2 Weeks and Counting……….

2 weeks from today our lovely alpaca “Buffy” is due with her 6th cria and we are so excited! What is a cria you ask? A cria (pronounced CREE-AH) is a baby alpaca. Let me tell you a little bit about crias. Gestation in alpacas is a long 11 months! Can you imagine! When crias are born, they remind me of horses, they are all legs. Newborn crias can weigh on average between 14 and 18 pounds at birth. They are usually up and walking, more like wobbling, around in about an hour after birth, nursing soon after. It is very rare for an alpaca to give birth to twins. Crias stay close to mom for the first 6 months, but can wean earlier. I just love crias, they are so playful and so curious, just a joy to watch out in the pasture.

About 3 weeks after giving birth, Momma alpaca is already ready to conceive again!! I am so happy I am not an alpaca!! This is their natural way of life.