AN Osbornes Flat couple said they were floored when they discovered a second baby alpaca on their property on Thursday, six days after its twin was born.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ann Rushton said the rare double birth had taken her and her husband, former Wodonga real estate agent Laurie Rushton, by surprise.
“The other day I had said to Laurie, ‘she looks like she’s still pregnant’ because she was still fat compared to the others,” Mrs Rushton said.
“I never dreamed that there would be another one still in there.
“It was a big surprise.”
Mrs Rushton said the twins — who are so identical they’ve been named Charlie 1 and Charlie 2 until she can find a feature to distinguish them — were coming along well.
“We were supplementing the feed of the one born later and then we thought it was better if it was with mum, so we took the older one away and brought it up to the house and left her with the little one,” she said.
“That worked ... and now they’re back together as a family.
“The two young ones have bonded; they’re playing.”
The Rushtons moved to Osbornes Flat from Wodonga five years ago and keep the alpacas, which now number 16, as pets.
“I just sort of fell in love with the animals,” she said.
“They’re beautiful.”
