Starting Alpaca and Llama Crias

Page 4

Consistency Is Key

From these few initial changes in our behavior, our moms began to feel more relaxed around us often remaining kushed as we walked past. Eventually, we were able to give a mom a respectful scratch on her rear or neck holding steadfast in keeping the trust of our promise to never grab them. They have passed this new view of us onto their babies. They, too, are usually unafraid in our presence. However, I made the personal mistake (having lost my mind once... or twice) of grabbing a three-week-old baby to show to a friend. From the results, I can assure you it takes some time to rebuild that trust and but a nanosecond to destroy it! Consistency is key.

Lessons Learned, Lessons Applied

With our moms rather unconcerned in our presence, working with the babies is much easier. We have found the best time for "working" with them is during feeding times and chores. The moms are eating, the babies are often nursing or kushed nearby and we are walking about doing the chores. The "lessons" are simple and very short. While walking past a nursing or kushed baby in our normal manner and pace, we give a little scratch on their rear. The initial reaction is to abruptly pull their little head out from underneath mom or make a jittery attempt to jump up from their kushed position. Before they have an opportunity to complete any reaction, we are past them and on to something else. They will look at mom, look around and seem to wonder "What the heck?", but Mom is calm and eating. The entire herd is calm and quietly eating or chewing cud. Seeing nothing to get all worked up about nor anyone else showing any concern, the baby resumes nursing or settles back in their kush position. Passing by again, another little contact is made. This time, the baby may or may not startle and look about. It has been our experience that by about the third or fourth pass baby has become fairly unconcerned with our touch on the rear. This entire interaction has taken but a few seconds and the results are life long.

Three month old cria
and Will Spalding.

Learning and growing together.

Our next "lesson" can vary. It might be running our hand down a rear leg eventually including the addition of picking up a foot. We do not hold their leg or foot. We softly pick it up and give it immediately back - not in a quick or slow manner but in the same manner and pace as we would normally behave. It is important to be most mindful of their balance. Always lift a leg along natural lines and do not attempt to pick up the foot upon which they are weighted.

As nursing takes place over a number of months, with a little focused effort there is ample time without any "formal training" sessions to establish a relationship with these babies. As they begin to eat at the feed bin with their moms, they feel the same scratch on the back as the rest of the group. The "lessons" are quiet, matter of fact and very short. The babies are doing what baby alpacas and llamas do with their moms amongst the herd. By being mindful of their balance, overall personality and what they are doing at the time, you can decide how and where to touch. An important note: Initially, many of our moms were extremely afraid of human contact. It has taken time for them to "trust" in the consistency of our behavior and we were careful not to press them beyond their capabilities as we passed by. To do so could cause a sudden panic at the feed bin and concern in the babies. Babies of these moms are just as easy to touch if you are mindful of the present capabilities of each mom.

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