Define Stargazing Please?

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Please tell me that when a goat is acting normal in all other ways but occas. stretches its neck out and looks upside down at you or moves it's head slowly sorta like Stevie Wonder when he sings (sorry!) that that is a "goat thing" and not this new word to me- stargazing.

My - now yearlings have always done this when they are playing or posturing for dominence. I guess I am concerned because it does look like they are looking up into the "heavens" sometimes. Again, they do this - but don't act ill at all. It seems I see this mostly when the goats are climbing on tree stumps and acting the "Queen" of the mountain game.

New words this week: -Stargazing -Milk teeth

-- wendy Hannum, SE Ohio (wendy@skywardinternet.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

I don't think your goats are stargazing. It's just normal goat behavior to crane their necks around a little. I think stargazing is when they do this constantly.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 25, 2002.

Hi Wendy, do agree with Rebekah. Stargazing is a neurological symptom and they are off balance when they do this. It was explained to me that goats tilt their heads backwards to itch the withers which they can't do because we have cut off their horns. Sound plasable :) Some does do this more than others, one of ours would turn her head in circles as she stood up on the wall to look over at milking times, only stopping after her turn on the stand. Nope her name wasn't Linda Blair...Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

I always thought that "Star Gazing" was when they got that kind of "far away" look in their eyes. When my does start labor they do this, like they are concentrating on something far away, or like they have their mind else where.

-- Susan North tx Panhandle (arniesusan@antden.com), April 25, 2002.

My doe does that all the time. I think the term stargazing is used by some to describe that behavior. But true stargazing is the neurologic disorder that goes by a different name which I can't think of right now. I'm sure your goat is just displaying that behavorial quirk and nothing to worry about.

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), April 26, 2002.

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