Caramel and Rosie

Two alpaca crias—healthy, beautiful girls—were born on Stormwind Farm on Memorial Day weekend. Caramel's baby has a lustrous, light fawn fleece; Rosie's daughter has reddish brown fiber with white markings on head and front legs.

The two alpaca moms—old hands at this baby business—wisely chose the pasture when it was their time to give birth. Our pastures are clean and soft. The grass gives the newborn crias excellent traction when they first struggle to get on their feet.

The brain of a newborn alpaca is hardwired to help the cria find its mother's teats; it searches for a source of nourishing milk in a dark place. Outside, on an open pasture, that dark space is only right underneath mom. Inside a barn, dark spaces are everywhere. Alpaca babies that are born in a barn often become "wall babies." Instead of nursing from mom, such babies try to suckle from walls in dark corners.

Caramel and Rosie are both attentive moms with plenty of milk. Their two crias have been running and romping together.

While Rosie was giving birth, my friend Kristin texted that one of her females was in labor. Later, she called to tell me that her alpaca, Cicely, also had given birth to a healthy female. It felt good to exchange happy news with a dear friend and fellow alpaca breeder.

I can be reached over my website contact on www.stormwindalpacas.com.