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Wednesday, 29 April 2015

The boys haven't had a good day

Well today was Castration day for our two young Llamas and an Alpaca.  The Vet arrived early this morning and gave all three their sedative.

Leo first who soon dropped to the ground and was sound asleep.  The vets both young girls did an excellent job and leo was totally unaware of what happened. The next in line was Teddy a four year old Alpaca who is going to join the llamas in the trekking team, his sedation wasn't quite as effective but we put him down on the floor and he was restrained whilst the Vets did there stuff. Then it was Mr McGee's turn, well he had sedation but he was doing his upmost to fight it, even propping himself up on the gate whilst his back end wobbled around, but there was no way he was going down and he was still too lively to operate standing up.  So it was decided to give him some more sedative, after a few minutes he was on the floor, sound asleep.  The operation went well and we waited for him to come round, and we waited and waited.  His breathing was deep and regular but then he started to groan and his breathing was becoming shallower,  I was thinking should I be worried at this point, the vet didn't look worried.  After a few minutes the vet decided to give him the antidote for the sedative, much to my relief. After a few minutes Mr McGee was more alert and we helped him back into a cush position and then he finally got up although he was very wobbly for a while afterwards.

When we were happy that all three were OK we left them with a bale of hay, some ReadyGrass and some water in the barn until this evening when we walked them back up to their paddock.  They see none the worst for their traumatic day and we can now look forward to them joining the rest of the Trekking team.

These two Llamas are really gentle, easy to handle and I think they will be a great asset to the team.
Posted by Llama Karma at 12:28 1 comment: Labels: llama walks, llamas


Not much going on here

Really not much to report!

Still running around like headless chickens, still trying to find time to finish the Shepherds Hut. We have been very busy with our Llama Walks so I though a few pictures would be good. These two are nearly ready to join the trekking team, they just have a visit from the Vet tomorrow before they can join there new mates Everyone needs a hug with a Llama, this is my Grandson Josh on his first proper walk last week. Polo can't resist gorse flowers. Steve has a little rest to admire the view on a walk last weekend, beautiful day but very cold. Halter training two weanlings ready for a show next week, they are not very good at the moment. but they follow Zanti very well, not sure I can walk her into the ring if front of the little ones
Josh find with training easier with the help of ice-cream !
Posted by Llama Karma at 14:30 2 comments: Labels: Alpaca, llama walks, Shepherds Hut


Back to the day job Oh well we have had to stop work on the Shepherds hut for a little while as we both have had to get on with other work.  Steve had a backlog of customers wanting his landscaping skills and I had a lot of office work, accounts and general admin as well as a pressing situation of the grass growing and all our customers wanting their lawns cut.  I am pleased to say that we managed to catch up with it all except the general admin.  I had a list! but as soon as I crossed something off, two more things got added so I think it longer now than when I started. The weather has been amazing, so warm during the day but we have had a frost the last two mornings so still too early to get the tender plants out!  but we have been doing a bit of gardening at Home.  We have never had to do gardening at home before as the garden wasn't our responsibility but now the house and garden are now ours we have to get on with tidying it up.  This is called gardening by Chainsaw! We have several large conifers which block out a lot of light and obscure the view from the house so they will be coming down.

At the weekend we weaned the final cria, very late but final got there.  So now we have the 4 weanlings in the field by the cottages and as we have had guests with children we have had a great time getting the cria used to having halters on and being handled. I was hoping to get them actually walking by the end of the week but we have run out of time.  I am going to bring back one of last years girls so I have one to teach the little ones what to do, far easier that way. I have Thursdays off ( thats what Steve calls it) so I have been to the bank, got the shopping, one Grandson to Hockey, one Grandson still here.  I did have some fun though, I am changing my car soon so today my daughter, on grandson and myself went to Plymouth and I had a test drive, great fun, they said just take it out for a hour or two see what you think, so we did, even managed to get some lunch giving us plenty of time to explore all the dials and switches in the car while sitting in the carpark, youngest Grandson thought it was great, the interior lights can change colour.  Going to Exeter tomorrow so may have another go, just to make sure it is the right choice.

Posted by Llama Karma at 13:25 1 comment: 
It is in place After two weeks of solid work on the Shepherds hut it was finally time to move it into position.  It isn't finished but is water proof.  We still need to finish the painting on the outside wood and then the inside has to be fitted out.  Unfortunately Steve has to return to the day job for a couple of weeks. The young Llamas are nearly at the end of their training.  Just a visit from the Vet at the end of this mouth and then they can join the rest of the trekking team

It has been a very busy time with the llamas as well, the Enjoy Dartmoor magazine has just been published and there is a double page spread about our Llama walks in it.  Hence we are very busy with our walks.  Today we have had a Cream Tea Walk with a very international feel, some of our customers were on holiday from Germany, the rest were of Chinese origin so there was a great mix of languages going on.

To continue the international feel to our week we have Italians although they live in London in one of the cottages.  The two little girls love helping with the Alpacas so this week we are going to halter train the Cria as I have willing helpers.

Bank holidays don't really feature in our lives here on the Moor, firstly we are usually working either a Llama Walk or changing over a Holiday Cottage. Secondly if we had a day off there is so much traffic around it is easier to stay home and have a day off when it is less busy.  This Easter has been a normal busy round of Llama Training, Alpaca husbandry, Llama Walk today, Cottage change over tomorrow and Steve is working with the Mini Digger for a customer. So as the weather seems to be dry and warm tomorrow I am going to finish painting the Hut, I really should be doing some Office work but I think that can wait for a wet day!

Posted by Llama Karma at 13:19 1 comment: Llama Karma
Alpaca breeder on Dartmoor, we have been involved in alpacas since 2005. And added Llamas in 2006, starting our llama trekking business in 2007, Dartmoor llama walks, taking people on picnic walks over Dartmoor. We have two holiday cottages available for short breaks and longer holidays.
