Re: [AlpacaTalk] RE: Training questions and Hello

 

I really hope you are right, Tina. Truffle never nursed. He was born while we were gone and we don't know what, if anything was traumatic regarding his birth, if he got separated from his dam or what, but she never accepted him. Tried to force her to allow him to nurse and she would kick, spit, bite, and cush. After feeding him goat colostrum and still being rejected by the dam, we resigned ourselves to a bottle baby Cria.  It hadn't been that long since we had weaned our dairy goat kids and we had the equipment and plenty of milk.  He is a sweet boy and I hope he stays sweet. In any case, he is ours. His is a beautiful brown baby and we named him Chocolate Truffle.
Interestingly, we had visitors to the farm a week ago and.we took them to see the females and crias. They all came running to us and one of our friendlier (read nosier) girls ran right up to sniff. Lucille has a Cria of her own but is a very protective and watchful "Auntie" to them all.
Our company was shocked at how friendly and curious they were. Said she had a friend with some and they weren't at all friendly. I guess I have just become accustomed to alpacas only face! 
Also....another tidbit.  We lost a 17 year old dam who was still nursing her three month old male cria. It was an accidental breeding and we were not expecting her to ever be bred again. I learned NOT to leave young males in with the females so long. Anyway, Lucille is allowing this orphaned Cria to nurse, along with her own! Both crias are white and at first she balked but he persisted and now they both nurse, sometimes at the same time. I am amazed at this dam!
Laura

On Nov 1, 2013 5:29 PM, "AlpacaTalk" <alpacatalk@gmail.com> wrote:

 

I remember reading about your experiences with that male. I don't personally think that handling as a cria, even giving kisses, causes a male to become berzerk. I have a male who is now over 3, and was a bottle baby. He lost his mama at 11 days, and was very sad for a long time. We did give him hugs ad kisses. He still gives kisses, and he can be a little bit stubborn as far as moving out of the way when I come through with the muck bucket or the hay cart. But we never let him chest butt, and always made sure he learned proper manners around humans.

I have had plenty of juvie males who would come running up from behind and do a chest butt. Females, too, for that matter. But, we always nipped it in the bud and stopped that behavior.

Your male was aggressive and violent. That doesn't happen from receiving loving attention as a cria.

Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Creswell, Oregon

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Re: [AlpacaTalk] RE: Training questions and Hello

 

I remember reading about your experiences with that male. I don't personally think that handling as a cria, even giving kisses, causes a male to become berzerk. I have a male who is now over 3, and was a bottle baby. He lost his mama at 11 days, and was very sad for a long time. We did give him hugs ad kisses. He still gives kisses, and he can be a little bit stubborn as far as moving out of the way when I come through with the muck bucket or the hay cart. But we never let him chest butt, and always made sure he learned proper manners around humans.

I have had plenty of juvie males who would come running up from behind and do a chest butt. Females, too, for that matter. But, we always nipped it in the bud and stopped that behavior.

Your male was aggressive and violent. That doesn't happen from receiving loving attention as a cria.

Heather Zeleny
White Lotus Alpacas
Creswell, Oregon

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Re: [AlpacaTalk] RE: Training questions and Hello

 

I urge caution to handling the young males too much.  How much is too much is debatable.  I have personally been the victim of a male alpaca's attack and I mean attack.  Knocked down intentionally and repeated.  This male was handled a lot as a baby and taught to "give kisses".  When he reached sexual maturity and became the big man on campus at our farm, he became impossible to live with and a liability.  Nobody wants a 190 lb animal that bumps you with his chest and front legs and knocks you down. 

 

I thought it was me, having had little experience with alpacas at the time.  He went after my husband, too.  \

 

The vet had to use a blow dart to sedate him and he was euthanized. Keeping him in a pasture by himself wouldn't have been the answer and we couldn't go into the pasture without him running to us. Being able to perform herd health on him was impossible without sedation.  Couldn't  give him away due to the liability and no rescue group wanted him.  The breeder refused to take him back but felt free to call me a murderer when we put him down...........and all of this started only two weeks after we brought him home.

 

Long story short..........overhandled  alpacas can have issues when they grow up and havent developed a healthy respect for us humans that most alpacas have. 

 

I currently have a rejected cria born in June.  Truffle was a bottle baby until he was four months old.  We have discussed the possibility of problems down the road and the vet agrees we should geld him prior to reaching sexual maturity.  I won't sell him because I worry too much about this .(plus he is the baby)

 

Laura

PS..........I have had alpacas since October 2008, so not years of experience like many on this list.  BUT, I know what I experienced and wouldn't wish it on anyone.  It was scary and heartbreaking.

