Goats are very interesting and curious animals.
They are known for being wacky and having silly tendencies.
One thing that goats are particularly well known for and has recently become a popular trend on the internet in terms of videos, is screaming.
Watching these videos made me curious as to why goats scream, so I decided to do some research and am excited to share it with you.
Today we are going to answer the question “why do goats scream?”
But why exactly do they scream, what breed of goats scream, should you be worried if your goat starts to scream, and how do you get them to stop screaming?
We are going to explore all of these questions and more in this article as we dive deeper into the topic of why goats scream.
Let’s get into it!
Different reasons goats scream
Screaming, or bleating as it is officially called, is a typical and well-known behavioral trait that a lot of goats possess, and a lot of goat owners are familiar with.
It can be extremely jarring, especially if it is your first time hearing your goat scream or bleat, and this can result in you panicking because you don’t understand what is happening or why it is occurring.
Goats scream for a few reasons and we will go into them in this section.
As a form of communication
Like many animals, goats make noises to and at each other when they are trying to communicate.
An example of this is a mother goat calling for their kid if they get separated and kids calling out for their mothers when they need something or are in trouble.
Goats communicate in many different types of situations and in many different ways.
When they are hungry or thirsty
A hungry goat is a loud goat!
Goats tend to scream and bleat if it is past their feeding time and they haven’t been fed or if they are very hungry and are trying to get your attention to give them extra food.
For treats
Similar to screaming when they are hungry, it is common for goats to scream or bleat when they want treats, and they will shriek loudly until they get them!
This occurs due to your goat becoming accustomed to constantly getting treats and expecting them at certain times.
When this doesn’t happen, they tend to get loud!
Because they are bored or lonely
Goats are extremely social animals and thrive on interacting with other goats and animals.
As a result, they can become bored and lonely easily if left on their own or if they become isolated.
If this occurs, they can become extremely loud and will scream and cry out constantly.
This is why, when purchasing goats for the first time, it is essential to purchase at least two goats as it is difficult to raise a healthy goat if it is by itself.
When they get over excited or scared
When humans get scared or excited, they can scream and tend to make a lot of noise.
The same can be said for goats and other types of animals.
When goats get scared or become startled, they can scream and bleat loudly, especially if there is a threat or imminent danger around.
The same can be said for when they become excited, such as when they are getting treats or a new goat is introduced into the herd.
When they are sick or hurt
While goats are known for being extremely sturdy and resilient animals, it is still possible for them to get sick and hurt.
In these cases, your goat may scream and cry out more than usual or may bleat more than the rest of the herd.
Whenever your goat is screaming or bleating excessively or more than usual, it is a good idea to do a basic health check and inspection to make sure they are in good health and whether or not the source of the bleating is health-related.
Issues within the herd
If your goat is well fed, has company, and is generally not screaming due to any of the options outlined above then it is most likely that your goat is screaming due to some issue occurring within the herd.
It can be easy to discount your goat’s noises if everything is taken care of but there could be an issue that you are not seeing so it is important to take every situation as seriously as possible.
Some common issues that could be occurring within the herd could be bullying by some goats, cold or wet bedding or shelter, lack of space to move about or even a lack of fresh air.
Whenever your goat screams do a thorough check of its surroundings to ensure that everything is in order.
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Should you be worried if your goat starts screaming?
In most cases, there is no need to be concerned if your goat is screaming.
This is because they are screaming for reasons such as being hungry or as a way to communicate.
There are situations, however, where your goats can be screaming for dangerous or urgent reasons such as being hurt, sick, lonely, or scared.
It is, therefore, important to take every instance of screaming seriously and check on your goat to ensure that they are safe, unharmed, and well-fed.
Give them a good once over for injuries and, if they are lonely, act quickly to get them a companion or someone to play with in the future.
How to get your goat to stop screaming
While screaming and bleating is natural behavior, there are ways in which you can reduce the amount of screaming that occurs and can train your goat to not do it (or at least do it less!).
Create reliable routines for your goats
When it comes to your goats screaming or bleating, one of the best ways to reduce it is to have them on a regular and consistent schedule.
When goats know exactly when they will be fed or will be allowed to graze or play with other goats, this will help to reduce a lot of the stress and anxiety that leads to them screaming.
Give your goats less treats
As mentioned above, goats tend to scream when they want or crave treats.
This can be due to you giving them too many treats and them becoming accustomed to a lot of treats all the time.
To stop this, reduce the amounts or treats that you give to your goat and, like with feeding them, have a schedule with which you give them treats.
It doesn’t have to be a strict or rigid schedule, however, but there should be some loose structure to the process.
They are still treats at the end of the day!
Ensure that all the needs of your herd are met
By ensuring that all your goat’s needs are met you can eliminate a lot of possible instances where screaming can occur.
Ensure that your goats have adequate food, shelter, bedding, and companionship.
By doing this you allow your goats to feel safe and comfortable.
Doing this means that, if/when screaming occurs, it is more likely to be related to a serious problem that should be checked/dealt with immediately.
Regularly check your goat’s health
As mentioned above, goats can scream when they are sick or hurt.
It is, therefore, important to be vigilant with your goat’s health and give them regular check ups to ensure that they don’t have any illnesses or diseases.
Regularly check them for fleas, mange, hoof rot, and other common diseases that impact goats.
If your goats are safe and healthy, they are less likely to scream.
What breed of goats scream?
Unlike fainting goats which are a specific type of goat, there isn’t a specific breed of goat that screams.
Screaming is a trait that is common amongst all breeds of goats and is an activity that they all engage in.
There are, however, some breeds of goats that scream more than others such as Nubian goats while there are breeds of goats that are quieter by nature such as Boer goats.
If screaming is an issue for you then it would be a better idea to choose a quieter type of goat.
In conclusion, yes goats scream but it isn’t anything abnormal or anything to be particularly concerned about.
There are many different reasons that goats scream with most of them being harmless such as wanting treats or being hungry.
They can also scream if they are hurt or scared so you should always take your goat screaming seriously and ensure that they are safe and ok.
Overall, however, screaming, or bleating as it is officially known, is nothing to be worried about and, if screaming would be an issue for you, then you can opt for a quieter breed of goat.