So, we are a few weeks in but i’m finding the same challenge with my two pgymy goats in particular and is one thing i’m looking work on specifically.
They are a male/female brother sister and are very food oriented. They get along well – too well – so they cannot be separated at all as that will lead to stress calling even if they are in sight of each other.
They will both come to me on sight but likely an expectation/demand related to feeding. i’ve got small raised platforms for them as stations but so far having food makes things very difficult as it is all they focus on and they’ll both end up jumping up at me. The male is very amenable to scratches, the female less so. The food i have been using is the goat mix which they get some of in the morning and the evening. Apart from creating some excitement it’s a bit messy for delivery.
I have tried some different things including having a helper person and having the food with one of us, away from us and we bridge and then get food for reward but as soon as they know where the food is they’re in climbing mode.
So i’m not asking for help as such as i’d like to be able to work a way forward out on my own at this time. A couple of thoughts though would be good. Some other ideas on what might be good as reinforcers would be good. Would it be an idea to tether one to keep some distance and be able to work with the other. I don’t have ‘exhibits’ like in a zoo as it effectively my back yard they are in but would confining them to some kind of pen with stations in help them as it would prevent them climbing on us and focusing on where the food is?
