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#but if i have something just as energetic and fun as the gopher
bigshot · 9 months
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Okay, I'm feeling brave and that means it's time for a brand new permanent starter call!! Isola muses only, please!
In addition to this more traditional ad, I set up a google form for if you want to get more specific than just liking the post! I just really like the idea, ok? (it's been edited slightly since earlier today to fix a mistake I made, I meant for everything to accept multiple answers)
Anyway, liking this post means that it's okay if I:
Like your rp ads
Send you memes & asks
Respond to those memes / turn them into threads
Maybe toss a random starter your way (with heads up, of course!)
BUT WAIT!! THERE'S MORE!!
FRIENDS & ALLIES ☎️ Spamton craves the attention or company of others, he's really an incredibly lonely little guy! Anyone who shows him genuine kindness is already well on their way to being considered a friend of his, but it can take time for him to trust it as the genuine article. He's been abandoned before, so expect a little a little bit of clinging! Being his friend saves you the hassle of nearly every conversation being a sales pitch and nets you a very energetic little pal for whatever hijinks you wanna get up to!
REPEAT CUSTOMERS ☎️ Spamton has a serious knack for finding what people really want to buy, but you have to tell him! He's always been terrible at the whole guessing part of the algorithms. Whether you want something totally mundane, a specific kind of job done, or something that's a little far from being legal, he's generally willing to find or do it for the right price! Hell, he'd even let you kick his ass for enough money. Just be careful if you're looking to befriend him, too... he might just think you're using him to get a good/safe deal.
PEERS & COWORKERS ☎️ And this can go in reverse, of course! If you're willing to put in the work, Spamton has a shady pawning business running in the background and he's always looking for contacts, gophers, or general help and he's willing to pay some fair wages! Additionally, if you're a business owner, he'd love to talk about work or numbers or even set up some kind of partnership if you've got the need for anything from fencing & laundering to getting rid of excess stock.
ENEMIES & RIVALS ☎️ With a temper as short as he is has, it's easy to set him off in new and explosive ways! He's a fun person to mess with if you're the teasing or bullying sort and capable of throwing down if a scrap is what you're after, just don't expect him to play nicely. But go too far and he won't have any qualms about going after a life, he knows death doesn't matter here!
ANGELS & RELIGIOUS FIGURES ☎️ Spamton has an... interesting relationship with religion. I believe he follows something akin to what the Lightners do in Deltarune, which I guess I'll call Angelism since it hasn't been given a name that I know of, and has a sort of reluctant reverence in regards to those same Lightners and the sun. He's... his own thing? Whatever he's worshiping, it has enough of the same aesthetics that he'd feel comfortable visiting any similar churches. Even though he did try becoming a God/Angel once. Catch him on Sundays offering prayers to The Angel!
Speaking of, if your muse is an Angel... well, good luck getting him to see them as anything other than near-gods... or call them by name, really. But he'll still talk to and treat them normally, given that he at least understands that they're not his Angels, especially if they don't throw their Angelic weight around. Expect reverence towards the humble or friendly and deep conversations or straight up arguments for the more intense or righteous. He's half hoping for favors or social status, but friendship isnt out of the question
ROMANTIC INTERESTS ☎️ ..... good luck?
