# Anyone Else Keep Reindeer??



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

My mum has started helping out here:

Reindeer and Animal Hire for TV, Film, and Special Events

She helps out with the reindeer especially at this time of the year when they are in demand.

We have just got the correct paperwork through to keep a couple of youngsters next year and i was wondering if anyone else keeps this odd critters with their moss obcession???

Also if you love reindeer check out the link lol.


----------



## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

i dont own them but i had experience with them.
*bad* experience. remind her not to bow down to them if they are not tame, they can be quite aggressive!


----------



## Indicus (May 3, 2009)

Do reindeer need to be TB tested and blue tongue vaccinated like cattle need to be.
I don't have any experience with reindeer apart front stroking one when I was younger


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

yugimon121 said:


> i dont own them but i had experience with them.
> *bad* experience. remind her not to bow down to them if they are not tame, they can be quite aggressive!


Lol my other halfs son did that with a goat.


----------



## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

what paperworks needed ?


----------



## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

We had 2 castrated male Reindeer at a farm park I used to work at. They were pretty cool, not especially friendly but would come up to you at feeding time. They can be pretty nasty, & they clout the hell out of you with their front hooves. We used to dread vaccination time/worming/etc hehe.


----------



## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

Zoo-Man said:


> We had 2 castrated male Reindeer at a farm park I used to work at. They were pretty cool, not especially friendly but would come up to you at feeding time. They can be pretty nasty, & they clout the hell out of you with their front hooves. We used to dread vaccination time/worming/etc hehe.


 
hee hee col im sorry i have this vision of you running round a feild screaming with a reindeer chasing after you :lol2::lol2:

sowwie :blush::lol2:


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

adamntitch said:


> what paperworks needed ?


You need a license to keep them. Also they have to be registered etc.

Never approach a reindeer during breeding season lol.


----------



## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

selina20 said:


> You need a license to keep them. Also they have to be registered etc.
> 
> Never approach a reindeer during breeding season lol.


as in a dwa am sure it depends on species of reindeer what type are you getting


----------



## chamlover (Jan 7, 2007)

I think they are great , from what I have read you dont need a licence, all you need is a normal holding number from Defra just the same as you do any other cloven animal such as goats, sheep cows etc.


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

chamlover said:


> I think they are great , from what I have read you dont need a licence, all you need is a normal holding number from Defra just the same as you do any other cloven animal such as goats, sheep cows etc.


I was told they need a zoo license however they are my mums animals so dont know. Surely if they were on a DWA you wouldnt be able to use them in demos lol


----------



## chamlover (Jan 7, 2007)

This is the site I found the info on , If you scroll down to *registering/Movement reqirements* Reindeer Management

How acurate the info is I have no idea but if its true you can get a holding number over the telephone


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

chamlover said:


> This is the site I found the info on , If you scroll down to *registering/Movement reqirements* Reindeer Management
> 
> How acurate the info is I have no idea but if its true you can get a holding number over the telephone


Ill ask my mum tonight. Shes filled in all the paper work for them lol so she will know more than me. Just wanted to see if anyone else owned these wierd and wonderful creatures.


----------



## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

selina20 said:


> Ill ask my mum tonight. Shes filled in all the paper work for them lol so she will know more than me. Just wanted to see if anyone else owned these wierd and wonderful creatures.





> Family Cervidae:
> All species of the genera Alces and
> Rangifer, except any domestic form of the
> species Rangifer tarandus:
> ...


this is from Defras DWA list, so whatever a domestic reindeer is, its legal to keep without a licence


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

yugimon121 said:


> this is from Defras DWA list, so whatever a domestic reindeer is, its legal to keep without a licence


Odd. Oh well shes odd for keeping them. Not sure i like them they have wierd faces lmao.


----------



## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Odd. Oh well shes odd for keeping them. Not sure i like them *they have wierd faces lmao*.


But they have nice soft smooshy noses, & amazing feet!


----------



## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Zoo-Man said:


> But they have nice soft smooshy noses, & amazing feet!


 
And pull Santas sleigh:2thumb:


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Zoo-Man said:


> But they have nice soft smooshy noses, & amazing feet!


I think goats are cuter lol



Shell195 said:


> And pull Santas sleigh:2thumb:


Only the males can be used to pull sleighs and only some of them will do it lol


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

yugimon121 said:


> this is from Defras DWA list, so *whatever a domestic reindeer* is, its legal to keep without a licence


You need to visit Finland. The finns (Sammi tribe) have been using them as beasts of burden for centuries. They're farmed by the thousand as most other domesticated animals cannot withstand the temperatures in Scandanavia over winter. 

Definately not the best tasting venison out there though. And they eat the tongues as a delicacy.


