Randomly Cute -- New Alpaca arrives today!

[Blue_Frog]

Swamped with work these last couple weeks, but taking the time to add the randomly cute new Alpaca thats coming to the farm today.

We bought him for my mom for her birthday back in October, and his name is Syndrome. Hes a blue-eyed white, which means that hes not good for breeding (as he would have a higher chance of producing deaf offspring), however hes the softest squishiest little guy, with a super personality!

He hasn't been big enough to come live with the herd until now, so today is the big day --- and here I am stuck at work with no chance to see him until the weekend!

So for now, heres some random squisy alpaca pictures -- with hopefully more to come this weekend if i manage to escape from work long enough!

Syndrome is the one at the front
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndrome-1.jpg

The one at the front still ...
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndrome-2.jpg

Just the fluffiest little butt!
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndrome-3.jpg

Here he is from the front
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndrome-4.jpg


More to come later (hopefully)! :D

[kimlovescats]

What a fluffy cutie! What do you use alpacos for? Do they provide some sort of service for your farm, or are they just pets? :)

[DrKym]

Cuteness warning needed!!!!!

Ok so the trade for Jasper is now on again LOL
1 hubby for 1 alpaca :p

*here syndrome come to mama*

[Lori Jordan]

They are adorable!

[DrKym]

Gee Ali, Jasper says he doesn't like our trade???

wonder why? :confused:

[Blue_Frog]

What a fluffy cutie! What do you use alpacos for? Do they provide some sort of service for your farm, or are they just pets? :)
Well, they're sort of multifunctional -- you shear them once a year, and turn the fleece into yarn for knitting, rovings for spinning, or you can use it to make felt and things like that. A nice thing about Alpaca wool is that it doesn't have lanolin in it like sheeps wool, so people who are allergic to sheep wool can usually wear alpaca -- and it doesn't have the tell tale sheep smell when it gets wet too ;)

My mom is working with a couple of the alpacas to become therepy animals, that she can take around to retirement homes, or to children with disabilities for visits and education.

Heres some of the things that me and my mom recently made --
- Hand felted decorator pillows (http://www3.sympatico.ca/kismet.ontario/images/pillows.html) and purses (http://www3.sympatico.ca/kismet.ontario/images/purses.html)
- Knitted and Croched scarves (http://www3.sympatico.ca/kismet.ontario/images/knits.html)

:)

[Karen]

Wow! He is completely adorable!

Hmm, never knew that about alpaca wool - I am horribly allergic to sheep's wool, so it's need there's another alternative out there.

But Syndrome is completely and utterly adorable - would you give him a hug from me, please?

[cassiesmom]

May be random but definitely cute! What a sweet face! Blue_frog, I have the same question as kimlovescats: why do you have alpacas? I know they have coats rather like sheep, and their fiber is used for excellent blankets and garments. I know they are similar to llamas. That is the extent of what I know about the alpaca. Do they let you pet and hug them? I bet they would be really soft to pet. What do they eat? How long does an alpaca live? I see a couple of brown ones in the photos too. Thank you for sharing these with us!

[Blue_Frog]

Gee Ali, Jasper says he doesn't like our trade???

wonder why? :confused:

*LOL* poor jasper, traded away for an alpaca ;)
No refunds or exchanges!

[Blue_Frog]

May be random but definitely cute! What a sweet face! Blue_frog, I have the same question as kimlovescats: why do you have alpacas? I know they have coats rather like sheep, and their fiber is used for excellent blankets and garments. I know they are similar to llamas. That is the extent of what I know about the alpaca. Do they let you pet and hug them? I bet they would be really soft to pet. What do they eat? How long does an alpaca live? I see a couple of brown ones in the photos too. Thank you for sharing these with us!

Well, heres how it all happened ---

When my mom got early retirement, she decided that working in an office again was never going to happen, and she ran across Alpacas at a show somewhere and fell in love. So, she went out, bought a 279 acre farm, and we all spent a lot of time putting up fencing and getting things ready for a small herd of Alpacas. She doesn't have a large herd really, compared to a lot of people -- its a herd of 10 alpacas, and one llama, but its enough to keep her busy! I have one of the Alpacas, and the Llama is mine as well, but I live in the city, so i get up most weekends to help out at the farm.

