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05-06-2015, 11:24 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-06-2015, 11:25 PM by LPC.)
We got two alpacas (one young female, one young male) recently and they are finally settling into their new environment. There is no alpaca section on this forum, and to be honest there is no need to create a new one. Jeanne and Denis are already settled with our sheep, so they are happy to be included in their section of the forum as well!
We hope in a year and a half to have our first "cria" - that is what a baby alpaca is called. The gestation period is almost a year (11-12 months) and they are still a few months too young for reproduction. But they are already closed attached to each other.
Click to enlarge.
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Well, Denis and Jeanne look like such happy Beings! They have big smiles on their faces.
Is Denis the darker one, and Jeanne the white one?
It's good that they already are very attached to each other, and they will probably be mates for life.
It's also very good that they love being with the Sheep! So they are also happy to be in the "Sheep (and goats)" section of our forum!
A very warm welcome you two cuties!
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05-07-2015, 03:31 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-07-2015, 03:39 AM by LPC.)
(05-07-2015, 02:17 AM)Tobi Wrote: They have big smiles on their faces.
They certainly look like that. The truth is, however, a little bit more boring than appearances - as often happens. The "smile" is actually their natural mouth shape. That is why they are so popular. In the photos, they had just arrived and were both humming (a noise they make when uncertain about something). So much as we would have loved them to smile, I don't think they were smiling at the time of the photo.
People often buy them because of their wool (they need shearing to avoid overheating in summer) or because their natural, comical looking appearance. We didn't get them for that, though. We are hoping to avoid the annual vetting of sheep buyers, which I dislike. Alpacas are worth between 10 to 20 times their potential value as meat, so if we ever sold one the buyers would be genuine enthusiasts, not someone seeking an animal to kill for cheap food. I'm fairly experienced at weeding out those who lie about their motives, but it is something I could do without.
(05-07-2015, 02:17 AM)Tobi Wrote: Is Denis the darker one, and Jeanne the white one?
Ah, using your instincts, eh? Well, you're right!
Rotating LOL
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They are so cute. I love the way they look. They are so soft and curly all over. The little crias must be so funny and adorable looking. I look forward to seeing pictures next year.
I hear you about the vetting of potential buyers. When I sold dwarf hamsters it was to a small family owned store. They were very careful about who they sold any of their animals to. When they closed the business I stopped breeding hamsters. I didn't trust the other stores.
Will you sheer the Alpacas for their wool. I have seem the wool here in Ontario and it is very good wool.
Catherine
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05-08-2015, 09:08 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-08-2015, 09:10 AM by Tobi.)
Yes I had a feeling the 'smiles' were because of their natural mouth shape. But it does make them look happy! So I hope they will stop humming soon, and relax when they begin to get used to their new place, and their new friends.
They are really adorable. I hadn't really seen very much of Alpacas before, so am looking forward to more pictures perhaps in the future -or news of them (and little 'crias'!)
If they were sheared for their own well-being during hot weather, then I suppose there would be no harm in making use of their wool. It could be skeined and dyed bright colours, and beautiful rugs could be made! But it might take a while to get enough wool!
I once knew a woman who had a dog whom she brushed regularly. She collected all the dog hair, and wove it together with her own sheeps' wool, to make sweaters! She had bags full of dog hair! She had a spinning-wheel to make the thread.
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I have heard of people using the hair from several dog breeds. It is fine hair and spins very well.
The Alpaca wool that I have seen, at our winter fair, is very fine quality. They actually breed alpacas in Ontario. Since they would have to be clipped there would be a nice supply of wool.
LPC, I expect to see pictures of you in woolly hats and scarves and sweaters. The wool could be dyed, but the natural colours are quite pretty. Congratulations on acquiring such a fine pair of Alpacas.
Catherine
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05-08-2015, 05:08 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-08-2015, 05:09 PM by LPC.)
Thank you both. Update: Denis is literally eating out of my hand, but Jeanne remains suspicious and nervous. She needs more time, I think. She was kept in a field with very little human contact, as the previous caretaker passed suddenly and his wife (who works full-time) did not have the time to care for his alpaca flock.
Both have settled in well with the sheep. They usually sleep close together.
One piece of interesting information: alpacas put their droppings and urine in one or two spots of the field only, always in the same place. This makes collection for manure easy - and it is dry and good quality.
Regarding wool, alpacas come in lots of different colours - white, light brown, dark brown, black, cream, grey.... But we don't have a spinning wheel, so we may give it away to any friends who are interested.
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Good for Denis that he is so trusting. Hopefully Jeanne will learn from him. It is good that they have the sheep for company, but what do the sheep think of the Alpacas?
Very clever and tidy of the alpacas to deposit their droppings neatly. If only I could teach that trick to the guinea pigs. It certainly would make cleaning up much easier. Could the alpacas teach this to the sheep? Or am I dreaming.
I love the colours of the alpaca wool. Is it always used naturally or do they dye it. It would be beautiful wool. Could you find a spinner who would spin the wool and share it with you.
I always wanted to learn to spin. I have "hand spun" little bits of wool to use in craft projects. I have read about it, but I still want to try it.
Catherine
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(05-09-2015, 03:48 PM)Catherine Wrote: Good for Denis that he is so trusting. Hopefully Jeanne will learn from him. It is good that they have the sheep for company, but what do the sheep think of the Alpacas?
Very clever and tidy of the alpacas to deposit their droppings neatly. If only I could teach that trick to the guinea pigs. It certainly would make cleaning up much easier. Could the alpacas teach this to the sheep? Or am I dreaming.
I love the colours of the alpaca wool. Is it always used naturally or do they dye it. It would be beautiful wool. Could you find a spinner who would spin the wool and share it with you.
I always wanted to learn to spin. I have "hand spun" little bits of wool to use in craft projects. I have read about it, but I still want to try it.
The sheep accept the alpacas now and treat them as "different but not a danger". Some of the lambs, bless them, go up and sniff the alpacas.
No, I doubt whether the sheep will ever learn to deposit their droppings in one place like the alpacas. That would indeed be a dream!
We may look into finding a spinner, but I doubt if we will have the time. It is easier to give the wool away.
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Someone will be glad to get the wool.
I would love to hear what the sheep are thinking. Alpacas are similar enough, but different enough. Do the see them as strange sheep. Good for the lambs. They will grow up alpaca friendly. Maybe the alpacas could train the lambs to go in one spot. They do learn by example don't they?
Catherine
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