Alpacas / About Alpacas

Alpacas are a domesticated member of the camel (camelid) family. These wondrous creatures are extremely intuitive, and intelligent.  Alpacas are herd animals and should always be kept with at least 3 other Alpacas.  The camelid family also includes llamas, guanacos, and vicunas from South America, and the Bactrian and Dromedary camels from Asia and Africa.  Alpacas are light on the land having soft under pads and 2 separate toes (not cloven hoofed).

Behaviour: People often ask, "Do Alpacas/Llamas spit?" Alpacas/Llamas do not spit often but may occasionally spit at another Alpaca/Llama if they are being bothered, or if one wants to get to the food first. An Alpaca/Llama may also spit if they feel threatened , frightened, or to protect themselves. A heavily pregnant female may spit if she feels really annoyed at something.  If you respect an Alpaca, it will respond in kind.

It is amazing how strong the family bond is between Alpaca members. A dam and her offspring can instantly recognize each other, even if they have been separated for many years.  Observing herd behaviour.  Sometimes an old Alpaca will move to the front when a predator is around.

Breeds: There are 2 types of Alpaca, Huacaya and Suri.. 90% of alpacas are Huacaya, with full, puffy fleeces whose crimp/crinkle is found throughout their fleeces. 10% of alpacas are Suri.  The lustrous straight fibre of the Suri fleece hangs down in "dreadlocks", giving the Suri alpaca an entirely different silky appearance.

Colour: No other fibre producing animal in the textile industry offers such an enormous variety of colours.  Alpaca fibre comes in an array of 22 different shades ranging from white, black, grey, brown and fawn.

Communication: Alpacas express themselves with a soft hum, other vocalizations, and with body language, such as neck posturing, ear and tail positioning, and head tilt. They have excellent eyesight and hearing, and will alert the herd and their owners with a few short shrill alarm sounds of warning if perceiving danger.

Feeding and Manure: Alpacas are semi-ruminants having a stomach that is split into 3 chambers.  Eco-friendly Alpacas are browsers rather than grazers and thrive on a low protein high fibre diet. Alpacas will consume about 1% of their body weight per day in dry matter, e.g., A 150 lb alpacas will eat about 1.5/2 lb of grass per day. Since alpacas only have lower teeth in the front and an upper pad, they are gentle on pastures, trimming grass but not pulling roots. Alpacas enjoy good quality orchard grass hay, various types of vegetation, including wild flowers, leaves, different types of grasses, saskatoons and berries, They also enjoy for a treat, grape leaves and lettuce.  Alpacas are very tidy animals and normally defecate in one place. Their waste, which consists of smallish hard bean like pellets, similar to that of a deer can be collected and placed in a spot to dry.  Alpaca beans are an excellent garden fertilizer and can placed around your vegetables (as Alpacas are not known to carry e-coli), Because the beans are not hot it can be applied directly to delicate house plants, including orchids,  and not burn them.

Fencing: Although an alpaca will rarely challenge a fence, a 5 or 6 foot deer fence is recommended for keeping predators and especially stray dogs out.

Fibre:  Alpaca fibre is not wool, but hair.  Both types of fibre are considered luxury fibres in the textile industry because of their unique qualities. Alpaca fibre is classified as a rare specialty fibre. It is soft and luxurious like cashmere, stronger than mohair and warmer than sheep's wool. Owing to the fact that Alpaca fibre has a smooth cell structure containing microscopic air pockets which allow garments to be lightweight and warm. It is an exceptional insulator, having more thermal capacity than almost any other animal fibre. It is natural, healthy, extremely durable and comfortable to wear and its excellent wicking properties help to repel water. Its hypoallergenic qualities provide no itch and does not contain lanolin. It has also recently been proven to protect against UV rays. Alpacas are shorn for their valuable fleeces, in the spring time, so that there is enough fibre growth to keep them warm when winter arrives. The fleece from shearing one year's growth normally weighs about 5 to 6 pounds per alpaca; some animals may produce up to 12 pounds of fleece.

Handling:  Alpacas are very intelligent creatures with a good memory.  They have about a 15 minute attention span and do not take long to learn.  Every Alpaca has its own personality and comfort space.  Always allow them to come to you.   Alpacas are not like cats or dogs and do not really like to be petted, but when they know you, some may enjoy a scratch on the neck. Please Remember - It takes time and patience to earn their trust.

Lifespan, Reproduction and Birth: Alpacas live for around 20-25 years. When an Alpaca gets older in years, it often requires extra care.  Being fed additonal food (a mix of beet pulp, small amount of alfalfa and some Alpaca pellets) in the morning and evenings and also being kept cool during the hot summer months.  A Camelid coat can be used in the cold winter months to help keep the Alpaca warm and cozy.

Alpacas are induced ovulators, meaning the eggs of the female are released in response to mating. Gestation is around 345 days. You can sometimes tell when a female is coming close to delivery as she may start to visit the dung pile more often, also by the look of their milk bag. The birth weight of the cria is usually between 12 - 25 pounds. Amazingly, many cria seem to be born on a sunny day usually early in the morning before 1:00 p.m. Male alpacas reach sexual maturity at about 2 1/2 years of age.

Personality: As a general rule alpacas are very placid and social animals each having a distinct personality. Their compact size, gentle and non-aggressive nature contributes for easy management.  Alpacas will halter train quite easily, jump in and out of vehicles (when trained), cush (sit down) and obey other simple commands.  Alpacas need the companionship of other camelids, and will huddle together or move en-masse when frightened. When handling an alpaca, each has its own safe zone. Some you can pet, most will want to just stay out of reach, and a few may want several feet of space to feel comfortable. Alpacas are one of the few species where intact males tolerate other intact males.

Shelter: Although alpacas are accustomed to the cold of the Andes, they need protection from severe winter storms, and the heat of the summer months. They do not like cold wind on their faces, and especially dislike cold with freezing rain (as it can adversely affect their kidneys).  A barn or three sided shelter usually does the job. A shelter is also very important for Cria during the first week after birth. Many alpacas, especially the darker colored ones really enjoy a gentle spray of water or using a children's paddling pool on a really hot day to cool themselves off.