Capra aegagrus hircus
Pygmy goat
Charming and full of character, but these are small livestock, not garden pets — they need land, company, fencing and a farm vet.
BovidaeLifespan 10–15 yearsCare complexity 4/5Not a beginner animal
Representative exotic photography; individual appearances vary.
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Capra aegagrus hircus
- Family
- Bovidae
- Origin
- West Africa
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Adult size
- 40–50 cm at the shoulder
- Weight
- 25–40 kg
- Temperament
- Friendly, playful and intelligent; goats are herd animals and need company
- Activity level
- High — needs space to browse, climb and play
- Social needs
- Never keep a single goat; at least two, ideally more
- Intelligence
- High; learns routines and can be lead-trained
- Noise
- Moderate — vocal at feeding time
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Dry, draught-free shelter plus secure fencing — goats are expert escape artists
- Space requirement
- At least 200 m² of outdoor space for a pair, more is better
- Temperature
- Tolerates cold well with shelter; hates rain and draughts
- Humidity
- Needs dry bedding and shelter
- Exercise
- Secure paddock with climbing structures
- Grooming
- Occasional brushing; hooves need trimming every 6–8 weeks
Diet and feeding
Hay and browse-based; goat-specific minerals; very limited concentrates
Behaviour and compatibility
Browses, climbs and investigates everything; horns and headbutting are normal play
- With children
- Good with supervision; playful but can knock small children over
- With other animals
- Lives alongside other livestock; dogs must be controlled around them
- Training difficulty
- Challenging
Health
- Foot rot
- Internal parasites
- Bloat
- Urinary calculi in males
Needs a farm-animal vet, routine worming, vaccination and hoof care.
Special care requirements
Fencing must be excellent; goats test it daily.