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rat-nest · 3 years
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How is building toy drive goin? Well I can lift him off the ground while tugging and he doesnt back off or lose confidence
#sorry for pet blogging on main i am too tired and lazy to switch blogs#its taken awhile just because he isnt inclined to bite hard enough to keep his grip to match that force#on account of being a collie and not a gsd lmao#hes not lacking in toy drive or drive at all so tbh its more for me#to practice playing with him in a way he finds super exciting and engaging and most of all fair#i feel like a lot of dogs get the short end of the stick in play bc humans want to put so many rules on play#and our natural body language is so opposite of them we tend to put a ton of pressure on the dog during play without realizing#so while i say building toy drive what i really mean is training myself to play in a way that is even more rewarding to him#he already wants the toy. he will do whatever i ask for the toy.#i just want to maintain that and eventually be able to call him off a gopher for an exciting game of tug#bc i also feel like its unfair to call the dog off something EXCITING for....a treat.#that they have to stop and eat. it really breaks up their momentum and i know *my* dogs dont see it as a fair reward#but calling Jason back for a game? he LOVES THAT SHIT#he doesnt have time for a treat. chasing a gopher is much more rewarding#but if i have something just as energetic and fun as the gopher? why would he ignore me! it works so much better#ugh i just. love dogs. love dog training. love working with my dog(s?)#(chiron is.... it very drivey. hes got....negative drive. if it takes effort he says no thank you that is not worth it)#(so he is less fun to work with. hes a very sweet couch pillow though asdfghjkl. hes just a good pet and thats all he needs to be)#ALSO also nothing has made me understand drive vs energy like having Jason#jason wants the reward SO BAD and he will work his little baby butt off for it#but hes very collected and calm about it. laser focus on what we're doing#my family's puppy isnt lacking in drive but he is also so energetic about it#sometimes he cannot contain it and he leaps and snaps for the reward and is too hyper to truely be focused#and thats not bad necessarily! hes just being him and ya gotta work around that#i get so many compliments on Jason but im cheating because he is truely the perfect dog to train#he does all the work for me i just have to have the most basic idea on what i want from him#theres no skill required on my end for that. so i always laugh because im actually a very bad dog trainer!!! im on cheat mode!#i havent even managed to fully housebreak my 4 year old dog over the two years ive had him!#its ridiculous that anyone would assume i know what im doing
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1000roughdrafts · 5 years
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When Reality Starts to Falter - Part 2
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Summary: you get a call from your ex, Jared, to work a few scenes on the set of Supernatural as a hunter that takes a liking to Dean. The producers love the chemistry between you and Jensen, so they decide to give you a full time gig. Feelings for Jared come back in a flush, but over time, as your character falls for Dean, you find yourself falling for Jensen.
A/N: Posting this 2 hours early because I’m having SO much fun with this so far! Couple things I have to note before we continue: 
When dating Jared, Y/N was an actress on a television show I ‘created’ specifically for this fic called Code Red, as a character named Pamela Banks. 
Your characters name on Supernatural is Bell. 
Italics are the Supernatural scenes, or YN’s thoughts - I hope it’s not too difficult to discern
A/N 2: Uhm, also...I don’t really know where the goofball!Misha thing came from, but I made myself laugh when I wrote it - so you get to be a victim to that, too.
Pairings: Ex!Jared X actress!Reader, Dean Winchester X hunter!reader (and single!Jensen X actress!reader in the future)
Warnings: swearing, supernatural themed violence/action, confusing!Jared (idk how else to put that-you’ll see), general angst, angst/snubbing from Jared, fluffy support from Jensen
Word Count: almost 1.8k
Part One Master List
Opening the passenger door of the Impala, the breeze wraps itself around you in a cordial, tepid hug. You sweep your feet out and stand up, adjusting your outfit. It’s eerily dim. The sun’s reflection on the clouds is the only true light offered to you as you stare in horror at the people running from the fairground’s entrance.
A siren is blaring just loud enough that parents are covering the ears of their children. A strange feeling sits in your gut while you watch the police guide the families out into the parking lot. Sam coasts to your side and places your FBI badge into your hand, “you ready?”
His eyebrows raise as you look up at him, only mumbling a reply. “You’ve been pretty out of it the last few days and-”
“I’m fine, Sam,” you snarl. Forcing a foot in front of you, you pedal towards the entrance and push through the mob. With his height, it doesn’t take very long for Sam to catch up to you. The conversation between the two of you is choppy as you walk against the flow of traffic, and attempts at masking the siren’s screaming.
Since Dean left with Jody and Bobby to work a ‘small, quick’ case, Sam had been nipping at your heels, pleading for a case much like a dog holding a leash in it’s mouth and nuzzling at their owner.
Small, you think, recalling the story Dean had relayed to you about his last encounter with a Djinn. You bite the inside of your lip in worry, unable to take your mind off of him, hoping that he’s okay.
