The alpacas are gone!

I think I forgot to blog that last weekend the evil alpacas moved out and went to live at the rescue. This made me very happy, because they HATED me, and all I had to do was walk up to the fence and they would start working up a gob of spit to spray at me. They also didn't like the dogs, and the black one in particular would run back and forth along the fenceline stomping and kicking when the dogs were out, and I was afraid if the dogs ever snuck out into the pasture that alpaca would have at 'em! I was glad to see them go!

I don't plan to have any more llamas/alpacas at our house. Though Dave has already said he liked the sheep. I liked the sheep too. I could handle having sheep again. They never spit on you :)

_

Read more »

Alpacas and fun with the new camera

Because I injured my eye last week I haven't been in the mood to do much with the camera, but today I took it out to snap some pictures for a chicken update, and of the alpacas and dogs. I'm really happy with the camera so far. I just need to practice with it more.

 Navi

 Barclay, deciding if the neighbors need to be barked at.

Navi still gets way too much excitement out of barking at the alpacas when they are near the fence.

Seconds later, White left a noseprint on my lens!

Black is watching Jack on the other side of the fence, while behind him...

Red is munching on the sequoia!

Read more »

Fun with my new Camera

I'm starting out playing around with the 'kit' lens - a 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6 G, which is supposed to be a pretty good lens. I'm still figuring out what all the settings on the camera do, but I'm hoping to have enough of a grip on it to try and take a shot of the sky tonight - if it's clear.

For now I just practiced on whatever critters out in the yard would hold still for a minute:

Barclay

Navi

Mighty

And the evil 3 Musketeers - I just had to make sure they didn't spit on my camera while I was concentrating on getting the shot.

These were all taken with a fence between me and them!

_

Read more »

Snow and Alpacas

We've had a couple days of half-hearted snow. It has mostly just been wet and mushy. Everything is slushy and melting, and it's sort of raining, and the swale is flooded, as is the bottom of the field. You can see why we can't have any heavy animals on it in the winter, it would be a horrible mess.

Luckily these animals aren't heavy! Jeeze, they're goofy looking, aren't they? Unfortunately I don't feel any sort of fondness for them, even a picture like this - I just see myself on the receiving end of a spitball if I'm not careful! If you get behind them you are in the kicking zone. I find it's best not to let them anywhere near me.

Black and White are the troublesome ones. Red has actually been doing very well. He comes running when I call him, walks politely through the gate into the garden, and waits for me to hand him his food. Then when it's time to leave he moves away from the gate so I can open it and walks calmly through. I think I'm going to start working on some handling with him and see if we can make haltering less of an ordeal.

_

Read more »

Alpacas

The training on the alpacas has slowed down quite a bit. Although Red got the hang of the clicker training, and seemed to understand his behavior was effecting how quickly he got his reward, the other two have been more of a problem. I have had issues with them invading my space, kicking at me when I enforce my space, and trying to hit me from behind, which is particularly scary. I don't want to interact with them any more than necessary, because I would describe their behavior as pushy and spiteful - when corrected they look for ways to strike back. So we have switched from grain to straight hay, and I close them out of the paddock while I am cleaning and refilling feeders. My friend who runs the rescue is going to come over and check them out and see if their issue is with me (as in, they've decided I can be pushed around) or if they have a more serious problem from having been spoiled and not understanding that they need to give humans space. I am being very cautious around them, and I never take my eyes off them when I'm in their area.

_

Read more »

Snow day! Didn't see that one coming!

Jeeze, I guess I should pay more attention to the weather reports. I had no idea this was going to happen!

I think this is Navi's first really good snow

It seems to bring out the 'play' in the eskies!

Tennis ball + snow = snowball!

Jack doesn't like it when it's cold and wet

Let's go inside and lay on the couch and watch TV - and turn the heat up!

Of course the alpacas have no choice. But they seem to like it. If they didn't they would have stayed under the shelter, and not have snow on their backs.

Yay! Snow!

There's just something special about a snow day!

_

Read more »

Alpaca training day 4

While Red and Black seem to be getting it, White decided he would try some new behaviors today. He was the second one to be fed. Red was already in the garden working on his food, and Black was waiting in the paddock for his turn, while White was in the pasture - so they were all separated. White started physically pushing me and I had to actively use my hand to tell him to back off, but he kept pushing and getting right in my face. He tried to use his head to knock the food bowl out of my hands, and finally he looked right at me, shoved his face towards me, and spit in my face! Luckily he hadn't worked up the goo, so it was just a snort of foul air, but my immediate reaction was to turn around and hand his food to Black in the paddock, and walk away, leaving White to watch the other two alpacas eating their breakfast. I hope he thinks about how that worked for him.

We'll see how the evening feeding goes.

Update: Dinner went much smoother. Red made a couple stabs at diving into the bowl, then backed off, Black backed off and gave me room immediately, and White got fed last. He walked up to me and I waved a hand at him to let him know he was getting too close, and he immediately stepped away, turned sideways, and watched me out of one eye - Bingo! That gets you your food. I think going without his breakfast made an impression on him.

