Companions for your minis

[Rebecca]

As many people know, I will soon be buying a mini,

: and so I'm also looking for a companion animal for him. I think a goat would be good, but I'd like to know the ups and downs of goats and other animals. What do you have for a companion for your mini(s)?

 

[Mona]

If there is any way possible, I would STRONGLY suggest another mini as a companion. If not, I guess many have used goats successfully.

:

 

[Rebecca]

Sadly, I cannot get 2 minis right now.

I would love two! I just cant do that at the moment. I have heard many good things about goats, but the DO get into EVERYTHING! So please, what other animals are out there that would be a nice buddy? (And if I get a goat, it would be a newbian!

: ) So please, PLEASE share! :lol:

 

[MyLilShowGirl]

I have thought about getting a goat too, buuut, I have heard that they like to chew on the horses mane and tail. And I can't afford to let my show horse's mane and tail get chewed off, lol... so just keep that in mind. Im not sure if your getting into showing right away... but just letting you know

Id say get a mini-donk, or a llama or something...buut you said you couldnt get another mini right now, and thats basically the same amount of work/feed/space...soo a goat might be your only option?

good luck and let us know what you get!

<3

Kris

 

[Miniv]

If you have good decent fencing and shelter for ONE mini, and a paddock large enough for one mini to be able to trot around in, you may want to consider either fostering or adopting another mini as a companion.

Just a thought,

MA

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

Have you thought about a large dog? That way your mini has a companion and someone to protect him/her.

I had 5 pygmy goats when we got our first 2 minis, but found homes for them shortly after. Boy, I cried over that one for days!!! We realized we were going to be gone to alot of shows, and no one would be available to care for the goats. I have 2 Great Pyrnees now, and they do a wonderful job. We can be gone for 3-4 days and not worry about the dogs.

And yes, goats do get into everything. I really enjoyed our goats :538: , but it does take alot to keep cleaned up after them. Their poop is alot harder to pick up!!!! And they don't like to get wet :new_rofl:

Good luck with your first mini, I am sure you will have many more. Like they say, you just can't have one.

Kelly

 

[LGahr]

I am a goat fan--without a doubt. I love them. BUT, a nubian is probably the sweetest most gentle of the goat breeds. If you are looking for a companion and protector for your mini a nubian would not be the best choice IMO--a wether boer goat or most any other usually do well on their own. Even a mini goat is clever and fun and hardy. A nubian is usually a gentle soul and they do much better in pairs than alone.

If you can afford a mini donk they are delightful but if you can handle a donkey you could probably easily accomodate another mini. Llamas can be a handful. Escape artists who are not always people friendly but

they sure keep the dogs away. Good luck in your search.

Now for my little prince I have a 215 pound, six foot 2, wild and wooly companion who frequently just hangs out in the barn checkin' in on Dusty. But I would not recommend everyone try one of those. They have their own set of problems and can certainly cause complications in your mini programs.

 

[Devon]

For Wee Man 35 Other Minis

: :bgrin HAHA.

 

[Leeana]

LGahr Posted Today, 08:57 PM I am a goat fan--without a doubt. I love them. BUT, a nubian is probably the sweetest most gentle of the goat breeds. If you are looking for a companion and protector for your mini a nubian would not be the best choice IMO--a wether boer goat or most any other usually do well on their own. Even a mini goat is clever and fun and hardy. A nubian is usually a gentle soul and they do much better in pairs than alone.

If you can afford a mini donk they are delightful but if you can handle a donkey you could probably easily accomodate another mini. Llamas can be a handful. Escape artists who are not always people friendly but

they sure keep the dogs away. Good luck in your search.

Now for my little prince I have a 215 pound, six foot 2, wild and wooly companion who frequently just hangs out in the barn checkin' in on Dusty. But I would not recommend everyone try one of those. They have their own set of problems and can certainly cause complications in your mini programs.

Linda, you have a llama???? I didnt see it, or what is the 6'2'' 215 pound wooly companion? lol

 

[Girrawheen]

[SIZE=10pt]New Mini Owner I have Alpacas and I find them to be fantastic companions for my mini. :aktion033: [/SIZE]

The only thing you have to be mindful of is that they really need to be kept in pairs. I had my two Alpacas before I bought my mini but if you are interested, check with a Alpaca breeder and ask their opinion of keeping just one Alpaca with your mini.

You can purchase "pet quality" castrated males quite reasonably (as opposed to show quality) and my Alpacas have bonded extremely well with my mini, they play, chase each other around and share their hay.