It’s been a few days since you heard anything and when you asked Sam about it he’d shrugged it off. Said something about how he’s a good hunter, and Jody and Bobby would never let anything happen to him. You shake away the thoughts.
As you get closer to a tent in the back of the circus, you see a man wearing a lousy cape and a top hat. You scoff at his wanna-be magician appearance. Initiating a stand-off, you fold your arms and halt to a stop. Sam, apparently not paying attention, slams into you. Grunting irritably, you lurch forward and catch your balance with one, agile step.
Immediately and aggressively, you confront the caped man. “Where is it?” you shout. “I know it was you. I had visions of it!”
Sam jerks his head in your direction, giving you a concerned glance. You ignore it, figuring you would now have to explain sooner rather than later, but press in on the suspect. The ‘magician’ laughs, taking a step forward.
Shrugging, he slows his drawl, “if you saw it then why don’t you tell us where it is?” he asks in the most cynical and creepy of tones.
“Freakin’ bastard,” you spit and lunge for him.
You don’t feel Sam’s hands on your arms, gripping firmly to hold you back, until you’re moving in place. You wiggle around in his clutch, “Sam! What the Hell are you doing?” The magician’s bouncing laugh riles a fury inside of you.
“Not. Here.” Sam whispers between clenched teeth into your ear. You elbow him  in the stomach. He grunts out a wheezy breath, but doesn’t relent his grip.
“Let me go, damn it!” you cry, and only when the magician disappears does Sam let you out of his grasp. You fall to the ground, growling at him. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice the forensics team have pulled up a brown tarp.
Brushing off their confounded expressions you focus on the patch of packed dirt that was underneath it, with what look like five gopher holes. They are small and organized in a strange, zig-zag pattern. You tilt your head at them in confusion. A gasp escapes your throat, causing you to choke on your breath.
You leap up and grip onto Sam’s arm, ignoring his prior assault as a new obstacle comes to light. “I think these are decoys, Sam. Uh, think like model trains that replicate a real one. There are bombs, I think, scattered across town.”
You’re on the brink of hyperventilating, but suck in a deep breath. “I saw them in a dream last night. We have to figure out how this correlates and stop it!” You push off of Sam and begin running back to the entrance, yelling out, “call Dean!”
“Dream?” Sam questions. “Bell! Where are you going?” He cups his hands around his mouth as he calls out.
Without looking back, and not particularly bothered whether he hears you or not, you say, “to find Crowley.”
“And cut!” The director’s voice brings you back to reality. “Wonderful job, everyone. How about lunch?”
You hunch over, dropping your hands to your knees to catch your breath. Right. Lunch. Acting.
The reason you dropped out of the media wasn’t entirely because of your less than amicable break-up with Jared. In fact, that didn’t even make it onto the list. You had a ruinous habit of taking things on, getting too engrossed and becoming one with your character in the worst ways imaginable.
When you played a supporting role on Code Red, you completely flew off the handle when the main character, your best friend, died in the season finale. The entire crew, from the producers to hair and make up to your co-stars, applauded the authenticity of your characters reaction and threw a celebratory bash to commend and treasure your work.
Fans went crazy, you won awards. It was in the news, in the tabloids. You were named Actress of the Year by one of the most popular drama television series magazines. Your expeditious rise to the top of fame was torturous to say the least. Only your agent and Jared knew the truth. You had lost grip on reality. For a few sleepless and caffeine fueled days, you were no longer Y/N Y/L/N. You had, in your mind, really become and taken over the life of Pamela Banks; a wife, a mother, a faithful nurse and a woman who’d lost her best friend in a brutal accident.
You spent hours crying over your lines as you rehearsed them through the panic attacks. You pushed on. You fought against your instincts to ask the producer to just kill off your character instead. It wouldn’t have been the same that way, though, and you knew it. So alternatively, you played the part. You watched your best friend die in front of you, and it sent you spiraling into the worst spell of depression in your 26 years of life.
A hand pats on your back. You peek under your arm as Jensen lets out a sympathetic laugh, “you alright there, kiddo?”