_

Read more »

Alpaca training day 2

The nice thing about clicker training is that it works on everything - dogs, cats, whales, tigers, chickens, and even alpacas. Today was the second day of 'don't push me over to get to the food' training, and they surprised me by offering different behaviors than yesterday in their efforts to get to the food quicker. They weren't GOOD behaviors, but that's ok. I just ignored them and waited for the behavior I wanted - which is standing at arms length and waiting. The behavior I want is the only one that gets them the bowl of food.

Today Red got frustrated when I blocked his repeated attempts to force his way to the bowl, and he looked right at me, tilted his head up and started gurgling up a wad of spit for me! I just held a hand up to him and calmly told him 'no' (usually I just ignore bad behavior, but I felt this one merited a comment, and I wanted to get my hand up there to deflect the spit) and he backed off and tried something else. So that's ok. I like that he's trying things. I want him to figure out on his own that standing back gets him the food.

Likewise Black got so annoyed he was kicking and stamping his feet, but not AT me, so it was ok. I just ignored it. He figured out on his own to stand back, and he got his food. I think he got it the quickest of all three. Red took the longest today. I had to use the whip to remind White to keep his distance while I was filling a bowl - I just tucked the whip under my arm and turned away from him while I finished filling the bowl (so the whip moved towards him) and the whip barely touched him but he jumped away and stayed back. Llamas (and alpacas) like their personal space - I think it's only fair for them to respect mine as well.

_

Read more »

Alpaca Zen

To get the food, you must give up the food... First rule of Zen training. The dogs learn it so they won't leap up and steal food out of your hands (taking fingers in the process), and now the alpacas are learning it so they won't mug me and spit all over me to get their daily grain. I like the term 'Zen' training as well because it isn't bossy or pushy or forceful, it involves doing nothing to get what you want, which is a peaceful way to train.

So I went out this morning and filled a bowl and invited a packy into the garden area (out of spitting range of the other two). I held the bowl and as Red tried to dive in, I blocked him with my hand. If he got real pushy I turned away. As soon as he turned his head away from the bowl I clicked and thrust the bowl out to him to take a bite, then took it away again. After repeating a few times he quit trying to jam his head into the bowl and just stood back and waited. That also gets a click and another bite from the bowl. When it looked like he understood, I clicked and set the whole bowl on the ground and let him finish his breakfast in peace.

I repeated the training with the other two individually, and it worked just as well. It took a few tries, and they figured out they got their food faster by staying back. I did it again at dinner time and it went just as well. I'll be curious to see how quickly they pick this up and give up on rushing the bowl. So far, excellent results, and I didn't get spit on at all.

I went to the feed store for some supplies today and picked up a long horse whip - about four foot long. I find this is perfect to help gently move the alpacas around. Now if they crowd me or aim their butt at me, I can encourage them to move while remaining outside of kicking range. A few gentle taps with the whip and they scoot out of the way.

What do you know? I may be smarter than an alpaca!

_

Read more »

Alpaca training?

I friend sent me a link to a llama training guide online. The most eye opening thing was that the training is all positive, uses clickers (which I already knew was possible) and begins with 'llama zen' - the equivalent of 'doggie zen' which is a self control exercise we teach the dogs. I am going to start using some of these techniques to work with the alpacas and see if I can get any communication going on.  Getting some cooperation from them would make them a lot easier to live with.

dragonflyllama training manual


_

Read more »

Alpacas

I don't know why llamas and alpacas don't like me, but it's clear they don't. I'm guessing maybe I'm too nice, and they figure they can push me around. Well, that's all over. I've worked out some strategies to avoid getting spit on, and they seem to have worked well so far.

To start with they used to be in the paddock when I was getting food ready, and they could see me and start getting worked up about it. Now I shut them out of the paddock, while I get food ready.

Yup, you guys can just stay over there while I get your bowls ready. I'm sure the white one is wondering if his spray could hit me from there.

Once the food is doled out I get Red to come into the garden and give him his food. He gets the most because under all that filthy wool is a very skinny alpaca.

Then I get black and white separated. One gets to go in the paddock (today it was black) and the other stays in the main field.

White is always too excited and starts getting spitty so I don't even give him the chance now, I won't let him anywhere near me. When I have the bowl I hold my hand up high (to make myself taller) and make him back off. He seems to be taking me seriously. I definitely won't let him crowd me or sniff my face anymore.

 When he was done eating he went around to the fence to annoy the dogs. Navi doesn't like the monsters at all! Barclay didn't like seeing me get spit on, he was ready to come defend me right then. But they aren't allowed anywhere near the alpacas because the alpacas could hurt them and vice versa.

After they ate their grain I used a bucket of hay to get them all into the paddock for the night. The dogs had to inspect it before I could get across the yard with it. They  don't get it - it doesn't look like food to them!

Read more »

Ugh - spitwad to the face!

