How to Give an Alpaca a Bath

If you have been to the farm than you know Sanda.  He is a very friendly alpaca and he is always the first to great visitors to the farm.  Poor Sanda has mites and had to have his fleece sheared off last week in order to treat the mites.  My mother has been giving him medication and putting special medication on the affected areas.  Today was an extra special day because he got to take a bath.  We used medicated shampoo and this is how we did it.

The Alpaca Spa Mobile

We filled up the clean garbage can with warm water from the house.  Then we put one hose in the can and connected it to an electric pump and used the other end to spray the warm water onto Sanda. Sanda wasn't too upset about the hose. He is used to the hose in the summer to cool him off.  He really seemed to enjoy the warm water.

Step 1- HOSE HIM DOWN

 Step 2- RUB IN MEDICATED SHAMPOO

Step 3- LET SHAMPOO SOAK FOR 10 MINUTES.

GO FOR A NICE LITTLE WALK

Step 4- RINSE AND REPEAT 

 Step 5- TOWEL DRY

 Step 6- GO SHOW OFF YOUR SHINY NEW COAT TO THE KIDS

 Step 7- FIND A NICE WARM SPOT IN THE SUN TO DRY OFF.

We will have to do this several more times. It is going to be a long haul to get him back to 100% but thank goodness he is so cooperative with the treatments.

If you are wondering about the other alpacas they are doing just fine. Sanda has had a bad reaction to the mites, but he seems to be the only one.  Alpacas respond deferently to the mites. Some don't have any problems and other do. Most often alpacas with lighter coats suffer from more skin problems.

~Andee

We are joing along with A Rural Journal's - Rural Thursdays Blog Hop