# reason for rolling its head...?



## HiddenHollows (Feb 26, 2008)

Ok, our wether has recently begun to roll his head, quite like one does when they are stretching (chin on chest, roll to the shoulder, then head touching back, onto right shoulder and back to the chest. He appears to have normal appetite, urination and bowel movement. I may be paranoid but he also seems more fidgety. Like today he was running around like crazy, running at us then immediately away (instead of following us around the yard when feeding the pigs.) 

Any ideas on what this may be, or am i just being overly cautious.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Just to be on caution's side, I'd give him a B-1 shot. But, I'll tell you, I have a Nubian doe who does this on a regular basis. It's a quirk for her.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Is he just standing on something while he does this? 
Some of my girls will stand on fence and roll their heads in circles while stretching their necks is that what he is doing?


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I've heard the term "star gazing" in connection with goats. Would this be the same thing?


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Nah, can't be Stargazing cause the only time I see them do it is during the day.
A more appropriate term would be "Drive Your Human Crazy":nana:


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

We call it "doing helicopters" - it's just what goats do. Usually right before they run around like lunatics! :dance:



> Like today he was running around like crazy, running at us then immediately away (instead of following us around the yard when feeding the pigs.)


Spring fever?


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## HiddenHollows (Feb 26, 2008)

Well, I have a tendency to worry especially as it is a bit of a new behavior, noticed within the past week or so. Thank goodness we dont have any children to take care of or I would be worried crazy with all of their childhood illnesses.

I will say about the head rolling, he does it standing on things, he does it standing on the ground. I've never seen him do it while walking. I've read through all my books and general info on goat disease and I've not seen anything yet to explain it. Hopefully its just a sign that I have a wacky, or from the sounds of it, not so wacky of a goat


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I think it feels good because all of mine do it. They like to stand against a tree and roll their head back until it almost touches their back.


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## MamaDee (May 10, 2006)

Just watch him close. B1 can't hurt, just in case.

Our girls will do this at times and it always makes me nervous--even though they are o.k. When I see excessive head rolling or stargazing I check my grain amounts. I saw too much stargazing recently and realized I was giving too much grain to some of my new milkers. I backed it off and they stopped.

And...we lost a goat to polio and stargazing was the first classic sign before we realized she was really sick. She hadn't been eating her hay well all along and after summer ended the outside stuff ended too. So her hay/grain ratio changed. She was getting too much grain in comparison--so thiamin deficiency. That's why the B1, just in case.

He could be just fine, but watch him close.

Dee


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