Once a year in the summer, the alpacas have a day when the shearer comes to remove their heavy coats, trim their teeth, and cut their nails. They also get wormed and checked for parasites. Last Saturday was that day. LeRoy, Buttercup, and Finn had their beauty treatment and now they look significantly smaller than they did with all that wool. The head shearer comes from a family that has been shearing sheep for five generations. He’s a really nice guy with loads of stories about his shearing experiences. This is a man who loves his work.

The timing was perfect for the haircuts. We have since had several very hot days.

Alpacas look like an animal someone created as a mythical creature. However, as cuddly as they look, they don’t want lots of pets. Instead they are very happy to eat watermelon and cantaloupe rinds and banana peels. They are also great at eating all the leftovers from vegetable prep. They are good natured and recognize their people very well.

Below are a few photos of Finn, Buttercup, and Leroy.