I went out to feed the alpacas this evening and the white one pushed to the front and spit right in my face - NASTY! This morning when I separated them to feed them he gurgled at me and I was firm with him to knock it off, then as I set down his food and walked away he aimed a kick at me, missing by a hair. I tell you, whenever I give these llamas (and now alpacas) a chance they always prove themselves to be foul tempered, nasty animals. I really don't get what people see in them. Having an animal that will unload a stomach of green goo in your face is just FOUL. So much for rescues being grateful for what you do for them. These guys were fine the first week, but now that their bellies are full they are back to their nasty selves. I'm glad they'll just be temporary fosters.

_

Read more »

This morning

It was 28 degrees this morning, and I had to get right up and go out and break ice off the water troughs, separate the alpacas and feed them each their individual breakfasts (without getting spit on because they get excited when they see the bowls), scold the dogs for barking at them the whole time, freshen up their hay, send them out to play in the pasture, and clean up all the poo in the shelter area. 

Ok, so adding 3 packys is a LITTLE extra work. I'm sure all my farm friends are doing the same thing and more :D

_

Read more »

The 3 Amigos go exploring

I let the boys out to check out their new pasture today. Do you think we have room for three alpacas around here?

Yeah, it's a pretty big pasture (and that's just half of it).

The girls from our 4H club named them. Sebastian is the leader, and he headed out to explore the limits of his new kingdom.

While Red and Fredrico headed down to do some grazing by the trees. 

After he'd checked out the whole place Sebastian came back and got the other two, and took them on a tour of what he'd found, and they all wandered all over the pasture (with Navi barking at them from the house the whole way). When it started getting dark I went out and called them in with a grain bucket, and gave them some treats once they were back in the paddock. I locked them in for the night so they would be safe and dry.

Super nice Alpacas!

_

Read more »

Alpaca Headshots

I went out this morning to give them some more hay, and a bit of grain to help start putting some weight back on them. They came right up to me and wanted to sniff noses, and don't mind being touched at all, so I gave them scratches on the neck. It's hard to get through all that dirty wool, and the wool is full of blackberry thorns. But they are very friendly, obviously they had a lot of attention before their last home fell apart. They didn't even fight and spit over the grain, which would be typical, they just took turns gobbling it up.

_

Read more »

'Packys

Trent, Jamie, and Sharon helping the alpacas settle in to their new digs.

Well, the alpacas have arrived. They are actually very nice. They need some time to rest and recover. They badly need to be sheared but that can't happen until spring, so they'll just have to tough it out. Right now they have shelter, hay, fresh water, and we'll get them started on some food to put the pounds back on. They were easy to catch and handle, and allowed quite a bit of body handling. I'm certain these guys will find themselves in good 4H homes before too long.

_

Read more »

Around the yard - new visitors coming

First off, the latest on the neighbor's farm. It was up for sale earlier this winter, and closed in early December for $158k, which was a lot less than they were asking (I think they started at $215). It has 11 acres, a destroyed mobile home (literally just a heap of rubbish), an old mobile home people were living in, and a big old completely un-charming, falling-apart barn. Also beautiful pastures (or will be if they are cared for), and tall trees.

 I don't envy the folks who took this project on. The barn was full of garbage when we walked through it when it first went up for sale, and is in sad shape inside. But the folks who bought it have been working on it, hauling away trailer loads of debris. You can see where there are piles of stuff outside the barn now. I don't know if they are cleaning it up to try and save what's still good, or just slowly taking it apart. The other day I saw a backhoe show up and thought that was the end of the barn but the backhoe went away and the barn is still there. I am hoping they are going to keep it as a horse property, but if it gets split up and developed that's ok too. The minimum lot size out here is 5 acres (ours is 3, but they've changed the rules since then), so the worst we would have is two new neighbors on that side.

My garden looks like a mess, but I can see things actually getting more organized. I'm going to hoe the weeds under and clean the coop this weekend and put the chicken poo on the beds, so it has time to 'cool off' before planting time. Then I'll lay straw on top of that, and I have all the old straw out of the shelter area where the sheep and pig was last year, which should be good compost too as it breaks down. I also have lots of shredded bark to re-do the paths. I see a lot of shoveling in my future!

The shelter has been reconfigured yet again to separate it from the garden, because a friend called me up and asked if I could take three alpacas. She organizes llama rescue, and got a call that three 'packys had been abandoned when their house was foreclosed on. Since she's full up, but I have two acres and no animals, I couldn't say no. So one of the other 4H families came over and helped me remodel the shelter (moving around boards that were already there) and we have a shelter and paddock ready for livestock again. This morning I spread clean straw, and hung a hay feeder. Someone else brought hay, and another 4H family has a trailer and will go help pick them up. 4H people are the best - they hear about animals in need and they just say 'how can I help'!

(It's built on hill, which is why it has that 'everything is askew' look -  it's actually all quite plumb)

This should be a nice cozy retreat from the weather. They should be in their new home this afternoon.

_

Read more »