Pulling your body back up, you laugh with him. “Yeah, just out of shape, I suppose.”
He wraps an arm around your shoulders, “you bring lunch today?”
You laugh, “yeah. I don’t know what I was thinking!” Catching Jared’s attention as you sway to the table under Jensen’s arm, his eyes squint slightly before a smile lights up his face. “I didn’t even think about lunch yesterday,” you look up at Jensen, giving an honest smile. “Thanks for sharin’ yours with a stranger.”
He pulls his arm away, but keeps a hand on your shoulder. “You’re not a stranger! It’s just been a while,” he winks, plopping down at the table with his sandwich and a bag of fruit.
Jared keeps a fixed stare on you as he sits across from Jensen. Only you would know that it’s a look of ire and ill-suited lust. You keep your eyes on him, omitting the rights to the muscles in your face. You don’t know what reaction you have to his expressions, you only know that he’s married and looking at you with vexation and a longing, desperation in his eyes.
You had never known him to be a complicated man, so why is he giving you the impression that he’s jealous of Jensen’s harmless embrace? He invited you here, and how he’s acting like he regrets it. Or worse, like his feelings have resurfaced as well.
Or did he call you to work on one of the most tormenting and grueling shows only to bring you back to that low point? Maybe it’s just in your mind. He couldn’t be that spiteful.
Or could he?
“You must be Y/N!” A voice proclaims as energetically as a puppy. “So glad to meet you. I’m Cas-” he cracks out a bellowing laughter, watching as Jensen and Jared roll their eyes. “Oops,” he says sarcastically, drawing a finger to his lip and looking back at you. “I almost name dropped my character, didn’t I? My bad,” he jokes, waving a hand dismissively before holding it out to you. “Nah, I’m just playin’. I’m Misha.”
You smile, shaking his hand and cutting in before he can continue, “Misha. Yes,” you chuckle. “Sorry I missed you yesterday, but it’s very nice to meet you.” Pulling your hand away you nod between the three of them, “I’ll see you all in an hour.”
Starting to turn and walk down the set, Jensen calls out your name. “Yes?” You flip around to see him standing now, twisting the top half of his body in your direction.
“You’re not gonna eat with us?”
“Not today,” you grin. “I thought I’d head to that, uh, new pizza place. It looked appetizing,” you flash an ear to ear smile, hoping to hide behind it while you spin your web of lies.
He pressures you, “you could get it to-go? I’m sure these lovely people here would like to get to know you better,” he waves his hand around the table at familiar, nodding and smiley faces. He shrugs in victory, looking back at you.
“Thanks, but I-” you fiddle with your elbow, blushing imperceptibly. Throwing your hand out to the side and propping it on your rip, you open your mouth to spew another lie about calling your ‘fiance’.
“I brought pie,” he offers, holding the container up. “In honor of Dean.” He smirks, “he’s going through a tough time, thought I’d get him his favorite. I can share-”
“Drop it, man. She said she’s going out. Let her,” Jared shoves a spoon full of soup into his mouth, raising his eyebrows and tilting his head at Jensen. 
You furrow your brows, but smile weakly and turn away. Heat fills your cheeks as you briskly walk to the back door and out to your rental car. Flopping down in the seat, your phone vibrates against your side.
<3 If you would like to be tagged in any upcoming chapters let me know here! Have any feedback? 
@awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce @fangirl490 @judewinchester123 
Part Three 
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josephkitchen0 · 5 years
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Selecting a Dairy Goat Breed
The fun of having goats starts with choosing which goat breed to get and plenty are available to choose from. More than 200 goat breeds have been developed worldwide, not all of which may be found in North America. Each breed has characteristics that are useful to humans in different ways. Your decision, of course, will be narrowed by your purpose in wanting goats, whether for milk, meat, fiber, or just for the fun of it.
