New cria and Updates

Jemima had a rough start, but after 3 days she was able to stand, albeit shakily, and after 4 days of force feeding she finally developed a suck reflex and began walking and to try running!!  At 5 days old she discovered the milk bar and has been independent of us ever since!!  She is now thriving and we are thrilled to bits :)

Second time mum Joeley has been brilliant and endlessly patient (with me and my attempts to help Jemima latch on) throughout.

Late on Friday afternoon I helped Fresian deliver her first daughter, a gorgeous black girl with a white T-bar and chin, we've named her Fifi.  She's small but perfectly formed, and a little power house, she's already joined the evening running games!!

Orchid's New Cria and Updates on Yesterday's Girls

Jemima made it through the night on 2 hourly feeds.  She is still not sucking and still not able to stand.  Have put her on a course of Vit B1 shots and am hoping for a miracle!!  

Meantime Chiara is chuffing along under her own steam and doing nicely:

This morning's routine was disrupted by the arrival of Orchid's cria.  Once again she has given birth to a large strapping male baby.  This is a repeat of the mating that produced Lucien last year, but the colouring this time is completely different and very unusual.  Welcome to the world Odysseus (Odi for short!)

Fresian is very taken with him, her cria is due tomorrow!

Tiberius of Rome and the Home Paddock Girls

Sometime between last Tuesday lunchtime and 10am the following day, Tiberius (of Rome)'s mother, Tiana Rose, died.  She would have been 17 years old in mid April, so I'm not ruling out old age, but could have been a snake bite.  Either way Tibby is on his own.  It took a little while and quite a bit of effort but he is now taking the bottle well, and this morning, rather than waiting till the whole group came into the yards I went out into the paddock.  Bottle in hand, and with a 'Yo, Tibbs, Brekky' I sought him out, and he quickly downed 500ml - good job little guy!  Later in the yards he was hoping there would be more.... he now follows me around mmmm-ing on the off chance I have a bottle of yummy formula milk squirrelled about my person, LOL!!  He is very cute, just wish he had been a girl!

There are 10 girls in the home paddock at present, Pearl has had her cria, and little Portia is thriving.

But there are 9 girls to go, and they are looking, well frankly, fat!  This is Yolanda who is being treated for lumpy jaw... yet again :(  She responds well to treatment thank goodness, but definitely does not enjoy the 50ml sub cutaneous injections of sodide that are required to deal with his problem.  She is due Mar 12 to our grey boy Bracken.

Collette often looks like a deer in the headlights, her daughter Chianti is more friendly and interactive, so I am very much looking forward to this cria, also due Mar 12 to Bracken.

Cushla has the most modest bulge, but she usually has small and dainty cria, think this one will be the same, due to our black boy Alba Mar 18

Little Fresian is sporting an enormous bulge, she's nearly as wide as she is deep.  Due Mar 19 to Alba, wishing and hoping for her first female cria.

Joeley is also enormous, due Mar 18 to Bracken.

Misty only joined the home paddock group yesterday.  I was hoping she wasn't pregnant, but her widening girth means that I am playing safe and she's had pre-birthing shots and been brought in... just in case.  If it arrives... her cria will be the result of an un-authorised mating!!

Here she is sunbathing in front of the shearing shed, looking for all the world like a beached whale!!

Narcissus was due yesterday - to Bracken - I have tapped my foot and pointed at my watch to remind her that she usually 'goes' bang on schedule!

Not to be left out in the placings for beached whale impersonations is Orchid, she's due Mar 15 to Carter - she went early last time, so keeping a close eye on her.

Even standing doesn't make the bulge look small!!

Last, but not least, is Paris, who is due to Minstrel (a grey stud male standing at Accapacca Alpacas) on Mar 18

Scarlett-Rose, Trinket and Her Cria and the Rest of the Gang

Sunday was a big day, I got to visit Freya and hold little Scarlett-Rose for the first time.  Lots of goo-ing and gaa-ing, and grandmother style gushing, she is very sweet - of course!!

Then I attended a Llama Assoc. meeting at Alpaca Magic, where there were new crias to meet.  This one needed a supplementary feed, and being held by Tanya looked like a giant of a cria even though she's only a day or so old!!

But it turns out she's just a normal size cria, and Tanya is the little one!!  LOL!!

While I was away Fresian gave birth to Alpha Centauri Alba's first son, we've called him Farquhar.  Here being introduced - across the fence - to Dad.

With mum, Fresian:

And he is as cute as a button!

 Yesterday Trinket's cria was a week old, its been a big week, her ears are coming up, yesterday they were at 45 degrees, today they are parallel to the ground and she's coming up onto her feet as well, still a bit to go, but getting there.  Also her teeth have come through.  Two important things happened yesterday, she gets a name - Jade Tigress (was going to be Princess, but changed it because of her brindled colouring) and I handed over all her feeds to her mother - that's a double YAYYY

Joeley is due next Thursday, though being a first timer I'm not expecting it to come on time!  She looks to have a good sized cria on board.

Big improver in the halter class today was Koko, he's a lovely boy and very affectionate.  Here he is sporting his new halter and lead - very dashing.

Also in class today, our star pupil, Bentley :)

Catching Up the next bit

Bianca is a lovely little cria, pretty, charming, inquisitive and always seems 'happy'.

Yes, she thinks her yellow ear tapes look pretty fetching too!

On Sunday I came home to discover that Narcissus had given birth to our first 'home grown' cria, a first cria for dad Alba - a black female - good job!!  We've called her Nefertiti and she's doing very well :)

Monday saw the early arrival of (Black) Pearl's cria, a blue black male, who we initially named Prince Charming, but have since re-named Jack Sparrow.  He is a Kok son, and quite lovely :)

The biggest belly competition!  Winner in the alpaca class is Fresian, due on March 14

And in the llama class, its Trinket, due on March 15

Lucien is growing well, coming along with lead and halter class and generally throwing his weight around with the younger and lighter crias!!

Here he meets Uncle Totem (left) and dad Carter (right).

Prize for 'most likely to be faking' goes to Vevina, pretty sure there is no cria - except in her head!  Disappointed about that, but can't change it.

A second waterlily for the season - really enjoyed it :)