As a general rule alpacas are very placid and social animals each
having a distinct personality. They are gentle and non-aggressive,
make wonderful pets and will halter train quite easily. Alpacas do
spit occasionally, but usually when their food or young are
threatened.
Alpacas are browsers rather than grazers and thrive on a low
protein high fibre diet.
Alpacas are very tidy animals and normally defecate in one place.
Their waste can be collected and placed in a compost pile, where it
makes an excellent garden fertilizer or alternatively spread onto
the pasture as a natural fertilizer.
The lifespan of an alpaca is around 20-25 years. During its life
time a female alpaca can produce 15 or more offspring. Alpacas are
induced ovulators, meaning the eggs of the female are released in
response to mating. Gestation is around 340 days.
Although alpacas are accustomed to the cold of the Andes, they
need protection from severe winter storms and the heat of the summer
months. A barn or a 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
using a children’s paddling pool on a really hot day to cool
themselves off.
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.
Alpacas need an immunization injection once a year; deworming and
toe nail trimming about every 3 months and fighting teeth /
checked for trimming. Shearing is usually carried out in the early
Spring time when vaccinating and deworming can be done at the same
time.
The fleece from shearing one year’s growth normally weighs about
5 to 6 pounds per alpaca, some animals may produce up to 7 pounds
(enough to make 6 or 7 sweaters).
