| $ $ Primary Expenses: $400 - $2,8K | $ $ $ Continuous Expenses: $1K - $2,2K |
Goats are mammals that generally have hollow horns that arch backward, straight or curly hair, rectangular pupils, and a short tail.
Some breeds have been domesticated throughout the world mainly for milk, meat, and fiber.
They are intelligent, sociable, curious, and independent animals.
Let’s check some of the main characteristics of goats and how much it costs to have one as a pet or companion.
Table of Contents
Is A Goat The Right Pet For Me?
Goats have mostly been domesticated as farm animals, and they have certain needs and characteristics that make them require larger spaces.
In some cities, it’s illegal to have goats, so that’s the first thing you should check.
They can be loud, which could become a problem with neighbors in your area.
Even though they don’t eat everything they can -they are considered picky eaters-, they are curious animals that use their mouths to investigate their surroundings, something that could also be an issue with other people in your area.
Most goat breeds are social and have better and longer lives when in the company of other goats, so it’s recommended to at least have two goats.
Goats are intelligent and can even learn their names.
They tend to live between 10 and 15 years, although some could live longer than that.
It’s a long-term commitment, so you should be ready for it.
As it happens with every pet, they need time, love, and attention from you or your family.
This will help them have longer and healthier lives and truly enjoy the company of their human companions.
Primary Expenses
Here you’ll find the main expenses when first getting your goat.
Adopting Or Buying A Goat
The most common goat breeds that people keep as pets are the Nigerian dwarf and the Pygmy goat.
These are popular as pets because of their smaller size compared with other goat breeds.
It could be difficult to find goats for adoption, but it’s always a good idea to check local animal shelters or rescue groups.
You’ll have to meet their adoption requirements and pay an adoption fee, which could be from $40 to $100, depending on the breed or any other expenses they had to make when caring for the goat.
If you’re looking to buy a goat from a breeder, the usual price range is $100 to $500 for those smaller goats.
But if you decide to get a larger goat, the cost will increase.
Habitat
Goats, even the smaller breeds, are not recommended to live inside your house.
They can’t be potty trained like other pets, they will nibble everything they can, and they need enough space to exercise and play.
They should not be alone either, so you should at least have two of them.
If your city allows having goats as pets, you could get a dog crate that’s big enough for your goat.
It should also have proper ventilation and provide shade when needed.
These larger crates tend to cost from $80 to $200.
Fence & Supplies
A strong fence is needed when having a goat as a pet.
Because of their curiosity, intelligence, and nibbling habit, you want to make sure your goat doesn’t escape or destroy everything you have in your backyard.
If you don’t want to invest in a different fence from the one you already have, you could also choose to get a smaller metal fence that gives its own space to your goat.
You could put its house in it, as well as water and food.
A fixed metal fence could cost from $250 to $2,000.
Goats constantly need water.
There are automatic water bowls for goats that you can find from $18 to $70.
Fence or hay feeders can be found from $15 to $35.
Continuous Expenses
Here are the basic monthly or yearly expenses you’ll have to make when having a goat as a pet.
Food
Goats feed on weeds, briars, woody plants, and shrubs in the wild.
For your pet goat, you could get hay, greens, and grains.
Some common garden plants can be toxic for goats, so it’s better to check first which ones you have in your garden.
Goats also need mineral supplements.
There are special goat supplements or mineral blocks for them to lick.
Food for your pet goat is going to cost between $360 and $720 per year.
Bedding
Natural bedding like dry straw should be changed regularly to avoid diseases or other problems.
This could cost annually from $200 to $300.
Foot Care
Your goat’s hooves need to be checked and trimmed when necessary.
Domestic goats usually don’t have the opportunity to naturally wear down their hooves, so there could be problems with out-of-shape hooves in the long term.
Foot care for your goat is going to cost from $240 to $600 per year, depending on the size of your goat and its habitat.
Vet Visits
Goats tend to be healthy animals if they have the right conditions but they can still suffer from various diseases, parasites, and skin conditions.
Being an exotic pet, vet fees could increase, since not every vet is going to be specialized in goats.
Annually, you could spend between $200 to $600 on vet visits and parasite treatment.
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