Alpacas and Llamas are in the same family, and come from South America. Alpacas are smaller, and more docile, and have better temperments, and Llamas are larger with coarser fibre. The llama in the herd is as a guard animal, so if anything ever gets into the paddock, he would attack it while the alpacas fled. Theyre part of the Camelid family, and are related to Camels as well!

The alpacas will let you pet them and put your arm around their neck, etc. - its all a matter of handling -- the more used they are to people, the more friendly the are to being touched. Since my moms herd is so small, its easy to spend a lot of time with individual animals, over having a farm of 60+. Most of hers will eat apple from your hand, and let you hug them -- and hte Llama is also huggable since he's been handled since he was small as well.

Alpacas eat hay, grass, and alpaca pellets, and dont mind the snow and cold either, which is good since theyre in snow land right now! They live for quite a while, i believe around 20 years.

I have about 2 gigs worth of alpaca pictures, but haven't had the time really to get into putting them up in the gallery for viewing.

If you're interested in Alpacas, you can check out
http://www.gentlegladealpacas.com/
http://www.alpacaontario.ca/
http://www.alpacainfo.ca/

:)

[Blue_Frog]

Wow! He is completely adorable!

Hmm, never knew that about alpaca wool - I am horribly allergic to sheep's wool, so it's need there's another alternative out there.

But Syndrome is completely and utterly adorable - would you give him a hug from me, please?

Of course! I'm currently taking orders for Alpaca-Hugs for the weekend for anyone interested! :D

[DrKym]

Count my order in!!
and a llama hug as you already know that Llamas are not my friend LOL ;)

Btw, is that brown one the famous manual paca? I am sure not everyone here knows that you have a talented catalog model :p

[Zippy]

Awww..That is great he gets along with the herd.They are all so cute and fluffy. :D

[critter crazy]

Awwww....they are so cute!! My neighbor, just got around 50 alpacas this fall, i walk onto the back end of my property, and watch them all the time. I have a few pics, from when they first arrived, they are too cute! I just wanna squish them!!:D

[cassiesmom]

Of course! I'm currently taking orders for Alpaca-Hugs for the weekend for anyone interested! :D

Hugs for me too! They look so fluffy!

[chocolatepuppy]

Syndrome is adorable! Thanks for all of the interesting facts about Alpacas. :)

[Aspen and Misty]

its a herd of 10 alpacas, and one llama, but its enough to keep her busy!

We had a chat on Gabbly the other day where I confessed that Llama's scare me to death! Gosh, to me they are the scariest animals on the face of this earth, no lie. You are very brave to own one....and a bunch of little Alpaca's that look like miniture Lama's.

I really enjoyed the pics. And your new guy is absolutly adorable! Almost cute enough that I think if I were there in real life I would hop the fence and hug him. I really would like to see a pic of you or someone hugging (or standing next to) an Alpaca so that we can see how big they are.

Ashley

[Blue_Frog]

We had a chat on Gabbly the other day where I confessed that Llama's scare me to death! Gosh, to me they are the scariest animals on the face of this earth, no lie. You are very brave to own one....and a bunch of little Alpaca's that look like miniture Lama's.

I really enjoyed the pics. And your new guy is absolutly adorable! Almost cute enough that I think if I were there in real life I would hop the fence and hug him. I really would like to see a pic of you or someone hugging (or standing next to) an Alpaca so that we can see how big they are.

Ashley
Pictures on request ;)

This is a picture of my mom, leaning over to look one of the alpacas in the eye (the fawn one is Seppe) -- My mom is about 4'11".
From front - back
Patch (brown/white), Manny (brown), Leroy Brown (light brown), Frosty (white), Seppe (fawn brown), Sarge (brown, can hardly see him behind seppe) and Mort (black).
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/alpaca-0309-01.jpg


My friend Alex, feeding them apple pieces. Alex is about 5'3" tall.
From left - right
Radar (black and white llama), Sarge (brown), Mort (black), Patch (brown and white) and Seppe (fawn brown).
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/alpaca-0309-02.jpg


Me giving them pellets. I'm about 5'4".
From left - right
Radar, Mort, Sarge, Seppe, Frosty (the white one just behind me) and Shilo (the other white one in the back right).
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/alpaca-0309-03.jpg


And heres some pictures with me and Radar the Llama ...

