We'd like you to Meet The Team.

Many alpacas come and go at our place. Here are three who could pretty well be considered permanent residents.

Jamaica (Jama for short) was a really cool wedding present and he sired four beautiful crias. He likes to gallop up and down the fence showing off to the girls.

Jama's a real poser and has had his picture on the cover of Alpacas Australia magazine. These days he gets to spend his days doing pretty much whatever he likes, including exploring in the bush and munching on the blackberries. He's also been known to accompany us on trips (like to the RSPCA Million Paws Walk).

Alice is definately one of those "thinking" alpacas. You can almost see the cogs turning as she decides whether to co-operate with you or not. It depends on the day usually, although a few bits of carrot or leaves off the apple tree usually gets her thinking your way.

Alice is always happy to pause for a hug or to rub noses when I'm doing the rounds though she does think it's quite undignified having humans give her needles or trim her nails, and always makes this a challenge. She passes her intelligence onto her crias, which are very cocky little creatures - until they realise just how low a cria is in the alpaca pecking order. Alice has also retained a nice, soft fleece that she passes on - a bonus.

Bobby was our very first alpaca. An old wether (pushing 17 years, maybe older), he was called Bobtail because of his colour, all white except for a jet black tail. His name has since been abbreviated to Bobby, Bob, and occasionally "Mr Tail". He had a run in with an agressive stud male (who is now an amiable wether!) and now his left ear flops over at the top.

Bobby is a classic herd protector. He's often off on his own but always keeping a look out for the rest of the boys. Bobby's always the first one on the scene if there if a stray dog or other potential predator near by.

We've had Bobby in wiith our girls in the maternity paddock and he fusses over the new crias just like an old auntie. Normally though, these days, he hangs out with Jamaica doing, well, pretty much whatever he likes.

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