The Silent Montana Rescue Herd

Whenever I come into the barn -- the activity amps up a bit. My llamas get up, come to the fence, lean over, check out the commotion -- almost to welcome me to the barn. I realize that much of it is about the possibility of grain/hay being dropped into feeders. But sometimes it's just to say, "hello." You can see two of our sons in the photos with Mighty Impressive and Rocket. See how boldly the llama and alpaca are standing? They are confident.

They hum. They make those cool noises (like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park) and the gutteral noises fill the air. I LOVE those noises.

The noise is missing in the Montana Rescue herd. I invade their space to refill the water, spread more straw for warmth, or fill the hay feeders. They don't say a word. They back up when I ask them to do so -- they move when nudged; but there is no humming, no vocalization. It is silent. Look at their photos. They stand hunched over, trying not to be noticed. They huddle next to the building - for warmth and also to blend in - to be out of the way.

Does that mean they've given up? I hope not. I know I haven't given up on them.