Alpaca Rescue - Emergency Hand Shearing & Toenail Trimming

Watch as Eddie learns to walk after being liberated from a massive, stinking, felted coat that has bound his legs and tail to his body for many years.

Eddie the Alpaca is just one of many llamas and alpacas who come into the care of The Llama Sanctuary in a neglected state. Eddie's condition is extremely poor and life-threatening. Even though it's October, the felted fleece must be removed, since it provides no warmth. Electric shears would remove too much fibre, hand shears won't cut through the mass of felted fibre and vegetation. This is an hour and a half of hand-aching, scissor-work!

(NOTE: For the section on toenail trimming skip to 14.00 minutes)

Eddie's feet and toes are also crippled, his body is extremely thin and he has mites. The stench of urine and feces is overwhelming, since he has not been able to lift his tail for so long. He is depressed and shows no interest in life around him.

Take note how we trim the toenails. Lynne GENTLY supports Eddie's head behind the ears and under the jaw in a 'bracelet' hold. Once the foot is held firmly, Eddie is given the time to find his balance and he holds his leg up for me to trim the nails.

In most cases we see, the neglect is not deliberate. It is a slow decline that goes unnoticed by the carer. Neglect often arises out of fear of the animal. If you need help, ask at your local feed store or contact The Llama Sanctuary, we are here to help!

Eddie is an intact male and extraordinarily compliant; he has no fight in him, but even so, it is extremely rare that we encounter a llama or an alpaca too wild and dangerous to handle, but it does happen.

Watch as we do our best to hack through the fleece and liberate his body. (we've speeded up much of the video!)

Update:
It took a few weeks to adjust, but Eddie has found new interest in life and he takes an interest in the girls nearby. His legs are still very weak, but he eats much more and has been removed from the critical list.