Randomly Cute -- New Alpaca arrives today!

[DrKym]

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

wonder why?

[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]

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/

[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).



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).



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).



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

[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 ...




::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

[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!! 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* 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.

[Blue_Frog]

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

wonder why?

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