Llama crias (babies) are primarily born in the middle of the day, or so the books say. Depending on weather, eventually we carry them into the barn to spend their first night in the barn in a stall with only their mom.
This is the proper way to carry a new born cria, they quit struggling quickly, if at all, and then they seem to enjoy the ride from the high vantage point, looking around and taking in their new world. We become a focal point in that new world, and believe this is the first stage of building trust.
In a natural birth the cria is generally expelled until hanging by their hips, then they hang there for several minutes. When they are born in the barn with assistance we hang them head down to drain any fluids, and this is a little assist to suck out some mucus
Wyoming Hayley says hello to Comet
Poka meets Vaughn, who is destined to become a future herdsire.
We like to dry them with a towel first, the rubbing stimulates them in addition to drying and desensitizing.
The towel is followed up with a blow dryer, continuing the drying, stimulating and desensitizing. This is done intermittently to allow mom and cria time for bonding
Hookup for the first milk, the all important colostrum
Sondy and the new addition getting acquainted, this displays llama's natural curiosity even as a newborn cria
Holy smokes look at the size of this boy! No wonder mom needed a tiny bit of assistance.