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/llama-0309-01.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/llama-0309-02.jpg

[DrKym]

AWWWWWW!
Ali they are too cute!

I love the kissy one! However I am not that brave ;)

[Aspen and Misty]

[QUOTE=Blue_Frog]
And heres some pictures with me and Radar the Llama ...

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/llama-0309-01.jpg


::FAINTS AND DIES::

You are very brave!! I used to work at a horse farm and she has sevral Llama's. The first day I was there she said "Watch out for that big Llama over there, he just got neutered (is that what they call it with Llamas?) and about 3 weeks ago he pushed me to the ground and beat me up". He was a very scary, very angry Llama. I steered clear of him and all the otheres! She used to laugh because I would stand next a wild and crazy horse but you couldn't get me within 3 feet of a sweet docile Llama.


I like the first picture, Patch especially. Very cute! Thanks for all the pics, please keep them coming!

Ashley

[Kalei]

Aw look at the cute Alpaca, I thought he was a lama at first...maybe he is a lama, lol I'm confused. But he definately looks so soft and comfy!:D What a cute little guy, and I like the name too!

[Blue_Frog]

::FAINTS AND DIES::

You are very brave!! I used to work at a horse farm and she has sevral Llama's. The first day I was there she said "Watch out for that big Llama over there, he just got neutered (is that what they call it with Llamas?) and about 3 weeks ago he pushed me to the ground and beat me up". He was a very scary, very angry Llama. I steered clear of him and all the otheres! She used to laugh because I would stand next a wild and crazy horse but you couldn't get me within 3 feet of a sweet docile Llama.


I like the first picture, Patch especially. Very cute! Thanks for all the pics, please keep them coming!

Ashley

OH NO!! :eek: :eek: Your poor friend! Llamas can be used as guard animals for herds of other species (thats why my mom only has the one llama with the herd, and her friends have llamas to guard their sheep and goats). He might have been a little PO'd about the neutering (and it can be referred to as Gelding too, like for horses). Radar is generally very friendly, and gives Llama kisses, but we've handled him a lot to get him used to people.



Aw look at the cute Alpaca, I thought he was a lama at first...maybe he is a lama, lol I'm confused. But he definately looks so soft and comfy! What a cute little guy, and I like the name too!
*lol* :D The new baby is an Alpaca, and all the rest of the herd are Alpacas, except Radar (in the last 2 pictures I posted) -- hes the only Llama in the herd.

[lvpets2002]

;) Awee they are so sweet & adorable.. Great pics & thanks

[Blue_Frog]

... a couple ways to tell a Llama from an Alpaca

Llamas - Are bigger than Alpacas when full grown, and have ears that are shaped like banananananas

Alpacas - Are smaller than Llamas when full grown, and have ears that are shaped like spears

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/banana.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/spear.jpg

[DrKym]

I LOVE THE CURLY FOREHEAD HAIR!!

WOW too cute! looks like a wig................I want a paca now Ali!! :eek:

[Kalei]

Wow, that is a great way to tell them apart! Thanks for showing us so nicely:D

[Blue_Frog]

Mom emailed me 2 new pics (sorry they're small, shes on dial-up so reduced them)

Syndrome arriving. Hes in a separate pen until the rest get used to him (couple hrs)
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndromearriv.jpg

Syndrome with the group (hes the really puffy one in front)
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/bluefrog_ca/Alpacas/syndromeboys.jpg

[critter crazy]

Gosh!! these pics are killing me!! Now I want to go and steal a couple of my neighbors Alpacas!! he he he he! I dont think she would be pleased!:D

[cassiesmom]

Blue_frog, I like the one of you with all of them, white, brown and black. They are so fluffy and pretty! Please pat them for me. I hope Syndrome gets along really well with the group!

