Spring-like temperatures.

Fergus and the other boys have been enjoying Spring-like temperatures this week - I think that alpacas and humans can't believe it for this time of year!

Faro, with Fyta and Fergus behind.  Faro has his tail up reminding other alpacas - and humans - who is in charge!

Fyta looks  a bit like a pony in this photo which was taken during a very windy day when his 'top-knot' was being blown from side to side.

Looking down from the house into one of the paddocks.  Fyta and Faro are on the left with Fergus on the right.

Fyta is focused on our neighbour who is walking up the track and close to the trees.  Fyta spends long periods staring at distant objects, trying to work out what they are - and if they are a threat I think!

And finally......... it's great to see the garden slowly coming back to life and the rhubarb has started to show signs of growth.

An improving week.

It was 'back to square one' at the beginning of the week when we had an overnight dump of snow which deprived the boys of their grass again.

They had plenty of other things to eat however and here they are with their sugar beet.  Unlike sheep, our boys do not scrape the snow to find grass - maybe other people's alpacas do and we just have clever animals who know that the humans will keep them well fed!

By the end of the week most of the snow had disappeared to be replaced by ice.  At one point we penned the boys in one paddock to keep them away from the worst of the ice as they had been sliding badly with Faro falling onto his knees then onto his side a couple of times. This is Fyta enjoying his carrots.

By today the paddocks were largely cleared of snow so the boys were able to graze again.  Fergus doesn't look too impressed, but he is a happy bunny really!

Faro reminding the human that he is in charge of the paddocks and giving a very good facial expression of a camel!

The three boys after having been fed this afternoon.  They have been having Verm X granules in their feed over this past week.  Fergus and Fyta don't mind them but Faro isn't too keen on them - he can usually smell them at the bottom of the bowl and under the feed!

And finally.............snow brings hard work, but it also brings some beautiful images, like this Birch in the garden.

'Beet' the freeze!

Still having very low overnight temperatures here although thankfully there is no depth of snow. Time for sugar beet 'elevenses' for the boys!

Faro just about to eat his beet. There is some grass showing through the snow but it is frozen solid so it can't be very comfortable for the boys to eat.

Another day, another photo.  Fergus in front of the other two boys wondering if there are any more carrots to munch!

You can see the anticipation in their faces as the human approaches with a dish of chopped up carrots and apples.

And finally..........the hardy Daffodils are pushing up through the frozen ground.  Nice to see and a reminder that we are, eventually, getting through the winter so roll on Spring.

What's cooking?

Lots of rain and sleet this week so the boys appear to have been permanently wet.  Fyta (left), Faro and Fergus come to the fence as the human must have some goodies to eat!

Faro usually leads the charge to the fence to see whats cooking, always followed by Fergus and now it's Fyta who lags behind.

Fergus gets the goodies - carrots and apple, so he's now a happy bunny! It's taken him a couple of weeks to get over the fact that Fidget has gone and he's now the only white boy.

Fyta - another happy bunny munching his carrot and apples!  As he gets older his black 'trousers' are starting to go grey.

And finally........... there has also been a little light snow around this week.  This is the view over the spare field shelter and away to the west.

Missing Fidget in the wintry weather.

We've had a change to much more wintry weather here over the last few days. Only a dusting of snow but the overnight temperatures have been down to -6 degrees.  The three boys are enjoying their carrots and apple in the mid morning sunshine. It's now just over a week since Fidget went to sleep and we can tell that the boys know that he is missing and Fergus, middle, above appears to be missing his white pal.  We often notice him just standing looking into distance. As a sense of smell is so important to alpacas in identification of other herd members, especially around the poo piles, there is no doubt that they will smell Fidget around the paddocks for some time.

Fyta (right) gets his teeth into  a bit of apple.   We had such a good crop of apples last year that we still have a box of cookers (Bramleys and Howgate Wonders) which the boys enjoy with the carrots.

Not a very clear photo but this was taken about 8.15 on a very cold morning this week as the boys get stuck into some breakfast haylage.

During the couple of days when the ground was frozen and the grass was covered, we gave them sugar beet as a supplement and they enjoy this.

And finally.............meet the boys' neighbours, always foraging for food and when we go out to feed  the alpacas, as if by magic they appear at the fence!

Fidget RIP

We had a very sad day yesterday when we had to call the Vet to come and put Fidget to sleep. Not a nice decision to have to make but one that animal lovers everywhere will understand.

For some time now as we've said on past blogs we've been keeping a close eye on his condition.  He was having difficulty going to the toilet and whilst he was eating and drinking well, he had lost weight and condition.

Our vet had recently given him a thorough checking over but we decided against any intrusive exploratory surgery for Fidget.  Instead we kept a close eye on him deciding that at the slightest sign of distress or pain we would recall the vet.

In the event he kept eating and drinking well but became less willing to wander between the paddocks.  On Saturday he was clearly unable to go to the toilet, had stopped eating properly and was lying down frequently.  The Vet's conclusion was that his heart had weakened considerably and agreed with our decision not to allow his deteriorating condition and quality of life to continue.  We could not allow Fidget to become distressed.

Here is Fidget in his usual place at the back of the line up with Fergus in front of him, then Fyta and led by Faro.  Fidget always did his own thing, was always at the back of the queue and often enjoyed his own company knowing that the other boys were nearby.  These boys are nearly all 13 years old and we got them together from Ardo Alpacas in Aberdeenshire, when they were around 1 year old.  Now that he has gone, his three pals have been quiet today and appear to be looking out for him, but this will pass with time.

And finally...............Fidget, looking good in the sand-pit during 2016 when he was at his best.  He'll be missed by us for sure, and by his alpaca pals.  Rest in peace, Fidget.

Into the New Year

Another week of reasonable weather, often with sunny periods like this photo of Fidget enjoying some carrots and apple on the ground beside him.

Fidget is a slow eater and the other boys have finished their rations, so they look as if they may try to get his share.

No chance, as Fidget chases them away!  Ah well, maybe next time.

BOOO!       (Faro with Fyta behind)

The grass is getting well nibbled now and there is very little growth, even though the weather is mild. There is a reserve paddock in the background just in case the grazing dies completely over the winter - note the fresher colour!

And finally...............Faro, the main man, ignoring the human with the camera, which is unusual.  Maybe he's made a New Year's resolution to be more accommodating to the photographer!