Baby!

The newest addition to our alpaca farm is here!

Click here for pictures: http://www.et-farms.com/ETF%20Website/Baby3-7/index.htm

This time, everything was text-book perfect. We noticed that Consuella looked like she was in labor when we went out to the barn to give the alpacas breakfast. First, Consuella made a bee-line for the poop pile instead of munching on hay for an hour or so in the barn as usual. Then she lay down, stood up, and lay down again on one hip and looked uncomfortable. Then she went back to the poop pile.

Charles and I went back into the house at this point because there was nothing more for us to do. We also assumed that if Consuella was actually in labor, she would be in labor for about an hour. Not so! By the time I was out of the shower, Charles said, “Hey, there’s something hanging out of her butt!” By the time I threw on some clothes and grabbed the camera, the little critter was half-way out.

Consuella was in observed labor for only about 35 minutes. The cria stood up after 50 minutes, and immediately started to nurse. He was running laps around the pasture at two hours old, which isn't surprising given how much he kicked while he was still inside Consuella.

The baby is a beautiful golden-colored boy, the spitting image of his father, Tocto. We haven’t decided on a name yet, but we are trying to keep things on a Simpsons theme. Ralphie, Milhouse, and Nelson have been suggested.

It is so nice to have a normal, healthy cria that plays and runs around. The cria that died last month didn't have the energy to do so, but because we didn't have any experience with normal babies, we didn't know he wasn't normal. This one is full of beans.

Hooray! I’m so relieved and happy. Now we can focus our attention on getting El Barto ready for the show in two weeks.

Yikes!
M