Let's Talk Alpaca's.

What is an Alpaca? Here are a few "factoid's". Alpaca's are members of the camelid family and are related to the ever familiar llama. Alpaca's are rare and exotic critters originally from the Andes mountains of Peru, Bolivia and Chile. They are primarily raised for the fleece, known as "fiber". The exceptional quality of Alpaca fiber along with its many uses has created great and increasing demand for this luxurious product.

There are two types of alpaca's; the huacaya and the suri. The difference between the two is in the fiber. The huacaya has a fluffy fleece similar to a teddy bear. The suri has long flowing fleece similar to dreadlocks. Approximately 80% of the alpaca's in the United States are huacaya's. We have both at Saddleback Mtn Ranch, with the majority being the rarer suri breed.

The life span of an alpaca is approximately 20 years. On average, an alpaca is three feet high at the shoulders and about five feet tall overall. Adults weigh anywhere between one hundred and one hundred and sixty pounds. The female gestation period is eleven and a half months and babies are called "crias".

Alpaca Nutrition and Health Care

The alpaca's diet consists of mainly grass, hay and grain. Alpacas are grazers and also chew a "cud". Because of this, they consume much less than horses or cattle. One acre of pasture can handle between five and ten alpacas or more if the feed is supplemented with hay or grass. At our ranch, we feed combinations of alfalfa, orchard grass, pellets and minerals. Very simple and easy! Cleanup is also a "snap" because alpacas tend to place their droppings in the same place.

For the most part, alpacas are easy keepers. They do require yearly vaccinations and periodic deworming. Also, alpacas have padded feet with two pointed toes that require occasional trimming. Alpacas must also be sheared on a yearly basis prior to the start of summer. We schedule our herd for shearing in May. Hot summer days with full coat is no "walk on the beach" for these critters! There are several books available providing excellent information from the very basics to neonatal care. You also have the benefit of our full support along with the whole alpaca community .... we're "all good" that way!

Are Alpacas Easy To Work With? Are They Friendly? Do They Spit?

The answer is "yes!". Alpacas are very intelligent animals and do respond to various training and handling techniques. They can be halter trained. We must point out that alpacas are herd animals and must have at least a buddy around to thrive. A lone alpaca would be miserable. Alpacas can learn to be friendly to humans from training and close contact. As with any critter, Aapacas are wary at first, and warm up in their own way as time goes on. They are naturally curious and you will find yourself surrounded by them .... but just out of reach! Alpacas enjoy playing and are a joy to watch. Dang, they are just great to be around!

Now to the spitting. yes, they do spit like llamas, but generally not at people, (unlike the llama) alpacas spit at each other when fussing over food, when mates bicker over females, or for alpaca squabbles we cannot comprehend. If you do get initiated, it will most likely be due to bad aim or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If alpacas feel extremely threatened or insulted, initiation rites might begin as well. As of this writing, we have avoided this rite of passage of ownership .... I hope we have not jinxed ourselves here!