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August 31st 2007 01:19
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Alpaca Notes - Tasmania - August 2007
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August 31st 2007 01:11
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Just Rambling
In the Delivery Suite
August 30th 2007 22:32
Alpacas generally deliver their crias (babies) unassisted with very little fuss. They often wait until you’ve gone out before delivering, but I have been fortunate to have been around for quite a few births.
The alpaca will go into labour and start to behave “out of sorts”. Sitting down, getting up, going to the poo pile. Sitting down, getting up, looking round at her belly, that kind of thing - this might go on for several hours[ Click here to read more ]
The alpaca will go into labour and start to behave “out of sorts”. Sitting down, getting up, going to the poo pile. Sitting down, getting up, looking round at her belly, that kind of thing - this might go on for several hours
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Comments (5) Shorn or Unshorn?
August 28th 2007 23:59
So which is the better look, the alpaca in full fleece or the just shorn one? Some people love the alpaca with tons of fleece on, all big and woolly. They think alpacas look weird when shorn. Others think the shorn look is just the cutest thing. Some people think alpacas are just plain ugly regardless (had a look in the mirror lately – hmmm?).
Personally, when it comes to fully fleeced alpacas, I think it depends on the individual alpaca and their fleece qualities. Young alpacas generally all look superb in full fleece while the older ones – not so good. Alpacas with uneven fleece, not much down the legs and all that hairy stuff around their chests look pretty ordinary in full fleece, so much better shorn, while the ones with tons of dense, even fleece all over look simply stunning[ Click here to read more ]
Personally, when it comes to fully fleeced alpacas, I think it depends on the individual alpaca and their fleece qualities. Young alpacas generally all look superb in full fleece while the older ones – not so good. Alpacas with uneven fleece, not much down the legs and all that hairy stuff around their chests look pretty ordinary in full fleece, so much better shorn, while the ones with tons of dense, even fleece all over look simply stunning
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Fleece & Wool etc
That Illusive garden plant
August 27th 2007 02:21
I often let the alpacas into the garden to mow the lawn for me. It is fabulous, as they munch the grass down like a bowling green, lovely and even. I can just sit and listen to them eat the grass - a much better sound than a conventional lawnmower and especially nice when you don’t have to push the thing around.
There are no grass clippings to collect, just a bit of manure if they decide they need to go. That gets tossed over into the vegie patch. When they’ve eaten the lawn down to the required level, I just herd them out again[ Click here to read more ]
There are no grass clippings to collect, just a bit of manure if they decide they need to go. That gets tossed over into the vegie patch. When they’ve eaten the lawn down to the required level, I just herd them out again
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Is there an alpaca in the house?
August 23rd 2007 05:13
I heard about an old lady whose alpaca had died and she was looking for another one. Apparently her alpaca had lived in the house and slept with her on the bed.
Whether this is true or not, I don’t know. I suppose there’s no reason why you couldn’t have an alpaca as a house pet, though personally, I prefer them to be out in the paddock[ Click here to read more ]
Whether this is true or not, I don’t know. I suppose there’s no reason why you couldn’t have an alpaca as a house pet, though personally, I prefer them to be out in the paddock
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Just Rambling
Culinary Delights
August 21st 2007 22:52
When you have alpacas for a while you tend to forget how exotic they still are to some people. I heard that a new alpaca owner had asked the seller what to feed her new alpacas “something from a can?”
Alpacas are grazing animals so eat grass, like sheep and cows. They also like to munch on other plants as well such as small shrubs, rushes and trees[ Click here to read more ]
Alpacas are grazing animals so eat grass, like sheep and cows. They also like to munch on other plants as well such as small shrubs, rushes and trees
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Good Design from Nature
August 20th 2007 01:08
One great thing about alpacas is they are born clean skinned around the tail and belly areas and the fleece on the insides of their legs stays very short.
[ Click here to read more ]
No mulesing required
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
The Pecking Order
August 16th 2007 22:18
Just like in every society, alpacas have their hierarchy and every alpaca knows his or her place in the herd.
You’ll have a leader, who keeps everyone in line. The leadership may change now and then as other alpacas challenge the leader for the top position. The girls tend to do this by intimidating each other and spitting. The boys do this too but they also get physical and fight for top position[ Click here to read more ]
You’ll have a leader, who keeps everyone in line. The leadership may change now and then as other alpacas challenge the leader for the top position. The girls tend to do this by intimidating each other and spitting. The boys do this too but they also get physical and fight for top position
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Move dem Pacas
August 14th 2007 23:02
Early on, we decided we needed something in which to transport our alpacas. The first thoughts were what if one got sick or injured and we had to get him to a vet in a hurry. Also, if there was a bush fire or something, how would we get them out? Just the typical thoughts that new alpaca owners have.
