Pema and Chameli go home
January 22nd 2008 22:00
We took Pema and her cria home on Sunday. Pema stayed with us for a couple of months while waiting to have her baby. Having only a couple of boys (wethers) to hang around with at home and this being her first cria, she came to our place so she could have the company of some other girls for a while.
Her cria has been named Chameli (pronounced chaa-meh-lee). This is a Tibetan name for the jasmine flower, which is tiny and has a white face (just like the cria). Pema means ‘white lotus’.
Pema and Chameli’s home is just south of Huonville, which isn’t very far from here. The boys they live with there are Mingma, which is Tibetan for ‘the wise one’ and Dawa, which means ‘star’.
On arrival home, Pema did a tour of the paddock with Chameli and then got straight down to the business of eating grass. Alpacas seem to travel and settle in to new situations very quickly, even the very young ones. I think Pema remembered she was home too, though she was very cautious when the boys came over to check out the new baby. She’s being a great mum.
A big thanks to Henni for the photos, as I forgot to take my camera.
Chameli is an F1 suri alpaca, the F1 meaning a first cross. Her mum is a huacaya alpaca and her dad (Martini) is a suri. The huacaya have fleece which looks much like a sheep fleece, while the suri fleece lays flatter on the back and has a shiny appearance. It flows about as the alpaca moves. Chameli’s a beautiful fawn colour – and so soft!
I keep forgetting the girls have gone home and when I’m out checking on the alpacas, I look around for them. It’s strange how quickly you get accustomed to them being here. Even though I don’t get particularly attached to the alpacas, as I do with dogs, I still miss them when they go away.
Her cria has been named Chameli (pronounced chaa-meh-lee). This is a Tibetan name for the jasmine flower, which is tiny and has a white face (just like the cria). Pema means ‘white lotus’.
Alpaca Chameli (Jasmine)
Pema and Chameli’s home is just south of Huonville, which isn’t very far from here. The boys they live with there are Mingma, which is Tibetan for ‘the wise one’ and Dawa, which means ‘star’.
On arrival home, Pema did a tour of the paddock with Chameli and then got straight down to the business of eating grass. Alpacas seem to travel and settle in to new situations very quickly, even the very young ones. I think Pema remembered she was home too, though she was very cautious when the boys came over to check out the new baby. She’s being a great mum.
Chameli and Pema in the front and Mingma and Dawa behind
A big thanks to Henni for the photos, as I forgot to take my camera.
Chameli is an F1 suri alpaca, the F1 meaning a first cross. Her mum is a huacaya alpaca and her dad (Martini) is a suri. The huacaya have fleece which looks much like a sheep fleece, while the suri fleece lays flatter on the back and has a shiny appearance. It flows about as the alpaca moves. Chameli’s a beautiful fawn colour – and so soft!
I keep forgetting the girls have gone home and when I’m out checking on the alpacas, I look around for them. It’s strange how quickly you get accustomed to them being here. Even though I don’t get particularly attached to the alpacas, as I do with dogs, I still miss them when they go away.
| 51 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
Comment by AmyHuang
Sydney Table
Project Job Search
Travel Debate
Travel String
Love Adventures
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
They are good names and they suit the personality of each one well too.
Comment by Henni
Mingma (the black one) especially, is fascinated with Chameli and keeps coming up to her and inspecting her with his nose from all angles. Maybe the attraction of opposites?
As to the names, I've got 2 Tibetan Mastiffs which have of course got Tibetan-Nepali names. Bhaalu, because he looks like a black bear and Maaya because she is a sweetie. So I wanted to continue that theme.
It took me much longer to name Chameli than Pema, Mingma and Dawa, as somehow the meanings dropped in place a few days after they arrived from Rosemary's. They were older of course and maybe their 'characters' were more obvious.
When Pema finally came home and I saw this tiny delicate little thing with just her little white face peering over the top of the high dry grass here (summer in Tasmania), it was like a little jasmine flower blooming in the paddock. So that was it from my long list of possibles!
I finally managed to sneak in a little feel of her fleece when mum's back was turned. Yes, her fleece is soft and ripples like a wheatfield in the wind when she runs. She is just sooo cute....
I agree with you Rosemary, you don't get attached to them as much as dogs (which are more like kids), but I too missed her when she wasn't here...sorry that it's now you missing them...