Wintery Sunday with Scarlett and the Brat Pack at Home

The weather in Canberra yesterday was bleak, so Scarlett was well rugged up for a trip to Gold Creek, where we enjoyed lunch at Injoy Cafe.  She was Daddy's girl, and waited quite patiently for her 'kids meal' of bacon and egg with a chocolate milk shake.... which she had a great time with... until she finished... then she cleared the deck and sent all the food onto the floor for the sparrows to clean up!!

There are 11 crias in the home paddock, and they are quite the Brat Pack now... getting them into a yard is tricky!  They rush in one end and out the other like greased lightning.

Chiara is often the instigator of 'break outs'.  She is also always trying to sneak a feed from any unsuspecting mother she finds!

Jemima, after a rough start in life, she is now full of the joy of it, loves running and pig rooting and is always up for a game.

Jemima's partner in crime is Rosamund, they are as thick as thieves!

Ody is now so much bigger than all the other crias that he just trots along in order not to overtake everyone!

He is coming along very well at his halter training, though today's session will be cancelled because of the weather, cuddling wet llamas is no fun!!

I taped Petit Choux' flippy out ear for 9 days and it appears to have been successful.  Tape has been off for 5 days now and its holding its shape well.

Wolfgang is 6 days old today and has started to join in the running games, rather than being the one being chased.  The weather has turned very cold, very quicky and I have him rugged today... much to Wia's disapproval!!

Orchid has decided that I am so slow handing out the food, that she'll just help herself!

Museli?  What museli?  I'm not eating anything!!

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

Sunshine, Sun Dragons and Sleeping

Beautiful sunny days at the moment, and cool nights, good for sleeping... but I'd rather TC didn't sleep when we're in lead and halter class!  It takes a lot longer to train calm quiet animals like TC if they choose to lie down rather than walk!!  The rowdy, boisterous, bucking, rearing ones are actually easier I find!!

One of 3 sun dragons regularly seen in the yards.  I have seen a llama step on one, and it just waited till she moved on.  And I've seen the mad Myriah take exception to their presence and try to stamp them out of existence, but mostly they seem to get out of the way and live to sun themselves another day.

Some of the girls in the Creek Paddock:

Aymara:

Misty:

Noisette:

 Heavily pregnant Orchid, very much looking forward to this cria, hope it is the same temperament as previous cria, Lucien - repeat mating:

Also looking rotund, Paris:

Due March 1, if she can hold out that long, Pearl:

 Sevanah, always wants to be first, but not always sure where we're supposed to be going.... sometimes more trouble than help!

Disappointingly Sweet Pea was a late slip, start waiting all over again, a Totem cria this time we hope.

Sweet, quiet and friendly little TC:

Trinket, in the pink, and generally behaving well lately... for a change!

Vevina, looks to be faking for a second time... not impressed!

Wia, looking good, Manrico baby on board :)

In the Home Paddock, Myriah's son, Monty, little cutie:

Voodoo Love, with Monty behind:

Red Riding Hood, who was a bit stand-offish at first, but is now very calm and quite forward :)

RRH's daughter, Rapunzel and Michelle's daughter Mareebah are as thick as thieves, mostly together and often a long way from either of their mothers.  Rapunzel is lovely and easy going and her halter training is going really well.  Mareebah is more like her mother and she is not fond of co-operating, though she knows very well what she's been asked to do.... just more time and we'll get there!!  She's not as stubborn as her half-sister Misty.. but close!!