Dairy Goat Breeds
A dairy goat, sometimes called a milk goat, is one that produces far more milk than it needs to nurse its kids to weaning age. In the United States, we have six main dairy goat breeds: Alpine, La Mancha, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen, and Toggenburg. Three additional options are Sable, which is a Saanen of a different color; Nigerian Dwarf, a miniature dairy goat; and Kinder, a cross between Nubian and Nigerian Dwarf.
La Manchas have very short ears— naturally. Some people are disturbed at first seeing them, thinking their ears have been cut off.
Alpines, Oberhaslis, Saanens, and Toggenburgs all originated in the Swiss Alps and are therefore referred to as the Swiss, or European, goat breeds. These goats are closely related and are similar in shape. They all have upright ears and straight or slightly dished faces. They may or may not have wattles consisting of two long flaps of hair-covered skin dangling beneath their chins. These goat breeds thrive in cool climates.
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La Manchas, Nigerian Dwarfs, and Nubians, on the other hand, originated in warmer climates and are therefore grouped together as tropical or desert goat breeds. The Nigerian Dwarf and the Nubian originated in Africa, and the La Mancha comes from the West Coast of the United States. In general, these goat breeds are better suited to warm climates than the shaggier Swiss goat breeds.
Alpine Goat. The Alpine goat has a long neck and a two-tone coat that comes in several color patterns, each of which has a specific name. Generally, the front end is a different color from the back. A mature doe weighs at least 135 pounds, and a mature buck weighs at least 170 pounds. The Alpine averages the highest annual milk output of any breed, producing about 2,000 pounds per year with an average milk fat content of 3.5 percent.
Kinder Goat. The Kinder goat (pronounced KIN-der), is a cross between a Nubian doe and a Pygmy buck. The resulting kids are smallish, muscular goats with high feed conversion efficiency and a rapid rate of growth, making this goat something of a dual-purpose milk and meat goat. The Kinder has longish ears that stick out to the side, and its coat may be any goat color. Its size is midway between the Pygmy and the Nubian; does weigh 115 pounds or more and bucks weigh 135 pounds or more. A Kinder doe produces about 1,500 pounds of milk annually, with an average milkfat content of 3.5 percent.
La Mancha Goat. The La Mancha is considered the calmest and friendliest of the dairy goat breeds and comes in just about any color a goat can be. La Manchas are easy to recognize because they have only small ears (elf ears) or no visible ears at all (gopher ears). A mature doe weighs 130 pounds or more; a buck weighs 160 pounds or more. A La Mancha doe produces about 1,900 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 3.9 percent.
Nigerian Dwarf Goat. This miniature dairy goat breed produces less milk and meat than a full-size goat but is ideal for a small family with a small backyard, provided the goats come from milking stock and not pet stock. The Dwarf has smaller teats than a full-size goat, so milking may be difficult for someone with large hands. And because this goat is lower to the ground, milking requires a smaller pail to fit underneath. Nigerian Dwarfs come in all goat colors. Mature does weigh 30 to 50 pounds; bucks weigh 35 to 60 pounds. A good Nigerian Dwarf doe can be expected to produce about 750 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 5 percent. Milk from a Nigerian Dwarf tastes sweeter than other goat milk because of its higher milkfat content.
Nubian Goat. The Nubian is popular among makers of cheese and ice cream because its milk is richer than that of other full-size goats. This breed comes in many colors, most typically bay or black, and is the most energetic, active, and vociferous of the dairy breeds. You can easily distinguish a Nubian from any other dairy goat by its rounded face (called a Roman nose) and long floppy ears. A mature doe weighs 135 pounds or more; a mature buck weighs 170 pounds or more. A Nubian doe produces about 1,500 pounds of milk per year with an average milkfat content of 4 percent.
Oberhasli Goat. This goat breed, which is common in its native country of Switzerland but relatively rare in North America, is known for its gentle disposition. Its coat color is reddish brown with black markings, although some does are solid black. A mature doe weighs at least 120 pounds, and a mature buck weighs at least 150 pounds. An Oberhasli doe may be expected to produce 1,600 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 3.6 percent.
