Under the Hose
October 31st 2007 00:36
My alpacas love to be hosed down in warm weather. We’re lucky here as we have an all year stream on our place and a couple of dams so we’re rarely short of water. When we get a nice warm day (yes those do happen in Tassie), I get the hose out and all the alpacas come running.
The youngsters, those in their first year, will run away from the water and avoid it, but the next summer those youngsters are in there with the rest of them.
I don’t water their backs, only their legs, chest and under their bellies. This is because they have big fleeces on at the moment. We’ll be shearing towards the end of November. If you saturate the fleeces they become like massively heavy wool blankets. Not comfortable for the alpacas to have to carry around and very hot too in the sun. Also, if you’re using pond water which isn’t too clean, you’ll wreck their lovely fleeces.
So I spray the hose at their legs. Some get all excited and dance about in the spray. Others like to sit in it. The odd one will try to stamp the water with their front feet or drink the water from the hose. Most of them just like to stand and enjoy the shower. I’ve had the occasional alpaca who will turn around and relieve himself in the water, so keep that in mind if you don’t want a poo pile started in that particular spot.
Some alpacas will stay and enjoy their shower for as long as you’re willing to provide it. Others come and get hosed down then wander off again, often to their rolling patch where they apply a nice thick layer of dirt.
Alpacas enjoying a hose down
The youngsters, those in their first year, will run away from the water and avoid it, but the next summer those youngsters are in there with the rest of them.
I don’t water their backs, only their legs, chest and under their bellies. This is because they have big fleeces on at the moment. We’ll be shearing towards the end of November. If you saturate the fleeces they become like massively heavy wool blankets. Not comfortable for the alpacas to have to carry around and very hot too in the sun. Also, if you’re using pond water which isn’t too clean, you’ll wreck their lovely fleeces.
So I spray the hose at their legs. Some get all excited and dance about in the spray. Others like to sit in it. The odd one will try to stamp the water with their front feet or drink the water from the hose. Most of them just like to stand and enjoy the shower. I’ve had the occasional alpaca who will turn around and relieve himself in the water, so keep that in mind if you don’t want a poo pile started in that particular spot.
Some alpacas will stay and enjoy their shower for as long as you’re willing to provide it. Others come and get hosed down then wander off again, often to their rolling patch where they apply a nice thick layer of dirt.
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Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
It's funny, alpacas are a bit like cats with their aloof, self-centred personalities, but are happy to splash in the water, which most cats hate.
Cheers.