Santa the alpaca adores fresh figs, and we used to allow him one each day with his dinner, and the other alpacas too. We were thinking of weaning him, but he is a big baby and loves being with his mum, so we had just put it off. However he escaped twice to get to the figs that had fallen off the tree, and we knew it had to be done, and sooner rather than later.
One evening Alan had gone into town and I was feeding the alpacas, on my own. I knew immediatetly something was terribly wrong. Santa was lying on the ground with his head on the floor drooling. He struggled to get up as I got close to him, which was a good sign, although he did not eat, and he was drooling a lot of the time. Alan had the only phone with him, but luckily we had guests, with a phone, so I phoned Alan to tell him to get the vet, who of course does n't drive! However I guess I did n't sound paniced enough so he went to our pharmacist friend who gave him some medicine for him, then called into the vet to check it was ok or him to take. Andres the vet did say he could give him a couple of injections to make him more comfortable. But Alan just brought the medicine home, and not Andres!
When Alan arrived back he soon realised Santa was not in a good way. So we buddled him into the back of the car and took him to the vet in Montoro. I phoned Andres on route and told him we were on our way as it was around 9.30 pm and his surgery closes at 9pm. Santa was ok in the car, humming loudly of course as alpacas often do that when they are unhappy. Andres came down to the car, and we got him out. He was making a terrible crying noise, he was of course feeling like a child at a party that had eaten too many cakes and sweets, AND he wanted his mum! As we got him out of the car so Andres could listen to his stomach(s) (they have three), a little dog came running barking at him, I bet the little dog did n't know what on earth Santa was, nor would any of the neighbours in the area, I'm sure! Poor little Santa! Andres did not seem overly worried, and he gave him two injections which once again made him cry like big baby. One was a painkiller and the other to help with his digestion.
Andres and Alan bundled Santa back into the car again, and we managed to get him home without too much humming and crying. We had to make a snap decision that it would also be the best time to take him away from his mum, otherwise he may have been over the fence eating figs again. So at around 11pm we did a little "musical alpacas." Galaxy and Santa had been together as babies so we thought they would be perfect together until we wanted to integrate them with the big boys! They are still together now, and look rather like Siamese twins, although different colours, always close together.
Bermuda, Santa's mum did fantastically, with very little upset from her, and Santa and Galaxy are having a lovely time growing up together. Thank goodness, all is well!
A couple of days before the fig incident, we were trying to entice Santa out. Mum Bermuda looks up at him lovingly!
