This time of year is baby (called cria) birthing season at Alpacas at Morning Star Ranch in Ravensdale.

Even though Washington seems to have forgotten its spring, our alpacas haven’t. Our first little boy this year arrived May 16. He weighed 20 pounds – a good weight, with average weights being between 12 and 22 pounds. Our second baby came June 3 and is also healthy and lively.

Alpaca’s agistment period is 335 to 349 days, or approximately 11 months. Delivery is often affected by the temperature the night before delivery. Since alpacas originate in the Andes Mountains of South America, by nature they deliver between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with earlier or later times in their natural habitat being dangerous for the cria survival.

The delivery time can be anywhere between one and six hours, and they usually deliver without assistance. The cria will attempt to stand within half an hour, is normally on their feet trying to nurse within one hour and successful within about three hours.

After finding the faucet for dinner, a cria will nurse several times each hour, but only for a few minutes each time. The first day, it’s normal to lose weight, but after that a healthy cria will gain one-quarter to one pound per day. There are a couple of supplements we may give to the babies, but for the most part, their mom’s milk provides everything they need.

The crias become strong and energetic within just a couple of days, wanting to play with everyone in the pasture. If mom and the others don’t take them up on it, they will run up and down the pasture alone for exercise. Until they have playmates, they can be quite annoying to mom and the other pregnant females waiting to deliver. But for the humans standing around oohing and ahhing, it’s very entertaining.

Our boys followed along with all this for perfect births. Our first was born on the exact day of 11.5 months; mama was in labor about 1 hour 35 minutes; he tried standing at 30 minutes, was successful at 45 minutes, trying to nurse at 55 minutes and successfully nursing at 1 hour 40 minutes from delivery.

They run and play with each other most of the day. All in all, they’re pretty normal.

We have four more coming before August with our next one arriving the last of June or first part of July.

We are Alpacas at Morning Star Ranch in Ravensdale, and we have an open farm tour each month through September for the public to visit the ranch, see the animals and find out more details about these beautiful creations.

Kathy Batzelle and Larry Batzelle own Alpacas at Morning Star Ranch.