A couple of curious Oberhasli kids looking for attention. (Photo by Jennifer Stultz)
Saanen Goat. The Saanen is the most popular goat breed worldwide, often referred to as the Holstein of dairy goats. It is a big goat with an extremely mild temperament and a white or cream-colored coat. A mature doe weighs 135 pounds or more; a mature buck weighs 170 pounds or more. A Saanen doe produces about 1,900 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 3.5 percent.
Sable Goat. The Sable is simply a Saanen of any color, or color pattern, except solid white or cream. Colors typically range from tan through black. Like the Saanen, the Sable doe weighs 135 pounds or more and a mature buck weighs 170 pounds or more. A Sable doe may be expected to produce about 1,900 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 3.5 percent.
Toggenburg Goat. The Toggenburg is a gentle, friendly goat. It has white ears, white face strips, and white stockings setting off a brown coat that may range in shade from soft brown to deep chocolate. A mature doe weighs 120 pounds or more. A mature buck weighs 150 pounds or more. A Toggenburg doe produces about 1,950 pounds of milk in a year with an average milkfat content of 3.2 percent.
Meat Goat Breeds
These San Clemente goats are about to be harnessed to drive a cart.
In many countries, more goats are kept for meat than for any other purpose, and many people prefer goat meat to any other. Goat meat is lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than other meats and is easier to digest than other red meats. It’s a good dietary alternative for anyone who eats mostly chicken and fish because of difficulty digesting other types of meat or to reduce fat intake.
Since slightly more than half of all goat kids are male and only a few mature bucks are needed for breeding, most young dairy bucks are raised for meat. Surplus goats of any breed may be used for meat, but a goat breed developed specifically for meat puts on more muscle, and does so more rapidly, than other goat breeds.
Boer Goat. The main meat breed today is the Boer goat, developed for rapid growth, large size, high-quality meat, and uniformity of size, meat quality, and color. The Boer has a white coat, a brown or dark red head with a white blaze, long ears, and horns that curve backward and downward. A mature doe weighs 150 to 225 pounds; a mature buck weighs 175 to 325 pounds.
Kiko Goat. Coming up fast behind the Boer in popularity as a meat goat is the Kiko, bred for hardiness and its ability to efficiently convert grass into meat. This goat may be any color but is most commonly white. Bucks sport an awesome pair of spiraling horns; the does horns are somewhat less spectacular. Does weigh in the 100-pound range, bucks about 180 pounds.
Pygmy Goat. The Pygmy is a miniature goat with the muscular build of a meat breed; its body is blocky, deep, and wide. The most common color is agouti, meaning two-tone hairs that give the coat a salt-and-pepper look. Mature does weigh 35 to 60 pounds, and mature bucks weigh 45 to 70 pounds. Despite its stockier build, a Pygmy doe produces nearly the same amount of milk as a Nigerian Dwarf with about the same amount of milkfat, but Pygmies are not often milked because of their tiny teats.
Spanish Goat. Before Boer or Kiko goats became popular in the United States, most goats raised for meat were left to roam over rangeland or forests in the South and Southwest to keep the land cleared of brush and undergrowth. Called Spanish goats —because the first feral herds were brought to this country by Spanish explorers and sometimes left behind to furnish meat for future expeditions — they are variously known as brush goats, briar goats, hill goats, scrub goats, or wood goats. Since these goats vary widely in shape and color, the term Spanish doesn’t really refer to a specific goat breed. A mature doe may weigh as little as 65 pounds or as much as 130; a buck may weigh anywhere from 80 to 200 pounds
San Clemente Goat. During the 1500s, Spanish goats were left on San Clemente Island, off the California coast near San Diego. A few descendants still survive as a kind of living history, showing us what goats must have looked like 500 years ago. At one time, so many goats populated San Clemente that they nearly destroyed the island’s vegetation. However, because of a successful eradication effort, the goats became in danger of disappearing. San Clemente goats are smaller and more fine-boned than other Spanish goats, and their horns grow more upright. They come in all colors, the most common of which is tan or red with black markings. A mature doe weighs 30 to 70 pounds. A mature buck weighs 40 to 80 pounds.
