The intuitive ability of alpacas

We’re continually surprised by the intuitive and calm responses our alpacas have in certain situations.

They seem to have a sense that goes beyond our understanding.

If I went and rubbed my head on Vince he’d be having none of it, if I approached him in the field without warning he’d be off, if I sat up close to Jack he’d be up and away before I could even get closer, if I tried to cuddle India I’d regret it.

Yet for children and those with additional needs they behave differently.

We monitor their body language and subtle signs that they might not be enjoying an interaction and very rarely do they seem threatened by what would usually feel quite scary encounters for them. Loud noises, sudden movements, surprise contact in unexpected places.

It’s all ok if the intention is and they seem to sense this.

India is often temperamental with adult humans. She came to us from elsewhere and from somewhere else before that and she’s got import heritage (this always seems to make for edgy alpacas) and she’s definitely had a negative interaction somewhere along the line. She hasn’t forgotten. She even once screamed at me because I was wearing a different hat.

Yet when children enter the paddock. She walks up to them and positions herself directly in front of them as if asking for contact. And she stays. Last week I even had a boy stroke her whole body (something no one has ever done before) and she stood stock still and calm, not frozen, genuinely calm. It took Amy and I a minute to realise that this was happening and trust her with the children but she’s now made it her speciality.

Domino is a pretty friendly alpaca as far as alpacas go. She’ll let most people give her a stroke on the neck but the other day she actually let a boy with special needs lay on her back, cuddle her and stroke her face. I was there to intervene if I felt it was needed but she had relaxed body language, happy ears and seemed genuinely ok.

My daughter came and told me she’d been rubbing her head on Vince the other day and I’m not sure I’d have believed her but said ‘watch’ and walked over and did it again. He was cushed down eating hay and she simply rubbed her head up and down his neck. I’ve always instilled in her that she mustn’t grab them or hold their necks so this was her way of trying to get a cuddle without breaking the rules and Vince was there for her.

I’ve seen go over and sit down next to Jack before. He’d never let anyone get anywhere near him but somehow he accepted her presence even though she was a bit erratic.

I can’t tell you what the mechanism is that allows these alpacas to understand intention but they do and it’s absolute magic.

Carly x

Originally posted on my Substack: https://carlychandlermorris.substack.com/p/the-intuitive-ability-of-alpacas / website.