Darling Alpacas–Crias are Here

What would make a person who likes to travel, who has trouble sitting in one spot, who seldom worries about much, who likes to sleep in get up at 6 a.m.,  and spend three weeks waiting and watching anxiously?

Spring crias. Finally they are here and I am once again breathing deeply and relaxing.

They are wonderful and their mothers have everything under control with little or no help from us. Two were born at Fox Run Suri Alpacas. Those were the easiest since Carla and Don Llewellyn did the watching and waiting and delivering like the experienced alpaca people they are. Carla was here for our first delivery at our ranch here in Zena, Oklahoma, and all Tom and I had to do with the last two was watch in amazement.

More details about our darlings is coming soon, but here are the photos–one birth to go.

Zena's Peruvian Accoyo Topaz

Zena's Peruvian Cullinan

Zena's Peruvian Stage Door Johnny

Zena's Peruvian ZephyrZena's Peruvian Cassandra still wet, but on the ground three weeks late

Zena's Peruvian Cassandra

Alpacas and Spot Meet

Ever since Spot met chickens and I had to sprint madly across the parking lot at Fox Run Suri Alpacas and into the barn to save one he suddenly had his eye (and just before I grabbed him) his mouth on, I’ve been more than a little nervous about him and the alpacas. True, he didn’t actually injure it. However had I been a nanosecond later, I cannot vouch for his character.

Since then we have dealt with him and my friend Patti’s guinea hens–and he has learned that just because it runs, it doesn’t mean it should be chased–a difficult lesson for a breed (cocker spaniel) that is supposed to flush and fetch birds.

Today, we decided that Spot could not avoid alpacas through all eternity.

The boys want to know what “that thing” is, but there is no panic, only curiosity. Spot held his ground and accepted all of the sniffs offered without offering any hostility. Spot, asked to sit and stay, did except when he collapsed into a heap and just let them check him out. Yay Spot! You are the dog we hoped you would be around alpacas.

So Spot got up and quietly walked away while Allegiance and Cantu watched. Good dog Spot.

Alpacas LOVE Oklahoma

Great news! The camera cord has been found and the first shipment of alpacas has been here in Zena for a week. We have opened a pasture for the girls and another for the boys. It is truly a joy watching them run.

Allegiance, our award-winning, mostly accoyo, suri herdsire and alpha male truly enjoys the new field as he leads the way. Marti (white) and Cantu (brown) follow. Allegiance brings together the Starbuck and Bruxo/Macgyver lines. Mom is the beautiful Cassini.

Martillo (Marti) brings together the Torbio and Brigadier/Sergeant Major Jax lines and his mom is our true black beauty Laguna.

Cantu is a Macgyver grandson, son of Fox Run’s Peruvian Nomar and Peruvian Mindy May whose offspring include champions in every generation.

Breeding to our boys begin this year and we’re breeding for the best fleece AND conformation.

OK, since you’ve stuck with me this far, you get another photo.

The girls and cria Zeke get last minute instructions from Don Llewellyn of Fox Run Suri Alpacas who transported them from Utah to Oklahoma and Tom before being released to pursue their own interests. Pay attention Jesse, there will be a quiz.

Alpaca Photos-a.m., Blog p.m.

Fox Run's Martello by Torbio peeks into the barn

Marti’s been out “rolling in the hay.” He is pure white with one spot–on his blanket, of course. But he also has Grade 1 fleece. That spot means no shows for Marti, but that fleece is so soft and nice.

Sisters who like to hang out together and bask in the sun, Demelza and Fantine

Demelza and Fantine share the same famous grandfather, McGyver, and the same father, Fox Run Suri Alpacas’ up-and-coming Nomar. Their fleeces will look cleaner once we are in Oklahoma, I hope–lots and lots of dust here in Utah.

Phoenix 2008, our first show, our first ribbon

The question here is, who was more terrified, Demelza or me–or Tom holding the camera? And another thing to note if you ever take a true-black to a show: when we had the prize-winning photo taken I had to change pants. A true-black alpaca who stands about that tall makes for a pretty funny-looking photo when she stands in front of someone wearing black jeans even when a professional photographer takes the picture.

I’ll be back later with more pictures of alpacas.

Alpaca X 29.5 = ALPACAS!

We purchased our first alpacas fifteen months ago and everyone thought we were crazy. Maybe we were. We had no farm or ranch, nowhere to keep them. OK, so we decided to agist. (That means the alpacas would stay at the ranch where we purchased them and would be cared for and receive any necessary medical treatment.) This is a great way to find out if alpaca ownership is for you since you can buy only one and if you purchase from the right seller, you can get some hands-on experience before you take them home.

We did just that, but start with three. We bought three since we knew we would someday have our own place and would need at least two (alpacas do not do well alone) and there was a nice discount for purchasing more at the same time. Since I wanted them so badly, dear Tom gave in and we signed the contract. Two days later our fourth alpaca was born, a true black girl we named Demelza. Wow! Instant appreciation on our investment.

Over time, through additional acquisitions and births, our little herd grew to nine and we suddenly became aware that agisting fees were going to keep going up and up. What to do? We had land in Oklahoma we had purchased about five years ago. We decided to build a house and barn and take our alpacas there. Big steps for us.

In the course of building, the house developed into something like 3300 square feet with a garage (from 1600 square feet with no garage) and the 3600 square foot barn, while remaining about the same size downstairs, found itself with an approximately 1000 square foot apartment on top. As the alpacas would say, “Hmmm…”

By now we had 10 alpacas with three new crias due in the next year. Thirteen is unlucky, isn’t it? So we decided to do what anyone would do in the situation. We bought additional alpacas.

You did what?

We bought 17 females, one potential herdsire and one-half share in another and to top things off out popped someone you’ve seen in a previous blog–SkyKing, who will henceforth be known as Zena’s SkyKing by Kotzebue (gosh I hope I spelled that right.) He is the first of our own ranch-named alpacas.

Kathleen and Rhapsody Seal the Deal with a Kiss

We did not pull these alpacas out of mid-air or another dimension. Our new herd is the work or Carla and Don Llewellyn of Fox Run Suri Alpacas in Wanship, Utah. They will be concentrating on the Herdsire aspect of alpacas and we will take on the distaff obligations.

More tomorrow. Right now I need to hyperventilate into a paper bag.