Weaning Alpacas
May 16th 2008 05:29
I’ve decided its time for Marco Polo to quit nursing from his mum and become what’s commonly known as a “weanling”.
He was born last September, so he’s well and truly old enough (and big enough), to start surviving on his own.
Some of the mums lose condition as their crias grow up and I have weaned crias before at 5 months of age, when the mum was getting too skinny.
If the mums are in good condition (ie, not getting thin), I normally leave the crias with them a bit longer.
Some mums will wean their crias themselves, by kicking the cria away when he or she tries to nurse. I’ve found they’ll do this when the cria is about 9 months old. Some don’t though and they should be separated because if the mum is pregnant, she’ll soon have another cria to feed.
I noticed Marco’s mum was still letting him nurse the other day. She’s not losing condition, so having him still nursing isn’t a great problem. But he’s also been harassing the girls, which I don’t want, as most of them are now pregnant again.
Normally a male alpaca isn’t capable of breeding until he’s 2 ½ to 3 years old, but there have been cases of younger males ‘doing the job’ successfully, so it’s a good idea to move the young boys out. They can usually be weaned at six months if they’re growing well.
He was born last September, so he’s well and truly old enough (and big enough), to start surviving on his own.
Marco close up
Some of the mums lose condition as their crias grow up and I have weaned crias before at 5 months of age, when the mum was getting too skinny.
If the mums are in good condition (ie, not getting thin), I normally leave the crias with them a bit longer.
Some mums will wean their crias themselves, by kicking the cria away when he or she tries to nurse. I’ve found they’ll do this when the cria is about 9 months old. Some don’t though and they should be separated because if the mum is pregnant, she’ll soon have another cria to feed.
I noticed Marco’s mum was still letting him nurse the other day. She’s not losing condition, so having him still nursing isn’t a great problem. But he’s also been harassing the girls, which I don’t want, as most of them are now pregnant again.
Normally a male alpaca isn’t capable of breeding until he’s 2 ½ to 3 years old, but there have been cases of younger males ‘doing the job’ successfully, so it’s a good idea to move the young boys out. They can usually be weaned at six months if they’re growing well.
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Comment by AmyHuang
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Comment by katyzzz
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What a big sook he is, still sucking off Mum, but sounds like a precocious big fella.
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
I don't know much about kittens but with alpacas you just take them away from their mums and they get used to the idea.
Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
I think it is just a habit by this age. He is well and truly big enough to be without his mum. Could be all fleece though, he's got a ton of it.