A lot has happened in the last two months, we have gone from white snow everywhere to green grass and from -10oC to +20oC. Of course, the really big news was the arrival of our two Suri alpacas, Lincoln and Timon. I just love to watch them as they run around, the way the fleece just bounces, they are gorgeous. Visitors have been amazed to see the difference between the two types of alpaca. They have both settled in very well and have quickly picked up the normal daily routines, soon they will be joined by Marvin and Norman. I have been halter training Marvin in the morning when I let them out, just short 5 – 10 minute periods. He has done very well, no problems with putting the halter on and off, but sometimes he has not been too keen to walk. But I did realise one morning I was mainly walking him in a direction, so the low early morning sun was shining straight into his eyes, changed the direction and he was much better. Norman will have to wait till he is separated from his mum (and grandmother, Chanel), they would be panicking if I tried to train him with them still around so he would not be able to concentrate and I would get covered in spit. He is also very much like his dad, George, who was over a year old before he was halter trained. His nose was too short, and I was not confident the halter would not slip down his nose, also he was not eating the pellet food which I normally use as a reward.

Two days after my last full update (18^th March), where I mentioned Antonia had a tooth root abscess, I discovered Josefs also had one, this time in his upper jaw. So, I had to get the vet back out to X-ray him just to confirm and to see if there was any serious bone damage. He did have some just under his eye socket. About a week after starting Penicillin injections, he was back to his normal active self, he has just finished the eight-week course of injections and seems to be ok. He is brilliant, I give him the injections in the evening at putting away time, so while he is eating from his tray, I can just lean over him and give him the injection, he flinches when the needle goes in but just carries on eating. Then I always give him a few pellets as a reward, I wish they were all that good, I would dread Jakobs or Brencis needing a course of long-term injections.

They are all now out on the grass, it is wonderful to see them running around in the evening. Ilvija and Mr.P had lost a little weight over the winter but have already put it back on, Mr.P is looking much better than he has in a long while. He did have his usual early spring breathing issues; we are beginning to think he is allergic to willow pollen.

On three consecutive days I cleared out the bedding from all the alpaca houses and put down fresh hay, I was exhausted. But it does mean they are ready for shearing to be done. I can’t shear the alpacas on the floor with a big hump in the middle. In fact, shearing season has begun, I have been out to shear some customers alpacas already. I hope to do some of mine next week, some of the girls have been struggling in the heat. I finally had the vet come to scan the girls to see if they were pregnant and as I expected none of them were. So, I will start the mating process again very soon, that will please the boys. I had thought about not mating Ilvija because she was thin but since being out on the grass, she has returned to normal so I will mate her using George again and hope for a “Normette”. (Female Norman).

We are now open for visitors so if you would like to come and see the new Suri’s and learn all about alpacas then please contact me to arrange a visit. A visit is usually lasts about 1.5 hours, so we book in 2 hour slots.

You’ve guessed it, two months of sunny spring weather and new alpacas can mean only one thing, lots of photos.