About Alpacas

The ancient Incan civilization on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America cherished the alpaca.  Only royalty was allowed to wear garments made from the soft alpaca fiber.

 Quick Facts About Alpacas

• Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984. 

• Importation stopped in 1998.

• There are two types of alpacas:

  • Huacayas are the teddy bear-like with crimpy fiber. 

  • Suris have dreadlock type fiber.

• Alpacas come in 22 natural colors with numerous variegations.

• Alpacas can live up to 20 years

• Alpacas eat grasses and chew cud.

• Adult alpacas stand at about 36” tall at the withers and weigh between 100-200 pounds.

 Behavior

Alpacas are social herd animals and should always be kept with others of their kind.  They are gentle, inquisitive, intelligent and observant.  They are cautious and nervous if they feel threatened, as they are prey animals.  They warn the herd about intruders by making a sharp, high pitch sound.  A herd can defend themselves from an attack by a smaller predator with their kick.  The impact of a kick is not as dangerous as those of hoofed animals, due to the soft pads on their feet.  Yet they still can give a bruise, and the pointed nails can inflict cuts. Livestock guardian dogs and/or llamas with good fencing should be used to deter predators.

 Spitting

Spitting is mostly used for other alpacas, not for humans, but sometimes a human can get in the line of fire.  If an alpaca is extremely upset with a human, like being restrained, or taking food away, the person my become covered in smelly, green grassy goo.  The smell is foul and should be avoided.  This is caused by the stomach acids.

 Reproduction

Females are ready to breed when they have matured, mentally and physically, around 18-24 months.  Males are usually ready when they are between 2 to 3 years of age.

Females are “induced ovulators”, which means that the act of mating and the presence of semen causes them to ovulate. They can conceive after just one breeding, which can last 5 min to an hour; as the males are “dribble ejaculators“.

Pregnancies last 11.5 months +/- two weeks and usually result in a single cria (baby alpaca).  Twins are rare, and often lead to pre-mature births. If this does occur, one or both of the cria may not survive, and if they do they will be very small. After the female gives birth, she is generally receptive to breeding again after about two weeks, three weeks is recommended.