[freckledimple]

Syndrome is so adorable and I just want to give him a BIG squish :D Many questions!! I'm looking into different animals to keep when I'm finished taking care of my grandparents. I've kept horses before. Are alpacas easier, harder, or just different? Do ya'll shear them yourselves? Also, I'm an amateur knitter/crocheter. I'm also thinking about spinning my own yarn. Do you spin and dye your own yarn? Or do you have all that professionally done? Thank you.

[CathyBogart]

Wow, they're wonderful! How many males/females are in the herd? Are the males all neutered? (gelded, castrated, snipped...)

Oh...and does your mom ever sell those lovely purses?? :D :D

[Blue_Frog]

Syndrome is so adorable and I just want to give him a BIG squish :D Many questions!! I'm looking into different animals to keep when I'm finished taking care of my grandparents. I've kept horses before. Are alpacas easier, harder, or just different? Do ya'll shear them yourselves? Also, I'm an amateur knitter/crocheter. I'm also thinking about spinning my own yarn. Do you spin and dye your own yarn? Or do you have all that professionally done? Thank you.

I've never kept or really been around horses before, so I'm not sure that I could say which would be harder. Basically, you need a barn (not a super large barn either, just something to accomidate them out of the elements) and pastures for them to hang out in (generally on a rotating schedule to allow the grass to grow back - they will crop it right to the ground, but don't pull out the roots). They get pellets every day - about a 1/2 scoop each to supplement the hay they get (greener hay is better than the yellower hay), plus wormings, vaccinations, and vitamins. They need to have their nails trimmed on occasion, but the alpaca people seem to be on average very friendly, and I'm sure someone could show you how as well. They dont mind the cold, and as long as they have somewhere out of the wind to go they're generally OK.

They get sheared once a year, by a professional shearer. The reason being that if you do a bad job on the shearing, you lose the current year fleece (since its lopsided), and then you lose the next year as well as it grows in crooked. Now, that doesn't mean you couldn't use it for felting or other things, it just becomes less suitable for spinning or being turned into yarn. Usually a professional can help you sort the fleece as well, as the fleece from the body is good for yarn, whereas the fleece from other areas isnt (but can be used for other crafts).

For processing, it depends on how much time you want to dedicate to it -- my mom sends most of her fleece off for processing to a mini mill, and has it made into yarn and rovings (she spins some herself, so the rovings are for that), and she uses the other bits for felting and for stuffing things like pillows etc.

For dying, she does some herself (she took some courses in natural dyes), but whats nice about alpacas is that they come in around 40 different natural shades, ranging from browns, and fawns, blacks and greys and whites, and everything in between! If you wanted blue, you could dye that from white animals.


If you are interested in getting a feel for Alpacas, and the alpaca industry, you could look for a local farm that has them, and see if you could pop in for a look and explanation -- you can search on google, but heres a couple in TX ...

Twin Buttes Alpaca Ranch
http://tbar-alpacas.com/
10793 Twin Lakes Lane, San Angelo, Texas 76904

Casa De Campo Ranch
http://casadecamporanch.com/
421 CR 1358 South , Stephenville, TX 76401


:)

[Blue_Frog]

Wow, they're wonderful! How many males/females are in the herd? Are the males all neutered? (gelded, castrated, snipped...)

Oh...and does your mom ever sell those lovely purses?? :D :D
My moms herd is all males. Alpacas are what i believe is called induced ovulators, so if they get bred, they get pregnant at that time. Her all bachelor herd is mostly gelded, except for 3 that are potential breeders (seppe, leroy and sarge).

If theres one that you particularly like, I can see if she still has it, and what she might be looking for in regards to price -- Drop me a PM if you like :)

We've been making a bunch of different crafts up in anticipation of an alternative livestock show in may.

[cassiesmom]

Blue_frog, do you happen to have a more recent photo of Syndrome and the alpaca family? If you don't, could you please post some when you take pictures of them again? I could use a dose of their cuteness!