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hoodwinked
25 Posts |
 Posted - 10/24/2009 : 10:27:19 PM
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Hi All,
I have a male that will be two next month. I noticed tonight that he was acting a little strange. He would stretch his neck straight up and raise his nose to the sky then twist his nose around to the right sort of like looking over his right shoulder. He did this a couple of times and even shook his head once after. I did not notice this till after I put a female in with him to see if he would show interest in breeding yet. He did not show much interest so I removed her and he went on his merry way. I was at the barn door with my other male getting ready to open the door to let the males together again when he did it.
I have been reading about ticks in the ears, and wondering if this was a sign or if it could be something else. Nothing has really changed in his diet. We did have a lot of wind the other day, wondering if alpacas can get earaches from the wind, even though he always has access to the barn.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Sue
Terry & Sue Hart
SunRise Suris
Vinton, IA
319 784-7847
319 310-7705
SunRise_Suris@commspeed.net
www.AlpacaNation.com/SunRiseSuris.asp
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Heidi Christensen
3492 Posts |
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hoodwinked
25 Posts |
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Heidi Christensen
3492 Posts |
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jillmcm
1545 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2009 : 07:05:02 AM
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If he's doing it after (or while) a girl is in with him, or after smelling the poop pile, what he's doing is called flehmening. Alpacas have a vomeronasal organ in the roof of their mouth, and the males do the deep sniffing and neck lifting/twisting to help pull the scent into that organ. The VNO processes scent differently, and helps them determine if a female is open or not.
Jill McElderry-Maxwell
Bag End Suri Alpacas of Maine - �BESAME!
Benton, ME
(207) 453-0109
bagendsuris@roadrunner.com
http://www.alpacanation.com/bagendsuri.asp
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Edited by - jillmcm on 10/27/2009 08:16:31 AM |
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Pepperina
484 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2009 : 12:57:27 AM
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Sounds like a normal male behaviour. By the way, I have seen females doing this also!
Regards Barbara
Pepperina Alpacas Forest Hill QLD Australia
Email pamas@bigpond.com |
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MoonSuri
243 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2009 : 12:37:33 AM
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Is your boy alright, Sue? Is he Pierre? He would be the right age.
But hope it wasn't Savvi's baby boy already doing this!!! :-) My new little boy was giving poor Sara a workout, but he seems to have given up at least for now. He was even orgling! I could not believe it! Only 60 pounds and he's ready for action! What is it with my boys?! Like Terry said, maybe something in the water here!
Let me know if you are still worrying about him.
Ruth at Moonstruck
Brandon, Iowa
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hoodwinked
25 Posts |
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Nose to the sky
