Snorting is generally nothing to worry about.
If one goat seems to be snorting excessively and repeatedly, then there may be something else going on.
Keep an eye on them, and if they seem to be in pain or distress, consult a vet as soon as you can.
Let’s look further into this.
What does it mean if a goat snorts?
Most commonly, a snorting noise is associated with being startled.
Goats are fairly easily startled, given their nature as prey animals.
Everything from the shape of their pupils to the way they vocalize is essentially a threat-detection system.
In the wild, they need to be constantly vigilant for danger.
One of the ways they do that, though, is not just as individuals.
Because they are herd animals, there is huge safety in numbers for many reasons.
For one thing, if a goat’s natural response to being startled, or to perceiving danger, is to make a snorting noise, then that alerts any other goats around them of the danger.
Thus, they can all rely on one another to keep each other safe.
This gives them a greater sense of individual safety, and they don’t all need to spend every waking moment utterly on edge for attack.
They can rely on the warning system of the whole herd.
That said, there may be other reasons goats snort.
It might just be a simple act of clearing their sinuses.
It might be as a response to dust or something else in their nasal passage.
If they seem to be snorting too much, there could be a problem.
Speak to a vet as soon as you can in this case.
Should I worry if my goat snorts?
Generally speaking, no.
Snorting is a perfectly natural thing for goats to do, and any and all goats will do it pretty much all the time.
Though there should never be any real danger to them in their enclosure, they can’t turn off their threat-detection system.
Again, though, snorting excessively could indicate there is something else going on.
If you think your goat is snorting a lot, then keep an eye on it.
Look out for any signs of physical ailment.
If it seems to be limping or lethargic, or is even just laying down on the ground for long periods of time.
If it is snorting a lot accompanied by these behaviors, there could be something more troubling going on.
You can do your best to diagnose the problem, but your best bet is always going to be calling a vet.
It might be that nothing is wrong and you’ll have to pay the vet a bill to tell you that, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
So, how do goats communicate with us?
How do goats communicate with humans?
Certainly, part of the way goats communicate with us is through vocalization.
In general, the ways they communicate with us is largely the same as how they communicate with one another.
They will make noises at you and near you, attempting to get your attention and also to express how it is feeling.
The other way is through touch. They will often butt their heads softly against you, or even just enjoy being near you.
They will encourage you to pet and scratch them, all of which indicating they are communicating their feeling of safety around you.
Do they make any particular noises when happy, then?
What noise do goats make when they’re happy?
When they’re happy, your goats will pull out their bleats.
Like the noise of a sheep, “maaah”. They will bleat away happily to indicate how they are feeling.
This, too, has roots in their system of threat detection. After all, if they’re feeling comfortable enough to make loud noises, this indicates they are feeling safe and happy.
This is the same thing they will do to communicate with one another as with you. The bleating almost always indicates they are happy, and herd mates will generally be able to tell the emotions of other herd members by the noises they are making.
So, in general, a goat snorting doesn’t indicate any problems.
It’s just something they naturally and instinctively do to warn the rest of their herd of perceived danger.
In the pasture environment, there usually shouldn’t be any real danger to speak of.
If you do notice a single goat snorting too much, then, as I said, it may be best to consult a vet when you can.
More in Sounds
- Do Goats Have Accents?
- Do Goats Purr?
- What Sound Does A Goat Make?
- Why Do Goats Scream?
- Why Do Goats Snort?