334 days pregnant
December 18th 2007 20:50
Fiona and Pema are starting to sit around like beached whales now. Alice, due on 3rd January, is also looking like a barrel with legs. As they have little fleece at the moment, if you look very closely at the girls’ bellies you can sometimes see the cria (baby) moving about in there.
The gestation for alpacas is 342 days. Alpacas can breed all year round but we generally try to do our matings in the summertime, so all our crias arrive in the warmer weather.
We have had winter crias, but they always seem to take longer to get going than their summer counterparts. Besides that, it’s just nicer to go out and spend time in the sunshine watching the crias run about.
In the winter time, it’s cold, muddy and simply a miserable time to be outside (especially if you have the flu as well).
For our climate, between November and April is good for newborns. The temperature range is from about 10 or so overnight to mid to high 20’s during the day. We mate all the girls over the summer and hope that they’re pregnant by May. If they’re not, they’ll just stay empty for the year. Some girls don’t get pregnant easily, especially as they get older. Some miscarry too.
We’re not relying on income from our alpacas, so it doesn’t matter much if they don’t have a cria, it’s just lovely if they do.
So, I’m waiting and watching. Alice is a pretty bomb proof alpaca. I can cuddle her and rub her belly etc, and she doesn’t care. Fiona and Pema are much more timid alpacas.
I watch for changes which might indicate they’re going into labour. I don’t like to look like I’m staring at them though, as they get very nervous (probably think I’m about to pounce on them and eat them!). So, I just watch from a discreet distance and make sure I look around a lot rather than concentrating on one alpaca.
Alpaca Fiona
Alpaca Pema
The gestation for alpacas is 342 days. Alpacas can breed all year round but we generally try to do our matings in the summertime, so all our crias arrive in the warmer weather.
We have had winter crias, but they always seem to take longer to get going than their summer counterparts. Besides that, it’s just nicer to go out and spend time in the sunshine watching the crias run about.
In the winter time, it’s cold, muddy and simply a miserable time to be outside (especially if you have the flu as well).
For our climate, between November and April is good for newborns. The temperature range is from about 10 or so overnight to mid to high 20’s during the day. We mate all the girls over the summer and hope that they’re pregnant by May. If they’re not, they’ll just stay empty for the year. Some girls don’t get pregnant easily, especially as they get older. Some miscarry too.
We’re not relying on income from our alpacas, so it doesn’t matter much if they don’t have a cria, it’s just lovely if they do.
So, I’m waiting and watching. Alice is a pretty bomb proof alpaca. I can cuddle her and rub her belly etc, and she doesn’t care. Fiona and Pema are much more timid alpacas.
Alpaca Alice
I watch for changes which might indicate they’re going into labour. I don’t like to look like I’m staring at them though, as they get very nervous (probably think I’m about to pounce on them and eat them!). So, I just watch from a discreet distance and make sure I look around a lot rather than concentrating on one alpaca.
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Comment by katyzzz
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But, you've made me feel all clucky, which is ridiculous given all my circumstances.
A year is a long time too. No doubt that doesn't worry the alpacas much.
Cheers, katyzzz.
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
It's less clinical here than on big farms, I just let the boy in and then its up to them pretty much.
I think its all a bit of a bore for the girls. Some will just mate happily with any male, others will tell a particular boy to get lost if she doesn't think he's good enough.
The cria stays very small until the last month of gestation, then has a big growth spurt. So it's probably not too much of a problem. They don't seem to be bothered much until they're really getting close to unpacking.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
We're having fab weather here. Hope it continues.
Probably still a bit cool for the northern people used to scorching heat but just fine for me.
Could use a bit of rain to fill up the tank though, just like everywhere.
Thanks for dropping by. Have a good one.
Cheers.
Comment by Lilla
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I'm commenting here, because I haven't got Active X and my husbands security won't allow me to install it to enter comments on the posts with it... those posts won't open without it.
But.... the one where she is giving birth made my eyes water. Talk about memories... I wasn't very good at childbirth and would have died both times if it wasn't for modern medicine, so I'm really lucky to be here... to witness the miracle for myself.
I hope all are doing fine?
Lilla ...
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
Maybe Techno on Geekyblog knows about that sort of thing?
Some of the girls have a hard time of it. Others don't seem too bothered at all. They're all very happy to see their brand new babies though, and are great mums.