alpacas: 12/16/08

Re: [AlpacaTalk] List of new questions

Hi Michele - we have a guard llama in our female and baby pasture and a
guard donkey in an adjacent pasture but I think the best defense we have is a
hotwire about 4" from the top and bottom of the pasture fenceline. That keeps
everything out. You won't be able to put the guard donkeys in with them or
the donkeys will get too fat. Don't keep them on barb-wire or they will get
hurt. We have a no-climb fence and a v-mesh but a lot of people use the
moveable panels, as long as they are fenced in with mesh. Our biggest threat is
neighboring dogs but we have coyotes and an occasional mountain lion. Alpacas
are curious animals and most will walk right up to a coyote. I caught mine
sniffing noses with one outside the pasture fence. Depending upon your
weather, the run-in you have should work really well.

Most people feed orchard grass hay, alfalfa isn't good for them except to
put weight on the older ones or to give to the milking mothers. Don't feed
horse products - get a good alpaca mineral supplement. Geldings and males don't
need pellets or grain or anything but hay and minerals.

SUSAN OLSON
Alpaca Loco
Riverside, CA

In a message dated 12/16/2008 8:40:35 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
therealmdr@verizon.net writes:

I have ordered several books, but they haven't come in yet so I will
ask a few more questions, if you guys adn gals don't mind.

1. Copper content in feed.... How much is to much?
We are getting a natural product, with a low content. But we were
wondering where what is the limit on copper, and any other vitamins,
and minerals.

2.Hay. Alfafa(sp?) or Coastal. Right now we are using a organic
Weed free 16% coastal. They eat every bit of it.....

3. Fencing. Right now I have them in a movible fencing. The rest of
my property is barbwire and we are working on changing that. But what
is the best fencing for them?

4. Shelter. Do they need a full barn, or just a run through?
Right now we have a run through that we can close on side to keep the
cold out.

5. guard pets..... What is the best... Or even what do you have with
yours.. Our guys are in our front area,our house is there to. But I
have 2 donkeys in the back pasture, just in case coyotes get in back
there. And in my front area, I do have a baby donk. but he isn't in
the fence with the pacas. But he plays with them through the fence.
Hubby will not let me get any more dogs.

That is it for now. I will think of more today,I'm sure.... I might
even get my kids, the real ones, to think of some questions here...

Michelle Hassinger
Lone Oak, Tx

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Hello new alpaca person here

Don't ever apologise for venting or ranting on this discussion group!
That's part of why I started it and kept it running even after... well,
long story as to why I started it.

We're having unusually cold weather here, too! We had over 6" of snow
night before last, and today it should be clear but as of now it's only
about 14ºf. I'm not even looking forward to going out and letting the
chickens out! In fact, yesterday I opened them up and they refused to
come out of their henhouse!

Heather

On Dec 16, 2008, at 8:26 AM, Michelle wrote:

> Thanks Dani,
> And don't worry about how your last post sounded, I didn't take that
> way at all.... I guess the farm we got our guys from was really big
> into shows or something.. He was telling us to at least use a curry
> comb once a week and dust them off daliy. But than I think back
> and remember that all his pacas were sheared that the time and all
> the pictures where or "Fluff Balls" I'm trying to remember my 4H
> days with sheep. I hardly grooomed them before a show. Just a good
> blower and my hands to pick the hay out of the fleece....
> My husband did all the resource on Alpacas before we got them. I
> just came home one day and he told me we were getting them. So I went
> with him and he was going to get 1, but there was only 3 left, and I
> had to beg hubby to get the last 2. To tell you the truth, I didn't
> want them, I was thinking about Llamas at the time. But I really
> ccouldn't leave those 2 little guys by themselves. I even told hubby
> that they were "his" and he had to take care of them. Well guess who
> is taking care of them, ME. But I have falling in love with them, adn
> found out they are nothing like the llamas my neighbor had growing
> up.LOL
> Any who, sorry for the small vent. Hubby and I just got off the
> subject of alpacas. I just begged him to go out and check water
> since it is SOOOOOO cold out side... And I didn't want to slip and
> fall on my tail.....
>
> Michelle Hassinger
> Lone Oak, Tx

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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[AlpacaTalk] List of new questions

I have ordered several books, but they haven't come in yet so I will
ask a few more questions, if you guys adn gals don't mind.

1. Copper content in feed.... How much is to much?
We are getting a natural product, with a low content. But we were
wondering where what is the limit on copper, and any other vitamins,
and minerals.

2.Hay. Alfafa(sp?) or Coastal. Right now we are using a organic
Weed free 16% coastal. They eat every bit of it.....

3. Fencing. Right now I have them in a movible fencing. The rest of
my property is barbwire and we are working on changing that. But what
is the best fencing for them?

4. Shelter. Do they need a full barn, or just a run through?
Right now we have a run through that we can close on side to keep the
cold out.

5. guard pets..... What is the best... Or even what do you have with
yours.. Our guys are in our front area,our house is there to. But I
have 2 donkeys in the back pasture, just in case coyotes get in back
there. And in my front area, I do have a baby donk. but he isn't in
the fence with the pacas. But he plays with them through the fence.
Hubby will not let me get any more dogs.

That is it for now. I will think of more today,I'm sure.... I might
even get my kids, the real ones, to think of some questions here...

Michelle Hassinger
Lone Oak, Tx

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Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat others with respect and civility.

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Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
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[AlpacaTalk] Re: Hello new alpaca person here

Thanks Dani,
And don't worry about how your last post sounded, I didn't take that
way at all.... I guess the farm we got our guys from was really big
into shows or something.. He was telling us to at least use a curry
comb once a week and dust them off daliy. But than I think back
and remember that all his pacas were sheared that the time and all
the pictures where or "Fluff Balls" I'm trying to remember my 4H
days with sheep. I hardly grooomed them before a show. Just a good
blower and my hands to pick the hay out of the fleece....
My husband did all the resource on Alpacas before we got them. I
just came home one day and he told me we were getting them. So I went
with him and he was going to get 1, but there was only 3 left, and I
had to beg hubby to get the last 2. To tell you the truth, I didn't
want them, I was thinking about Llamas at the time. But I really
ccouldn't leave those 2 little guys by themselves. I even told hubby
that they were "his" and he had to take care of them. Well guess who
is taking care of them, ME. But I have falling in love with them, adn
found out they are nothing like the llamas my neighbor had growing
up.LOL
Any who, sorry for the small vent. Hubby and I just got off the
subject of alpacas. I just begged him to go out and check water
since it is SOOOOOO cold out side... And I didn't want to slip and
fall on my tail.....

Michelle Hassinger
Lone Oak, Tx

--- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com, "danimac2711" <edana_mckenzie@...>
wrote:
>
> I realized after hitting "send" that this may have come across as
> curt. That wasn't my intent. Alpacas, in general, need a whole
lot
> less fuss than dogs/cats/etc. They're pretty content to
just "be".
> Alpacas are happy to be dusty, muddy, full of hay, covered in spit,
> etc. We humans don't need to place our value system (looking
clean)
> on them, unless it's for a specific reason (for ex, keeping a wound
> clean).
>
> Make sense?
>
> Again, welcome to the wonderful world of alpacas (geez, I sound
like
> Marlin Perkins today ;-).
>
> cheers,
> Dani
>
> Longbottom Meadows
> Roy, WA 98580
>
>

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