Penned again

Time to get the boys into the pen again, this time to get some anti-mite spray onto Faro's legs but also to do a bit of nail clipping.  Faro has suffered a bit of mite damage to the fleece on his rear legs.  We've previously treated him but recently the problem seemed to have flared again although the other boys are unaffected.

Like most alpacas Faro doesn't like his feet or lower legs being touched so applying cream can be a problem, but it is easier with a spray.  Fyta is also in the picture.

We always put all four boys into the pen together then release them one by one once they have been dealt with.  Sometimes there is a bit of spitting and 'huffing and puffing' between them as they are rubbing against each other and that was the case this time with Faro and Fergus.  Faro has been released after getting his spray and Fyta is waiting to be checked over.  Fergus and Fidget both had several nails trimmed although Fidget immediately 'cushes' as soon as his front feet are touched.

Once out of the pen, Fyta pulls a face at the humans!

Because they have been spitting, Fergus and Faro go to the hay store and munch some hay to get rid of the awful taste!  They will often walk around for several minutes with a mouthful of hay, not chewing, just waiting for the taste and the droopy lower lip to go away!

A dull scene today as the boys graze on the sloping rough paddock.

And finally................a bit of colour in the garden from this Kaffir Lily (Schizostylis).  We've also noticed that the strawberries are flowering and forming fruit again - in mid October!