 

 

On Thu, Oct 31, 2013 at 5:43 AM, <barngirrl@aol.com> wrote:

 

Ours LOVE being petted and handled.  Spending more time with them and hand-feeding them treats (like baby carrots) helps a ton.  The more friendly your initial alpacas are, the more friendly the whole herd becomes.  The more you work with them, the friendlier and tamer they get.  Ours are just like dogs, that whole "don't handle them too much" advice we got when we first started was nonsense.  Alpacas are just like any other animal, the more time you spend training them properly, the more tame they are.  Ours know their names, come when called and love to be cuddled and follow us around for attention.  We don't allow them to bump into us or run us over but handle them A LOT, you won't be sorry.  The crias from very tame dams sell themselves.

 

Susan Olson

Alpaca Loco

Riverside, CA 

 

In a message dated 10/29/2013 10:47:55 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, alpacatalk@gmail.com writes:

 

We have hay feeders and water inside the stalls, which are also our catch pens. Generally, we allow free access between stalls and pastures, but have gates on the stalls so we can catch them more easily when necessary. Most generally, you won't be able to just go up to an alpaca in an open area like a pasture or even a large paddock and catch them. We do have a few who allow it, but most don't really like handling.

Heather Zeleny

White Lotus Alpacas

Creswell, Oregon

On Sat, Oct 26, 2013 at 5:08 AM, <emgould2001@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

thanks for the info.  We plan on setting up a catch pen soon and I have been working on hand feeding, but with out much success as yet. 

Ellen 

---In alpacatalk@yahoogroups.com, <lauraroberts518@...> wrote:

A "catch pen" of 8x8 is ideal for catching them.  You can use two panels in the corner of a barn to create  a catch pen or you can use four panels to make your square catch pen if you don't have a barn corner or paddock corner.

Halter ONLY when handling and working with.  If they slip too low they will impinge on the breathing. (they don't like that one little bit!)

 

Hand feeding will get them up to you and a little friendlier.  Grain and pellets. 

 

Are they intact or gelded.  If not gelding, expect some fighting and stay out of their way when they do.  While alpacas are much lighter than horses and cows, they can still plow over you and knock you down.  It hurts! 

 

My alpacas come into our barn for their grain in the morning and evening.  They are handled on a regular basis and we have a few that are very social and come up to give kisses. (not really kisses.....they SNIFF our faces or hair)  We don't do a lot of petting, since they really don't enjoy it. 

 

I do touch them when I feed them and they have gotten better about standing while I touch them and not running off like my hand was a fireplace poker.  It is all in how much time you can give.  If you only handle them for medicals and shots, they may take longer to friendly up, but hand feeding always helps.

 

Good luck.

Laura

R Half Pint Farm

Spotsylvania, VA 

On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 7:14 AM, <emgould2001@...> wrote:

 

Hello, my daughter and I recently purchased 2 male Alpaca.  they have not been handle much.  They are in a large pen right now and run away from us. 

Should we move them to a smaller area so we can catch them easier?

Should we halter then only when we want to work with them?

Any suggestions on getting them easier to work with.

We are both veteran animal handlers ( horses, goats, sheep, pigs) and want to find out what works best for Alpaca.

Thanks,

Ellen and Liv.

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[AlpacaTalk] HOLIDAY EVENTS AT OVER HOME ALPACAS - BETHEL, PA

 

FARM STORE GRAND OPENING – NOV 30^TH & DEC 1^ST

SATURDAY 10AM – 3PM & SUNDAY 12PM – 3PM

43 Midway Rd. Bethel, PA 19507

 

Free kids' activities

Visit the new crias (baby alpacas)

Free hot drinks and light refreshments

Create your own holiday ornaments & gifts (fee)

Wreath making (SAT only - fee)

 

THE FARM STORE IS ALSO OPEN SATURDAYS DEC 7, 14 & 21 from 10AM – 2PM

& SUNDAYS DEC 8 & 15 from 12PM – 3PM & by appointment

Wide selection of hats, scarves, gloves, socks, boot liners, blankets, throws, rugs, toys & novelties, Christmas ornaments, alpaca yarns & patterns

 

MENTION THIS POST FOR 10% OFF ANY ONE ITEM ON 11/30 OR 12/1

WE TAKE CREDIT CARDS

Info at www.overhomealpacas.com or 717-673-2541 or 717-673-2540

Visit us on Facebook

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