Myotonic Goat. A rare goat raised for meat and as something of a curiosity is the myotonic goat, also called the Tennessee fainting goat, the Texas nervous goat, or the wooden leg goat. Myotonic goats are not a specific goat breed, but share a genetic disorder called myotonia. When a goat with myotonia is frightened by a loud noise, its muscles contract and its legs go stiff. If the animal is caught off balance, it falls to the ground and can’t get up until its muscles relax. Frequent tensing and relaxing of the muscles gives myotonic goats heavy thighs, making them suitable as meat animals. Myotonia also keeps these goats from becoming aggressive, making them good pets. Because they cannot climb or jump like other goats, they are more easily confined, but they also make easy prey for dogs and coyotes. Myotonic goats come in a variety of colors. Mature weight varies all over the map. A ranch in Texas breeds large, meaty myotonics under the name Tennessee Meat Goats. These San Clemente goats are about to be harnessed to drive a cart.
Fiber Goats
If you’re into spinning and weaving, you might prefer a goat with long hair that may be spun into yarn and woven or knit into fabric to make clothing, drapes, and upholstery. The two kinds of fiber that come from goats are mohair and cashmere.
Angora. The Angora goat has long, silky, wavy hair called mohair. Like sheep, Angoras are sheared twice a year, in spring and fall. The average amount of mohair sheared from a doe per year is 10 to 14 pounds; a wether (castrated buck) averages slightly more. When selecting an Angora, spread the hair with your hands and notice how much pink skin you see. The less skin you see, the better. The best Angoras have hair that is neither light and fluffy nor dark and greasy. Avoid a goat with a chalky white face and ears; it is likely to have lots of straight, brittle, chalky white hairs, called kemp, that are undesirable because they do not produce quality yarn.
Pure mohair is creamy white. Colored hair results from crossing an Angora with some other goat breed. Naturally colored mohair is popular among hand spinners, even though the hair of a crossbred goat is usually lower in quality and quantity than the hair of a pure Angora.
Angoras have floppy ears and short faces that may be straight or slightly rounded. A mature doe may weigh 75 pounds or more; a buck weighs about 150 pounds.
Cashmere. Cashmere is not a goat breed but a kind of downy undercoat hair that is softer and finer than mohair, and is combed out as the goat begins to shed in early spring. Cashmere is found on more than 60 goat breeds worldwide. In the United States, it most often occurs on Spanish and myotonic goats. Cashmere is usually white but may be gray, tan, brown, or black. The best way to determine whether a young goat will produce cashmere is to ascertain that both of its parents are good producers. Cashmere is valuable because of its rarity; the average cashmere goat produces only about one-third pound of down per year. You may be able to find a good cashmere goat at a reasonable price, but top-quality mature animals cost thousands of dollars.
Pygora Goat. The Pygora is a cross between a Pygmy and an Angora. Each Pygora produces either a mohair-like fleece, a cashmere-like fleece, or a blend between the two. Those with a mohair-like fleece are sheared; the other two are combed. Fiber color comes from the Pygmy side and may be caramel, agouti, black, or white. Mature does weigh 65 to 75 pounds; bucks 75 to 95 pounds. Although Pygoras are small and costly, they may be considered tri-purpose goats. In addition to producing fine fiber for spinning, wethers make a nice family-size meat goat and the does produce about 600 pounds of milk per year.
Getting Your Goats
Goats are easy to handle and transport, and besides producing delicious milk, healthful low-fat meat, and fine fiber they also fertilize your fields. Every day each goat drops a little more than one pound of manure, which may be used to make your garden grow.
Goats do not need elaborate housing. All they need is a shelter that is well ventilated but not drafty and provides protection from sun, wind, rain, and snow. You’ll also need a sturdy fence. Each goat requires at least 15 square feet of space under shelter and a minimum of 200 square feet outdoors. A miniature goat needs at least 10 square feet under shelter and a minimum of 130 square feet outdoors.
Given more land than the minimum required for exercise, goats will both graze pasture and browse woodland. If your goats can harvest at least some of their own food by grazing or browsing, they will remain healthier and cost less to maintain in hay and commercial goat ration.
