Hope, one of our Quiddish Queens, is pure white and pure of heart. But that doesn’t keep her from her “boss” duties, which usually means being the first to get the first meal dish down, being the first in line to get out, or just generally asserting her alpha character. 

All of these characteristics are part of her behavior for alpacas. As with most herd animals, they need the companionship of other alpacas to survive. For alpacas, they rely not only on the physical safety of numbers but also the assurance of social connection. Three basic needs of the alpaca include:

- Social Structure, which includes a command hierarchy. Hope seems to embrace this role. However, she is not yet fully integrated into our existing herd, so time will tell how that designation endures!

- Communication, which provides necessary messages to one another, as well as others. Alpacas communicate through body posture, tail and ear movements, and a variety of sounds, including humming, clucking, and alarm calls. Generally, alpacas make a humming noise. 

- Alarm Calls: Alpacas are herd-loyal to the core and will warn of impending danger. Recently, Hope (and others) sounded an immediate and loud series of “squeaks” (sounds like a dog’s squeaky toy!) when our “lambies” were allowed to pass by the Quiddish alpaca pens. We had never heard that before. And more interesting, when Tivio the big Quarter Horse was allowed the same pass-by, the alpacas were quiet and seemed unaffected! But then, of course, Tivio is a pretty calm, cool dude!

In total, Hope represents so much of the Robin’s Nest mission — hope and home. We are so glad she is here with us for the rest of her life.