That's My Boy

I've written before about Archer, our 5 month old wandering boy who manages to slip under fences, gates etc. in spite of everything we do to block him. He never strays - stays right beside the fence or wanders to the grass on the lawn, and when I approach him he slips back under the fence or goes to the gate and waits for me to open it. Yesterday he caught sight of the big boy paddocks across the lane and went for a stroll.  I wasn't far behind him, and I was curious to see just what he'd get up to. Most of the big boys gave him a quick sniff and them dismissed him. A few ignored him. But Tango - his father - stuck his head out of the fence and gently nuzzled him, and they rubbed heads and then ran together along the fence line.Their bond was obvious - in spite of the fact that they hadn't been exposed to each other before this. It's another reminder that there is so much that we do not yet understand about the way these remarkable creatures interact and communicate. I've seen this kind of thing before and it tells me that the bonds of herd and family are very important to alpacas, and I am very aware of this as I manage my herd. 

Archer slipped out a few times more during the day, and strolled over to visit his dad. I followed him each time to make sure he got back where he belonged. Soon he will be too big to wiggle under the fence, and his Houdini days will be over. Then I'll put him in a halter and take him for walks to see his dad, and when he is weaned he will join him in that group. By then my main challenge will be trying to tell them apart.