Goats are social animals that like the company of other goats, so you’ll need at least two. If you get goats for milk, you must goat breed them every year. If you can’t resist keeping some of the kids, your herd may grow larger than you initially anticipated; when setting up your goat facility, it’s wise to plan ahead.
Originally published in Countryside November / December 2010 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 
Selecting a Dairy Goat Breed was originally posted by All About Chickens
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mrrandallallen · 5 years
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AA Greatest Hits: A Highly Anecdotal Account of a Most Remarkable Anole
From the archives. One of the greatest <i>Anole Annals</i> posts of all times, because why not?
“You’ve gotta see this!” my fiancé Mark called to me one morning.  He was outside, which could mean only one thing: a wildlife encounter was underway.  Living in a semi-rural neighborhood in Florida, you never knew what you would see, from a mated pair of Sandhill Cranes walking down the street with their young, to Gopher Tortoises excavating burrows in the front yard.
I walked downstairs to the concrete area under our elevated house where Mark was staring at something on the ground.  I looked down to see a frog (Cuban Treefrog) with the tail of an A. carolinensis protruding from its gullet.
“I knew that lizard,” Mark said forlornly.
“What do you mean, you recognize the lizard just by its tail?”
“Yeah, he was the biggest male around here.  I think he was the one who watched me nail the lumber together for the floor.  I swear he would follow me around.”
We watched as the frog remained in a state of suspended animation for several minutes, not making much progress with its digestive activities.  Finally it started to open its mouth as though having difficulty with its prey item.
“Maybe we should try to make the frog regurgitate the lizard,” I said.  Neither the frog nor the lizard (I could safely surmise) seemed to be having a fun time of things.  Plus, as a steward of the land, I felt a responsibility to intercede in such matters.
“No, we need to let nature take its course.  Besides, it might prolong the lizard’s agony if he were regurgitated in a mangled state,” Mark replied.
“Hmm, well, maybe you’re right.”
A couple minutes later the frog regurgitated the lizard on its own.  The lizard turned out to be large male after all, and its heaving sides attested to its continued survival.  I ran to get my camera, and when I returned, the frog had swallowed the lizard again, tail first.  This time, the lizard was fighting back by biting the frog’s forelimb.  As the frog tried to swallow the lizard, it simultaneously began to swallow its own forelimb.  Still, the lizard’s snout was gradually descending down the frog’s gullet.  At this point I realized I was late for work and left soon afterwards. Mark stopped watching too.  We wrote the lizard off as a goner.
The next morning, a Saturday, I was reading outside on a lounge chair when I saw a lizard in the same area as the event from the previous morning.  It was a male A. carolinensis courting a female.  I had almost returned to reading my book when I realized the lizard was missing its tail.  Could it possibly be the same individual?  Upon closer inspection, the lizard looked like it had been through hell.  Its skin was blackened in several areas, and it had bits of what could have been digestive enzymes or half-digested prey on its dorsum.  It had to be the same lizard after all! Yet despite the lizard’s ordeal, it was still courting energetically…what a trooper!
Over the next several weeks, the lizard, who we named “Gordon,” made a complete recovery.  His tail regenerated, and he became the fury of the ‘hood, fighting both conspecific males and A. sagrei browns to almost certain defeat.  Perhaps unwisely, we also starting feeding him insects to the point that he would jump on our legs when he was hungry.  None of the other lizards in our yard tolerated humans to this extent.
He eventually mated with a female, and I observed them both settling down on our landscaping plant, a Staghorn fern, one evening, with what may be have been their offspring on a lower leaf.
Gordon lived for several years until he went missing last year.  Perhaps a crow that had started spending time close to the house brought about his demise, or possibly a kid from the neighborhood walking up the stairs around this time may have stepped on him, since Gordon would rarely run very far out of the way.  Regardless, it was an unhappy event.
It might sound corny to say that a lizard can be inspirational, but Gordon was a testimony to the importance of tenacity—and bite force!
from Anole Annals http://bit.ly/2CAR5hW
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