OUR SMALL HERD

Our original four boys came from Ardo Alpacas in Aberdeenshire. We are not alpaca breeders and have our boys purely as pets. Our experience is that you don't need to be a breeder and that a 'batchelor herd' can give much pleasure to the owner. We have 5 acres including our big garden and grazing for the boys, 15 miles north of Inverness, Scotland. I spin, knit, felt and crochet with the fleece from the boys.

Clicking!!

Just a reminder that clicking on (most) of the photos will show them greatly enlarged.

Sunday 2 October 2016

Raining, cats and vet!

Fergus tramping about on a wet afternoon.  He doesn't appear to be too wet but in fact he is soaking and if stroked a handful of mud ensues!
The four boys together and you can see the wet 'blankets' better on Fidget (left) and Fyta in the middle. We can never work out why the boys will willingly stay out all day in some rain but run for shelter sometimes in other showers.
Shortly after the previous two photos were taken the two cats, Cupcake and Pike, arrived to check out the boys.  Fyta, Faro and Fergus ran to the gate so the cats kept their distance.   Click on the picture and you'll see Cupcake on the wooden fence and Pike behind him on the large boulders.
Regular readers will know that we have regular concerns with Faro's health.  Yesterday was another concern because we'd watched him over the previous 24 hours lying down quite a lot, then get up and eat some grass then lie down again.  This is very unusual behaviour for Faro and last time it happened a year ago he went down and could not get back up - a critical time for an ill Alpaca.  So we called the vet!
Here are Faro at the rear and his pal Fyta waiting for Douglas the vet to appear with the needles!  Faro got a good check over and the vet felt that the symptoms were more indicative of colic than lack of vitamins and minerals but, better safe than sorry, Faro got a full course of jabs.
Outside the pen, Fidget (left) and Fergus keep an eye on the vet and wonder what's going on with their pals.
After the vet's visit and today Faro appears better with just an occasional lie down.  Here he is with his pal Fyta next to him, both lying in the morning sun.
And finally...................a late but lovely flower in the garden.  This is a Cimicifuga 'Brunette' and very popular with bees.

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