All Here ....

 

Last Friday afternoon Zimushka went into labour, I was keeping a close eye on her as this was her first baby and you just never know how things are going to progress..... after about 20mins it was apparent that things weren't going as they should.  This was the time that you are hoping for a slightly different scenario.  I decided after watching her trying to deliver that it was time to intervene and help.  Just as well that I did,  I discovered that the cria was not being presented properly, both legs bent back and no sign of feet.  This baby would never have been delivered without any intervention. I managed to locate one leg and then the other, once the legs were brought forward  I made sure that the legs weren't crossed the cria was delivered after about 5mins.  Its always a worrying time, hoping that things are going to be ok. 

 

After a brief moment of panic, it was time to check over the new arrival.... here we welcome into the world Zimushkas new baby.  A lovely very chunky boy.  There is a debate regarding his true colour, he looks quite brown but he has a grey head, with grey tinges to his ears and legs and a big white spot on his nose !  That is the only little bit of white which is rather different, it will be very interesting to see if his colour will lighten and he might even end up a rose grey.  He is a very similar colour to Zymerah who you can see inspecting him with great interest.

 

 

Zimushka is greeting her new arrival, she has a white face usually.  But she has been licking the molasses mineral lick, maybe that's why her baby has a brown tinge !

 

 

Here he is all dried out .... Im currently debating over name choices, some have been decided and others are still under deliberation !

 

Well after all that worry and excitement I was on high alert, as I had another maiden due.  Funnily enough both girls were mated on the same day so she was due any time.

 

On Thursday afternoon again at 356 days Zadi Blanca went into labour.  As usual I watched with binoculars from a distance, hoping that  things were happening normally.

 

I was relieved  and quite surprised to see that the cria was being delivered, the surprise was up to now Zeto who is a solid mid grey has managed to make a mark on the colour of his progeny.  Tremona my light fawn girl was also mated to him and she has produced another surprisingly all grey baby with the most even marking I have ever seen .... as he has dried out you can clearly see he also has some darker fawn spots.  It is looking like Zeto is also producing spotty babies as his first ever cria Zyisha is my appaloosa girl born a couple of years ago.

 

After a little time .... here is Zadi Blanca's new baby ... another Boy ! 

He is brilliant white ...not a hint of grey any where.  I was also surprised to see that he does have the most bright blue eyes.  Now most alpaca breeders will know that there is a concern with blue eyed white alpacas.  This can cause a problem, sometimes there is a deafness/blindness problem associated with a defective gene in blue eyed white alpacas.

 

However there is another gene link that is not a defective gene, but it is associated with spotted alpacas, this can also cause blue eyes in white alpacas that have no defective genes, it purely is a spotted mutation and the spotting results in a blue eye.

 

 

Here is Zadi Blanca greeting her lovely new arrival, he has the most gorgeous long bright white fleece.  I have been watching him for any problems, but he seems to be doing fine.  Time will tell but at the moment there are no concerns regarding his sight or hearing.

 

This is Duke's two babies together, now a couple of weeks old and doing fine.

 

and here we have Tremona's little spotty grey boy all dried out.

 

Well I think its safe to say the maternity suite has closed for this year.  I don't think I have any more babies due although I did do more matings.  I don't think any more girls are pregnant.

 

The Zanzibah babies are all doing fine, its lovely to see them playing and chasing each other around.

 

The arrival of the babies is lovely, its a worrying time getting them here safe and sound but it is wonderful to watch them grow and be full of life ..... nature is really amazing.

 

Like most, I was worried how the maidens would take to their new role as mothers, but I can safely say that they are attentive mothers who clearly are devoted to their babies...

 

All I have to do now is watch them grow, enjoy them and look after them.