Things To Do - While You're Waiting... Check my Nostril
September 16th 2007 22:10
333 days pregnant today. Waiting, and watching. Here’s our expectant mum. This was filmed a while back, she has a lot more fleece on her now. Have to think about shearing soon, now spring has arrived.
I've tried to compress it so it doesn't take half the day to download, but its still about 2MB so might take a while. If you're on dial-up, go and make a nice cuppa while you're waiting...
Alpacas are pretty flighty creatures, that’s their instinct, but they’re also very curious. Once they trust you (that takes a while), they’re pretty happy to come up and check you out. Probably to see if you have anything they can eat - food is a big motivator for these animals.
Alpacas don’t have any top teeth at the front, just a hard palate and they have a split upper lip. This means they can’t pull the grass out by the roots like sheep can. Pretty nifty design, hey!
They like to browse like goats do, so you need to keep your valuable plants out of reach or they’ll munch them. I think it's wonderful that they eat blackberries, cause they’re very weedy here. They just spread out and cover everything, if you don't keep them under control. The alpacas eat all the leaves they can reach, leaving just the bare sticks. They love raspberry leaves too.
You have to watch what you feed them when they’re pregnant. Go easy on the raspberry leaves in the first few months. Mouldy hay can cause them to abort – well, you wouldn’t want to be feeding them mouldy hay in any case, but its a good thing to check before you put it out.
I've tried to compress it so it doesn't take half the day to download, but its still about 2MB so might take a while. If you're on dial-up, go and make a nice cuppa while you're waiting...
Alpacas are pretty flighty creatures, that’s their instinct, but they’re also very curious. Once they trust you (that takes a while), they’re pretty happy to come up and check you out. Probably to see if you have anything they can eat - food is a big motivator for these animals.
Alpacas don’t have any top teeth at the front, just a hard palate and they have a split upper lip. This means they can’t pull the grass out by the roots like sheep can. Pretty nifty design, hey!
Alpaca - Close up
They like to browse like goats do, so you need to keep your valuable plants out of reach or they’ll munch them. I think it's wonderful that they eat blackberries, cause they’re very weedy here. They just spread out and cover everything, if you don't keep them under control. The alpacas eat all the leaves they can reach, leaving just the bare sticks. They love raspberry leaves too.
You have to watch what you feed them when they’re pregnant. Go easy on the raspberry leaves in the first few months. Mouldy hay can cause them to abort – well, you wouldn’t want to be feeding them mouldy hay in any case, but its a good thing to check before you put it out.
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Comment by katyzzz
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I guess it is a lot of hard work tho.
katyzzz
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
No, easy as.
That's my opinion. I guess if you go and buy alpacas that are totally feral they'd be more challenging. Mine are pretty docile, by and large. Cheers.
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
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I didn't get sound on my film clip, but I guess you were explaining to her why you were filming this eventful passing?
She is absolutely lovely ... and glowing.
How long is a pakka pregnancy?
Lilla ...
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
No sound on this one. It was a bit windy and that doesn't sound so good across the mic, so, I thought probably better off without the sound.
There's just a bit of a sniffy snort when she fogs up the lens, that's about it I think.
342 days is the average, so a loooooong time to wait between bubs.
Cheers.
Comment by D. Armenta
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Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
She is a cute paca, they all are. A great mum too. Little Marco is doing well. Cheers.