While looking through my photo collection I was struck by how much Zeus is changing. Like any young thing it seems that alpaca crias grow so fast, and sometimes when you see them everyday the gradual changes fool you into forgetting how much change has taken place and have different they have become.
Zeus was born at the end of September 2007; he has been the subject of many posts on this blog due to his slow and erratic weight gain. Thankfully now he seems to have overcome his weight gain issue and is becoming a striking young alpaca.
This picture was taken when Zeus was just a few days old.
Who would have imagined that just over four months later, that little face would change into this one!
As you can see the little guy is still adorable but what a dramatic change. Even his body has now filled out from this
To this!
He’s starting to look like a little mini adult alpaca.
It will be interesting to see how Zeus ends up looking. I am sure he is going to be quite striking, and he is convinced that his future job description will be herd sire. He has taken to orgling a lot (orgling is the noise a male alpaca makes during breeding) and is even scenting the poop pile like an adult male alpaca would. He practices mounting Kanika and Carissima several times during the day and has even ventured trying his luck with some of the older girls. Of course all of his advances are rejected, but if he’s going to be a herdsire he had better get used to that!
Zeus and his dam Zoie are at our farm for sale on consignment so chances are by the time he is of breeding age he will be many miles away from here. Still I will keep in touch with their new owners once they are sold, I always like to keep in touch with our “alpaca family” even if they are here on consignment. In Zeus’s case though he has become a special boy, it has taken work to get him to where he is, but now his body is functioning well on it’s own to keep him healthy and hearty and to prepare him for a future as a breeding male. I will follow his progress as he continues in life – and who knows I may even need to reserve some breedings from him for our girls some day!
A Taste of Life at Windrush Alpacas 
Zeus is really looking good! Our kids who have been supplemented are slowly pulling away. At different feedings during the day, they just don’t care about the bottle. So,I hope that means that they are getting enough from mom and besides that they are eating hay, too. I tagged you over on my blog. The rules are posted there. Have fun!
Comment by Leigh — February 2, 2008 @ 7:49 pm