We already had a flat tray ute, so it made good sense to use that. My dad was a spring maker and built us a stock crate to fit the flat tray. It was steel with wire mesh and a colourbond roof. It had a ramp at the back. The crate even had wind up struts for lifting it on and off the ute as we needed[ Click here to read more ]
We already had a flat tray ute, so it made good sense to use that. My dad was a spring maker and built us a stock crate to fit the flat tray. It was steel with wire mesh and a colourbond roof. It had a ramp at the back. The crate even had wind up struts for lifting it on and off the ute as we needed
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Alpaca Meat
August 13th 2007 04:46
This gets number one on my website search stats every single month without fail. Not ‘alpacas’, or ‘alpacas for sale’ or anything thing like that, it’s alpaca meat that the people are interested in.
I guess it makes perfect sense. People ARE overwhelmingly obsessed with food, and what else we can shove in our faces to satisfy our voracious appetite for something “NEW”. The massive obesity problem we are facing in developed countries establishes this well and truly[ Click here to read more ]
I guess it makes perfect sense. People ARE overwhelmingly obsessed with food, and what else we can shove in our faces to satisfy our voracious appetite for something “NEW”. The massive obesity problem we are facing in developed countries establishes this well and truly
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Just Rambling
A Shed?
August 9th 2007 22:14
People who visit always ask if they need a shed for their alpacas. We have a large shed and we’ll find the alpacas in there on really hot days, keeping out of the sun.
We had snow here a couple of years ago, (The only time in the 10 years) and in the morning the alpacas were all white. They hadn’t bothered with the shed but chose to sit out in it instead[ Click here to read more ]
We had snow here a couple of years ago, (The only time in the 10 years) and in the morning the alpacas were all white. They hadn’t bothered with the shed but chose to sit out in it instead
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Alpaca Language – The sulk
August 7th 2007 23:22
To sort out their disagreements, male alpacas fight with each other. Females will do a bit of neck wrestling but tend to just have spitting matches rather than getting physical.
Alpaca arguments occur over various things, such as food, personal space, or who is going to mate with that female over there. When an argument occurs, you’ll have a winner and a loser[ Click here to read more ]
Alpaca arguments occur over various things, such as food, personal space, or who is going to mate with that female over there. When an argument occurs, you’ll have a winner and a loser
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Not letting them win
August 5th 2007 23:25
When you have an alpaca in a headlock and the alpaca is thrashing about like a mad thing - let him go.
I've found that in general, women tend to handle this statement better than men. Some guys believe that by letting the animal go they will think they have won, so you should hang on and make the alpaca learn that you are in charge[ Click here to read more ]
I've found that in general, women tend to handle this statement better than men. Some guys believe that by letting the animal go they will think they have won, so you should hang on and make the alpaca learn that you are in charge
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Still in the poo
August 3rd 2007 03:06
The books will tell you that alpacas poo in piles, and this is true, you'll have small oval piles of alpaca poo located in strategic spots around the paddocks. The boys are great housekeepers and keep the piles nice and neat. I guess this is so they don't have to travel too much to do their sniffing thing (see other poo post). The boys will walk into the pile and make their contribution right on top of what's already there.
The girls, however, tend not to be so fastidious and adopt the 'near enough is good enough' attitude. Subsequently, you'll find that the poo piles in paddocks habited by girl alpacas are not piles, so much as scatterings; a bit of poo here, another bit there and a tiny wee bit just over by the fence. Why this is, who knows (if you know, please enlighten us), maybe they prefer not to walk in it! In any case, what you end up with is a rather large area with poo over it[ Click here to read more ]
The girls, however, tend not to be so fastidious and adopt the 'near enough is good enough' attitude. Subsequently, you'll find that the poo piles in paddocks habited by girl alpacas are not piles, so much as scatterings; a bit of poo here, another bit there and a tiny wee bit just over by the fence. Why this is, who knows (if you know, please enlighten us), maybe they prefer not to walk in it! In any case, what you end up with is a rather large area with poo over it
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
The Poo Pile
August 2nd 2007 06:05
Poo piles are very important places for alpacas. A poo pile is kind of like the Orble of the alpaca world, where alpacas come to check out what's happening in the world.
For example, male alpacas will use the poo piles to establish whether any of the girls might just be receptive to mating[ Click here to read more ]
For example, male alpacas will use the poo piles to establish whether any of the girls might just be receptive to mating
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Posted By: Rosemary - Category: Alpaca Care
Alpaca, Llama - What's the difference?
August 1st 2007 00:17
Alpaca, Llama - What's the difference?
I get asked this all the time and for a while there were some llamas agisted next door, so I could just point and say "they are llamas[ Click here to read more ]
I get asked this all the time and for a while there were some llamas agisted next door, so I could just point and say "they are llamas
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