A Perfect New Mum
January 3rd 2008 01:29
Talk about being all baby. One minute I look out and there’s Pema ambling about the paddock like a bloated whale, next thing, there’s a baby on the ground and Pema's skin and bones again, deflated like a limp balloon. No worries with these mums getting back into shape. It’s instantaneous.
Anyway, Pema was looking a bit out of sorts this morning. Nothing specific, just wandering about, stopping to stare into space every now and then. At 10 am she sat down and was lounging off to one side a bit. No problem, I have a couple of alpacas who lay about like that for a month before their cria is born. Better watch her though, she is due to unpack.
About 10 minutes later, she starts to rock back and forward, time to wash hands (in case I’m needed), grab the camera and head out to the paddock. SMS Pema's owner.
The head and one leg appears. I always worry about the smaller framed girls as they seem to have a harder time of it than the bigger girls. No problems with this one though, once the second leg appears, it’s all over. One big push and she’s out. On the ground at 10.30 am.
A lovely little girl. Medium fawn colour with a white face. Her sire (dad) is a suri so she may be a suri type as well. They have a different type of fleece, it hangs in ringlets. Too early to tell yet though until she dries out a bit. In any case, she’s perfect.
Up within half an hour trying to get a drink. Pema was a bit bewildered to start with, understandable as this is her first cria. She quickly realised this was her baby though and stood very patiently while baby found the milk bar and got that important first drink.
Pema comes from a line of great mums and she’s looking like a proud protective mum already.
Four crias on the ground here now, 1 boy and 3 girls. Expecting more in February, though there’s another out there doing the beached whale thing already, so who knows. All very exciting.
Pema's cria, one second til touchdown
Anyway, Pema was looking a bit out of sorts this morning. Nothing specific, just wandering about, stopping to stare into space every now and then. At 10 am she sat down and was lounging off to one side a bit. No problem, I have a couple of alpacas who lay about like that for a month before their cria is born. Better watch her though, she is due to unpack.
About 10 minutes later, she starts to rock back and forward, time to wash hands (in case I’m needed), grab the camera and head out to the paddock. SMS Pema's owner.
The head and one leg appears. I always worry about the smaller framed girls as they seem to have a harder time of it than the bigger girls. No problems with this one though, once the second leg appears, it’s all over. One big push and she’s out. On the ground at 10.30 am.
A lovely little girl. Medium fawn colour with a white face. Her sire (dad) is a suri so she may be a suri type as well. They have a different type of fleece, it hangs in ringlets. Too early to tell yet though until she dries out a bit. In any case, she’s perfect.
Pema's cria, one minute old
Up within half an hour trying to get a drink. Pema was a bit bewildered to start with, understandable as this is her first cria. She quickly realised this was her baby though and stood very patiently while baby found the milk bar and got that important first drink.
Pema's cria, found the milk bar
Pema comes from a line of great mums and she’s looking like a proud protective mum already.
Four crias on the ground here now, 1 boy and 3 girls. Expecting more in February, though there’s another out there doing the beached whale thing already, so who knows. All very exciting.
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Lynn Smythe
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The poor alpacas looked a bit bewildered walking down the street with crowds of people all over. But later on we saw them hanging out on a grassy patch of ground in a quieter part of town.
We got to get up closer and pet one. Remarkable how soft their hair (fur? fleece?) is. My daughter wanted to know if we could get one for a pet!?! I wasn't laughing - she barely helps to take care of our dogs.
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
Forget Alien or Gremlins. This is the real deal.
It's cool though, the nose hits the ground just about the time the last toe exits.
The mums seem to get over it pretty quick too. There are some alpacas who simply refuse to breed though. Don't blame them one bit.
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
They're not fond of crowds or loud noise. Probably not too impressed about sporting antlers either
Their fleece is lovely and soft. The Inca's called it the fibre of the Gods. Some people have alpacas as pets and let them in the house etc. I've seen photos of alpacas sitting watching TV.
With 4 dogs in our house it would be WW3 if I let the alpacas in
Llamas are a lot bigger than alpacas. The Peruvian alpacas are smaller than those from Chile too. We've got both here. No llamas though.
Cheers.
Comment by AmyHuang
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BEAUTIFUL baby!
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
She's even more beautiful now she's dried off. All fluffy and soooo cute. Can't describe her colour. I'll have to take some more pics.
Comment by katyzzz
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These four legged creatures could teach us much, especially re weight control.
They say many of the problems of man have come from walking on two legs, this I believe but every time I get around on four the neighbours talk. Pity,
Love, katyzzz
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
Comment by Anonymous
Your text goes here
For days since Christmas, I've been watching my phone....and of course it acted true to form, as phones do when they're being watched. Nothing. I was beginning to think Pema had just been pretending about looking like a beached whale. Today, naturally, whilst I was inside the vet 's surgery with my Tibetan Mastiff to have her stitches out and without the phone, Rosemary SMS'd me that Pema was 'unpacking'. As soon as I got back to the car, the phone rang. What a thrill, firstly that they were both well and that it was a quick birth, secondly that it was a beautiful little girl and thirdly that she was a fawn colour with a cute white face like her Mum!
I watched the tiny, delicate little creature galloping around at high speed this afternoon, giving her Mum a hard time trying to keep up with her and then roll around in the grass looking totally happy with the world.....Can't help but melt when you look at her....
Never mind about it being Pema's first cria, it was my first cria and am I glad that she had it at Rosemary's, and with the other girlds there as role models.
Thank you Rose.....
Henni
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
They usually unpack, when after 3 weeks of staying home waiting for them, you absolutely have to go grocery shopping before the family starves to death.
Thank goodness we have late opening hours now at the supermarket and I've been able to be here for all births so far.
Needless to say, it wouldn't have mattered as they've all been totally normal, unassisted births just as alpacas have been doing for thousands of years without us.
Anyway, you'll agree she looks totally stunning in real life. Now the cling wraps off and she's dried out, she's the softest, silkiest, golden little paca. Totally perfect.
I'll take some more pics of all the crias to post soon.
Comment by Anonymous