# Bottle baby will not bottle feed HELP!



## Boisse (Jan 15, 2013)

We bought a savanna/boer cross buckling bottle baby at a week old.
He was taking to a surrogate mom pretty well at his previous owner.
He got colostrum the first three days from what i was told.
He had never been bottle fed before i got him :hrm:.
Tomarrow will have force fed him for a week.
This guy will not even try to bottle feed he doesent even care.
He has never had milk replacer and never will.
We have tried every different nipple different bottles,bucket feeding.
He only gets it if I surenge it down his throat.
ghWe gave him a grain mix last niight he actually kinda ate it.
All suggestions welcome Help lol


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

My only experiences of trying to get a baby goat to transition from the udder to a bottle proved unsuccessful. I have pulled them straight in and got them to take a bottle, but after nursing a natural teat the one(s) I have tried would NOT take a bottle. 

I'm not experienced with goats as I am cattle. With cattle, the calves are significanty bigger and you can "man handle" them a little more. I've always been afraid of hurting a baby goat prying around on it's mouth and trying to get it open and bottle put in. Even after that, trying to keep it in their mouth without clamping their jaw shut (thus keeping them from sucking) is near impossible for me. 

I'm interested to see what others with experience tell you on this issue. It will be a learning experience for both of us. Good luck to you though.


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

Sorry you are having troubles. If I was that goat kid..I think I'd wonder why I should suck if it's gonna be "force fed" anyways. It's hard to take one from the udder to the bottle..that's for sure.

Try a little honey smeared on the nipple..I've yet to have one that didn't think that was dandy. Also..let him/her get hungry..when he is..put a little honey on your finger..see if it will suck your finger. If it does..get the honeyed nipple up there. It will definitely take a bit of time..but I think he will come around.

The best to you and your little one.


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## TRAILRIDER (Apr 16, 2007)

Do you have a doe on your farm? Anybody you can put on a milk stand even if they are not milking?
I had a baby boer who was on a hunger strike, seriously would not even think about trying the bottle. I thought we would lose her...it was bad.
My Dh suggested holding baby under one of my does (who really didn't have any milk at the time). I held her there and she would try to grab the teat. (Which ticked off the doe.) Then I held a warm bottle (human baby bottle) of goats milk under there and in the dark under the udder I got the nipple in baby's mouth. From that moment there was no stopping. The baby just needed to think she was nursing a real goat. I guess it was the smell of the doe and the closeness of being there. But it was VERY successful. Good luck, let us know how it works : ) PS I also put some Injectable Vit B in her bottle.


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

Took me 2 weeks. A very soft baby bottle nipple finally did the trick. I had tried so many different ones it wasn't funny and she was skin and bones. A friend gave me one from WalMart (clear, has short lines swirled up side of nipple) and she took to it. I had tried several baby bottles, Pritchard nipples, the black rubber ones, DH even tried a rubber glove LOL Keep going, hopefully you will find the one that works for this baby


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Put it in his mouth and hold it there. Keep it in there. He will scream he will fight. He will eventually eat. But it could take him a long time. He may sit there for a long time, then suddently suck a few suck or at least swallow what's coming out of the nipple. Then quit again. He will have little moments of smart followed by idiot again. Do this at every feeding, he should eventually get it. 

You can't get enough food in him with a syringe. He may need to be tubed once to get some energy into him.


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## KrisD (May 26, 2011)

Hunger is the best sauce. Don't force feed unless he's in dire straights. Babies can easily go 6-7 hours without eating and be fine. I use a human baby bottle. They smell and taste less like latex then the ones made for goats. Also put a small towel over his head to cover his eyes, when they nurse from mom it's fairly dark and he will go on instinct rather then on sight. 
Make sure milk is nice and warm about 100 degrees is what I do. Sit or kneel on the floor and back him up to you so his behind is against your chest. Honey definitely helps. Pry his little mouth open and hold the bottle in gently. Give it a few days of trying it like this and he should start sucking it down.

I do babies all the time and I've never had one that this didn't work on. I have started bottle feeding kids that were up to 3 weeks old.


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## KrisD (May 26, 2011)

Also by syringing it in to him you have a really high risk of aspirating him. I would NOT syringe feed.


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## GoldenWood Farm (May 31, 2003)

I really should make a video of how I get even the most stubborn kids to take bottles. I have made some real doozy of a kid take a bottle before, my friend said it is because they know how stubborn I am :heh:. Southerngurl has it pretty much down on how I do it though. I don't care they can scream, kick, fight and fuss but I keep the nipple in their mouth (I always use pritchard nipples), though I keep it at a level angle so as not to choke the kid. They learn that I am in fact not killing him but giving them good food.

It might take up to two weeks for him to fully take a bottle and even then he might have "stupid" days where he "forgets" how to take it. But if you stick with it you can bring him around and don't be afraid to let him get a bit hungry! 

Justine


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## Crazy Farmgirl (Oct 21, 2012)

Great advice given. Sorry you are having issues, I know how frustrating it can be. I have had good success with using a warm rag to rub the tail web and rectal area, moms lick that area when babies nurse, stimulates them to suck. I also cup my hand under the chin so that while my thumb and forefinger hold the bottle the other fingers can be gently used to close the mouth around the nipple. I hold their head up as it would be if they were nursing.

Hope something works for you.


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## mrstillery09 (Jul 12, 2012)

We've been going through this same thing here, so I feel your pain! Ours is finally taking to the bottle after struggling with her since Saturday. This is what worked for us in the beginning...

My husband held the goat in his lap, gave it some scritches, and love. (I am starting to wonder if my husband is in fact a goat whisperer!) We'd make sure everything was pretty calm, then I would open her mouth, stick the nipple there, and wrap my hand around her mouth covering her eyes. She'd fight at first, but then start sucking. In the last two days she has gotten to the point where, IF SHE WANTS TO, she will gladly latch on and eat. It is definitely on her terms though, which is fine as long as she eats! I would also suggest waiting until he is hungry to try to feed, it helps motivate them. Once mine gets into a tail wagging, I'll try to suck your finger mode, then I know we're ready to eat!

Good luck, I know it's frustrating, but hang in there!


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