SHANNON IN TROUBLE!!

I had noticed that Shannon wasn't really thriving like the other three cria had. Drizella seemed nervous and upset about being separated from the herd. Shannon was nursing but didn't seem to have any energy. We decided that maybe she wasn't getting enough, I spoke with the vet and he advised milk replacer. That was Wednesday. Kevin stopped and picked it up, when he got home, he found Shannon collapsed. He brought her in the house and began giving her some formula. He called me and I came home immediately. We fed her at 20 minute intervals for several hours and then started spacing it out as time went on and she was improving. By midnight, she was standing up and walking around. The next morning, we put her back in the pen with Driz and planned to supplement her nursing for as long as we needed to. That day (Thursday) Kevin fed her at 11:00 and 2:00. I came home at 4:30 and immediately went out, she was nursing so I left her alone for a bit. I came back out and fed her, then did some other things, came back out again and gave her some more. I checked on her about 15 minutes later, she was down again. I brought her in the house, covered her with my heating pad and tried to revive her. She did respond a bit, she was holding her head up at least, but she went down again at about 3:15.

The above pictures are from Wednesday night.

The ones on the following post are from Thursday night.

GOODBYE SWEET SHANNON!!!

Shannon died at 3:30 Am on Friday 12/4/09. She took her last breaths in Kevin's arms. So young but so loved, you will be remembered forever.

MEET HHF SHANNON!!!

Some new pics of our newest cria, Shannon, born Thanksgiving night about 8:00 pm. It was so exciting because Kevin, my daughter and my dad got to see it. When Audrey and I went out to feed, her toes were just peeping out. Of course, Drizella did fine, she was up then down, then up several times, but the cria came out while she was standing. There goes a couple of myths, they don't always have their cria in the afternoon and they don't always have them laying down.

Anyway, she is a lovely shade of dark brown. Much darker than either parent. Her dad, Smith Barney is the picture to the left. Sorry I couldn't do better, he wouldn't stand still because he was pissed off that Artemus got to do the Wild Alpaca Dance again and he didn't. He is next though, we will breed him to Chantilly next weekend.

MORE CRIA CUTENESS!!!

WE ARE AT IT AGAIN!!

It was time to check and see if Caitlin took on her breeding to Artemus. Kevin lead him in and directly over to her to get her reaction. She wanted no part of him and told him so with a big gob of spit. Score!

So, since Clare is about a month old, it was time to rebreed her. Kevin lead Artemus over and bam down she goes and Artie did his thing.

As you can see, there was quite a crowd of interested spectators. I think Tipper was a bit too interested.

The bottom picture was afterwards, I guess it is like smoking a cigarette.

I HAZ NEW CRIA!!

Drizella finally gave birth. My daughter and I went out to feed about 8:00 PM after a very lovely TG dinner and I could tell Drizella was in labor, it was really obvious . I actually got to watch this one being born.

These pics are very shortly after she was born. Yes, I said she, Yaaa Hooo!

CRIA WATCH IS ON!!!

Drizella is due on Wednesday, but this morning she started exhibiting behavior that she might be ready to pop. Her belly has dropped and she is keeping some distance from the herd. She also didn't eat much feed this morning. A couple of times she has laid down but not in kush position, her back legs were to the side and she had her tail up. I am checking her every thirty minutes. She is five years old and I don't know if she has ever had a cria. The record keeping of the previous owner is less than optimal.

The other pictures are of a bit of cria games that I took while observing Drizella. Cute little buggers and even Currency, the big fawn girl got into. Such joy baby animals have, it never fails to make me happy.