----------



## redtails (Aug 24, 2008)

*Reindeer*

We bought/rescued a pair of reindeer from that farm this year, (our intentions were to purchase healthy deer, but on seeing these two we decided that their needs warranted more attention, basically they looked very underweight). On returning back to our farm the two deer were kept in a quarantine situation until an inspection was sought by our zoo vet, the two reindeer were tested the next day, a faeces sample was taken, my assumptions were right they were riddled with worms, 1700 per gram to be precise, On telephoning the “I am The Reindeer Man,” I was given a wall of abuse he stated that “are you going to blame me every 12 weeks when they have worms”, I did remind him that I had only purchased and collected the reindeer and that they had only been in our possession for less than 48 hours!!!. After more ranting and foul language from this man stating He was the Reindeer man and what do I know? I know that this reindeer man took my money and when challenged on his husbandry methods he just slammed down the phone.
The two reindeer in question now are in full health and are fully trained to halter/lead rope and will walk side by side, it had taken me only a few weeks of giving these two reindeer the attention and affection the right husbandry method to achieve their trust. 

I do hope that this Reindeer farmer steps outside of his box and takes a better look at his ways of competence. 
photo's to up loaded later!


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

redtails said:


> We bought/rescued a pair of reindeer from that farm this year, (our intentions were to purchase healthy deer, but on seeing these two we decided that their needs warranted more attention, basically they looked very underweight). On returning back to our farm the two deer were kept in a quarantine situation until an inspection was sought by our zoo vet, the two reindeer were tested the next day, a faeces sample was taken, my assumptions were right they were riddled with worms, 1700 per gram to be precise, On telephoning the “I am The Reindeer Man,” I was given a wall of abuse he stated that “are you going to blame me every 12 weeks when they have worms”, I did remind him that I had only purchased and collected the reindeer and that they had only been in our possession for less than 48 hours!!!. After more ranting and foul language from this man stating He was the Reindeer man and what do I know? I know that this reindeer man took my money and when challenged on his husbandry methods he just slammed down the phone.
> The two reindeer in question now are in full health and are fully trained to halter/lead rope and will walk side by side, it had taken me only a few weeks of giving these two reindeer the attention and affection the right husbandry method to achieve their trust.
> 
> I do hope that this Reindeer farmer steps outside of his box and takes a better look at his ways of competence.
> photo's to up loaded later!


Omg thats horrible. Would love to see photos of the wierd looking deer lol. Did you report the guy that sold them


----------



## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

selina20 said:


> Omg thats horrible. Would love to see photos of the wierd looking deer lol. Did you report the guy that sold them


think there talking about the farm your on about


----------



## willman (Aug 6, 2009)

*reindeer*

Just came across this thread, so sorry if I am a bit late. Reindeer are not easiest animals to keep, the vast majority are imported from northern Scandinavia, including this guy you are thinking about getting them from, he goes over in a horse box, buys 30 at a time at £250 - £500 each keep them over here for a couple of weeks, then sells them for £1500 - £2000 each. Reindeer have poor to no worm resistance, there tends to be a low background worm burden in the colder parts of the world, and so when they are brought over here, they are exposed to very high level of worms on UK pasture, this knackers them. lung worm is a big problem, as this will lead to poor growth and pneumonia, they need worming every month for at least 6 months then this can be moved to every 3 months, also from experience they are allergic to most ivermectin wormers, many sheep / cattle pour ons cause burns, and injectable wormers do the same but under the skin, I have not tried oral wormers for thsi reason. I am yet to find the right one, as there are no Reindeer wormers in the UK, we are now looking to Norway to see if we can import. they also suffer from several mineral and trace element deficiencies and should be given boluses once / twice a yr. then there is all the behaviour issues of males during the rut - this differs from animal to animal, but some can be right psychos for 2 -3 months, that said when you get it right there is no better animal, very inquisitive, and great to work with, it just those first 12 months with import deer that are so critical, after that very straight forward. - 50% of reindeer purchased in the UK are dead within 12months of purchase, - a harsh reality. 

Re they do not need a licence, just a movement form to the LA and a holding number, unless you want the public to visit them, in which case you may need a zoo licence, as they are classified as exotic. 

They do not need to be fed reindeer moss - very expensive and when was it picked? It will not be fresh. A good 12% red deer ration will do. 

And they do not need to drink ice, but a high water trough is a good idea as the hoof the water when they drink "instinct"

I am not trying to put anyone off, and if you get it right there is no better animal to keep “in my eyes”. Have fun


----------



## Disgruntled (Dec 5, 2010)

Anyone know the regs for other deer, in particular the little muntjac and the chinese water deer... When we get a bit more acreage, I'd love some of these...


----------



## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

I like muntjac - didn't know they existed til we moved but i love watching them now


----------



## willman (Aug 6, 2009)

*deer*

All deer require the same paper work, Deer movement forms - obtainable from trading standards filled in and sent back to them, and a holding number from defra - as long as you have .1 hec you can apply (think that is still the rule) is you live in a blue tongue area then they will need to be vacinated, I think. any calves born must be ear tagged, you will need a herd number, from your local animal health office, this may trigger periodic inspection (every couple of yrs). there is no TB testing for deer. other than that good fencing, that said we keep are red deer herd behind 2m deer fence, but the reindeer behind standard height post and rail, with a small corral area to catch then from time to time.


----------



## Disgruntled (Dec 5, 2010)

Well, we have a cph as we have had goats, pigs and sheep. We are used to the shambles that is DEFRA, lol... maybe when we move to the new place with more land..assuming we don't aquire any more flippin' ponies...


----------

