A Strange Girl in a Strange World

Goats love to eat tin cans, right?

Where does that pop culture idea come from that goats will eat anything, including tin cans? I’ve always had it in my head, probably got it from TV. So much so I fed a can to a goat when I was 7 or 8 because I thought that’s what they like to eat. I told my sister this story the other day.

I was joking around with my sister and she started making up a song, mentioning goats. I pop out with “Goats will eat cans!” She was very “what?”, so I explained I know for a fact goats eat cans because I fed one to a goat.

She was of course was confused (and had this look like “when did Gwe have time last week to go do that?”), so I told her about a field trip I had in 2nd or 3rd grade where we went to the petting zoo (I think at the MN zoo) and I was so excited. I knew there would be goats and goat love to eat tins cans, so I brought one along as a treat for them, because my visit was special

Yep, packed a can and just carried it around in my backpack till we go to the goats. Eveyone crowded around the fence and was feeding them grain for a vending machine., and I pull out my can. I think I fed it to a black and white one.

But wait! There’s more. I was caught by the attendant/zoo guide. I recalled he was very surprised, very “did you just feed them a can?”

I said “Yes. Goats love cans, I brought it as a treat!” with the surety you have as a kid, that if you know or believe something, it’s 100% true. He gentaly told yes, goat eat cans, but they’re not good for them to eat. It’s beeter if they just eat what the zoo gives them.

I was so crushed! Ah, childhood.^_^

[Photo courtesy of jindivik12]