are happy, they tend to wag their tails.
This is also true, however, for when they become agitated or excited.
Similar to becoming happy, as goats get more and more excited, the more they wag their tails and the greater speed with which they wag them.
Goats can become excited due to getting their favourite treat, getting something new to play with, a new goat joining the herd, and many other examples.
When they are scared or upset
Goats can also wag their tails when they are scared or feel threatened.
The same can be said for when they are upset or if something is bothering them.
Tail wagging is a direct result of some external stimulus impacting the mental and emotional state of your goat and this can be in the form of positive emotions, such as happiness and excitement, or in the form of negative emotions, such as fear.
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How to tell why your goat is wagging its tail
In most cases it will be obvious as to the reason why your goat is wagging its tail.
If there are flies or insects around your goat or if you are bringing them their favourite treat or if they are interacting with their favourite goats in the herd, there are many instances where it will be clear as to why your goat is wagging its tail.
In the other instances, however, where it is unclear as to why your goat is wagging its tail, such as when it is upset, scared, or uncomfortable, there is a way to determine the particular reason for the wagging.
This method involves observing your goat’s body language to determine the reason for their tail wagging.
If your goat looks tense while wagging its tail, then it may be upset or scared.
If your goat looks relaxed and calm, then they could be wagging due to being happy.
By reading your goat’s body language and other behavioural signs, you will be able to accurately determine the reasons for them wagging their tails.
Can goats control the wagging of their tails?
The answer to this question is yes, goats can control the wagging of their tails, but it is a behavioural trait that can be both voluntary and involuntary.
While there are many reasons that goats wag their tails, it isn’t always a conscious decision.
While goats can control and wag their tails on command, it usually occurs out of instinct and as a reflex to the current situation or as a result of external stimuli from their environment.
Goats can manipulate their tails with direct voluntary thought and control or through involuntary instinctual movement.
What breed of goats wag their tails?
Unlike fainting goats which are a specific type of goat, there isn’t a specific breed of goat that wag their tails.
Tail wagging is a trait that is common amongst all breeds of goats and is an activity that they all engage in.
All goats get happy and excited and have to deal with flies and insects.
Furthermore, they have all been babies at some point.
These are things that all goats experience/ go through so tail wagging is something that happens with every goat.
In conclusion, yes goats wag their tails, and it is a common and regular occurrence.
There are many different reasons that goats wag their tails, such as being happy or excited, and the process of tail wagging can be both voluntary and involuntary.
While goats are able to control their tails, their reactions can be instinctual more than conscious.
Every type of goat is able to wag their tails and, by reading your goat’s body language and various behavioural cues, you can tell the specific reason as to why they are wagging their tails.