little alpaca is cold?

ca

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
48
Reaction score
2
Points
32
My second little alpaca seems to have an issue with the winter. Last Saturday when I went to feed early in the morning he was laying sideways and did not want to get up. His hind legs did not seem to function. We immediately grabbed him and drove to the Vet. She checked him out (by the time we were finally seen he had been up and squirming for 1.5 hours) and concluded that he was fine. (Heart rate, digestion, temperature, overall behavior, gums...). At home he acted normal and jumped around with his little half brother. We locked the two moms and crias up in the barn for a couple of nights to lay on straw which they did not like at all. But he was fine.
This morning it was a little colder than the last few days and the same thing again. I went down still in the dark. I picked him up and brought him in the straw and covered him with a blanket to warm him up. From all this I conclude that he is getting too cold. I am getting a coat for him today.
What I don't understand is that this is Arizona and when I say "cold" I mean like 28. Is this really too cold for a 6 week old healthy developing cria? Is there anything else I should do besides the coat? Should I keep them locked up? If I don't he is likely sitting on sand instead of straw. And it is not raining or snowing at all. They are out of the wind in a dry area. Right now I keep all the females in a run over night that is about 20 by 30 feet. Should I just line the whole thing with straw since they really don't like being locked up? Or is the blanket going to do the trick?
Thanks! And Happy New Year!
 

ca

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
48
Reaction score
2
Points
32
Here he is at the vets office last Saturday.
3217_2012-12-22_091255.jpg
 

jodief100

True BYH Addict
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
4,017
Reaction score
709
Points
258
Location
N. Kentucky
He is adorable. :love I can't help you at all but I did want to say that. I hope someone will be along shortly who can help.
 

ThreeBoysChicks

Loving the herd life
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Messages
1,817
Reaction score
41
Points
128
Location
Thurmont, MD
jodief100 said:
He is adorable. :love I can't help you at all but I did want to say that. I hope someone will be along shortly who can help.
X2 - I wish I could help, but have no experience, but that picture is adorable.
 

ca

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
48
Reaction score
2
Points
32
Alice Acres said:
How old was he when this started?
It started last Saturday (12/22) and he was born on 11/17/12. It has been a pretty mild start of the winter so far. Now temps are hovering just above freezing or like today slightly below.
 

Goatherd

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
895
Reaction score
11
Points
86
Location
Just this side of Heaven
I only have two adult alpaca and no experience with crias, yet. Your boy, handsome that he is, seems to have ample fiber to keep his body warm for Arizona temps.
The coat certainly won't hurt him but I would think that if you start him wearing it you'll have to continue until the weather improves or he grows more fiber as he will become dependent upon it.

I hear you about them not wanting to use shelter or cover during cold spells. My two will stay out in the worst of weather by their own choosing. They will go in to eat and "maybe" spend a little time in their barn, but during rain, snow and just generally crappy weather, they choose to stay outdoors. I'll include a picture of them during last weeks snow storm.

Karen, who checks in here, has extensive alpaca experience. Hopefully she will be able to give you more applicable advice.

snow.jpg
 

ksalvagno

Alpaca Master
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
7,899
Reaction score
46
Points
263
Location
North Central Ohio
You can always put a coat on him. The other thing you can do is go to Goodwill and get some different size vests (preferably ones that are water resistant). then you will have to cut the arm holes bigger around the back side to give him plenty of leg movement. Put it on him so it zips up along his back. Unfortunately, I don't have any of my pictures of alpacas in vests. They really worked well. You could also order an alpaca coat to fit him.

Some alpacas just seem to need a coat when it is cold. Locking them in the barn at night will help too.
 

ca

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
48
Reaction score
2
Points
32
Thanks, Karen. Tonight when I went to check on the alpacas he was actually not doing well. He was laying on the side with labored breathing. We took him in the house and called the vet. He just got a dose of banamine and batryl as well as fluconazole. It could very well be valley fever. This is prime area for it. It's everywhere and we all had it. He will stay in over night and we will let him back to his mom if he makes it through the night. Unfortunately there is no way to get his blood tested until Monday. Then we will know for sure. Until then we'll keep him on the meds and probably inside over night. Full on on the alpaca roller coaster. Keep your fingers crossed, please!
 
Top