They are extremely low maintenance animals and are very good on pastures (as their feet are soft "pads"). Like any animal they require looking after, feeding etc but compared to horses they are easy. They require worming, vaccinating, toe clipping etc but do not require grooming (such as brushing) because of their fleece. They really are happy to be left alone so you do not have to stress about playing, bonding etc.

An added "bonus" with Alpacas is they usually have zoned poo piles!! When I first got my Alpacas they had one poo pile in the corner of the paddock and did not go anywhere else. They would travel to the poo pile from wherever they were which made cleaning soooo easy! Unfortunately when my mini came home they started to copy him and have now various poo piles but they still have "set" piles and do not just go anywhere like horses tend to do.

I hope this has helped a little and good luck. :bgrin

 

[luvmycritters]

Girrawheen - your babies are just too cute!!



I[SIZE=12pt] have a semi mini donk here for protection... Jasper has earned his keep on a few occasions already. :aktion033:

: [/SIZE]

Lori

 

[Doobie]

I had a mini donk but found she became too aggressive with the minis.

She was strongly bonded to one mini mare and became very possesive if any of the others try to come near.

Now I have Llama's. I keep the male with my older stallion who was being too pushy with the other boys and now the two of them have become best buddys and yet dont mind if one leaves the other to visits a girl !!

 

[Katie Iceton]

I have other mins, as well as 3 goats, but the goats are kept separate, but do enjoy the horses and like to play with them once in a while, although goats do get jealous, a little word of warning...

 

[dannigirl]

I would put a llama (can usually get one fairly reasonable without papers) with almost any animal. The only problem I have ever had with mine is when two males get together--wow what a spitting match--and once when I seperated a male from a female--he jumped his fence and then jumped into hers. Even if you get a male that is not neutered, he will be ok as long as you don't have any females in the area. My girlfriend has had one now for several years and he gets along great with her minis. My llamas eat what my minis do, get wormed with the same stuff as my minis and sleep with them. The only thing really different, is they do need to keep their toes from getting too long and they are very alert to new life in their territory.

If space and feeding cost is the problem, then you will need to find something smaller, but if the initial cost of a nice mini is the drawback, you might consider a llama.

Angie

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Horses are herd animals, if they do not have the company of another horse- and that can be a big horse so long as it is on the other side of a fence- they will, 9 times out of ten, be unhappy.

If you can make arrangements for him to be near other horses he will be fine not being in with them.

Horses do not speak "goat" although out of desperation for company horses may make associations with other species- dogs, goats, sheep even a goose(!!) they, in normal circumstances, prefer their own species.

So a companion animal for your horse would be another horse.

Two cost little more to feed and house than one and you could look at a rescue if you cannot afford to buy another horse.

 

[Jill]

I would recommend a goat if you cannot get another mini. It is very important that to goat be disbudded / dehorned, though. I have 4 Nigerian Dwarf Goat Wethers, however, I do not let them in with my minis as they have chewed the manes and tails on some of my horses through the fence.

Also, some goat feeds are toxic to horses and can cause founder, and horse feeds are not okay for goats (too much of something in it for goats...).

 

[Rebecca]

I'm not looking for a goat or animal that has to protect my mini. Nothing will bother him/her here, we don't have coyotes, or wild dogs, or any animal/thing that would bother a mini. So, I have heard good things and bad about goats,

: :no: but I would like to know more about goats, too. A nubian is very friendly, and I don't need a big, strong, rough-and-tumble protecting goat, just a buddy for the mini. So please, I'm learning a lot, what are some more ups and downs of goats???? :lol:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

If you could afford to feed a goat as big as a Nubian you could afford to keep another horse so there would be no point.

 

[mmmorgans]

A friend of mine has goats, llamas, horses and donkeys. One of her minis was killed by a goat that had horns - she thinks it was an accident - but nonetheless the horse was killed.

I really think that you should be looking at another mini. I'm sure someone has a pet quality gelding that they would love to see go to a good home - for very little money. There are lots of geldings out there and a good home is worth more to most than a lot of money - especially if it is pet quality. Horses prefer horses as companions - simple as that.

 

[targetsmom]

Well our minis are the companions to my big horse (across the fence)...

But in your case, I would urge you to consider another mini, and specifically a rescue mini. I am quite certain that there are some rescure minis in New England looking for homes right now. Please PM me for contact information. Or check out the Northeast Miniature Club website at www.northeastminis.org

Good luck.