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QUESTIONS ABOUT ALPACAS Q Why would anyone want to own an alpaca? A Click here to find out. Q Can you eat an alpaca? A Alpacas are eaten in South America where the herds number in the millions, but here in America where there are less than 90,000, it would be the most expensive hamburger you ever ate. Q How long does an alpaca live? A Average life span is about 20 years. Q How much does an alpaca weigh? A Adults weigh between 150 and 200 lbs.. Q How tall is an alpaca? A Average height is 36 inches at the withers. Q Do alpaca make loud obnoxious sounds? A Alpaca communicate by softly humming. When males breed they make an 'orgle' sound (say - 'orgle, orgle, orgle,' many times fast). Q How often is an alpaca sheared? A Alpaca are sheared every 12 to 18 months. They also lack the greasy lanolin that sheep possess, thereby the fiber can be used immediately after shearing. Q Can alpaca live in extreme climates? A Yes. Alpaca are adaptable to any climate. They are currently living everywhere from the Hawaiian tropics, to the California deserts, to the cold of Alaska. Q Do alpaca get sick often? A Not at all. They are virtually disease-resistant. Coming from their native land of Peru where they have adapted to harsh environments at altitudes as high as 15,000 feet - they are MUCH healthier than most live stock. Q What does an alpaca eat? A Their favorite food is grass - of all kinds. Q Do alpaca smell bad, or their feces? A Not at all! Alpaca deposit their odorless bean-like pellets (similar to a rabbit) in a shared area. Q How many alpacas are there in the Untied States? A Less than 90,000 alpacas are registered in the United States. This is why prices are high and will remain so for many years. Q Do alpaca bite? A No, they are not aggressive. They do not have horns, hooves, claws, incisors, or upper teeth. Q Will alpaca damage my property with their hooves? A No, alpaca do not have hooves. They have soft padded feet with two toes. Q Do alpaca spit? A Yes they do spit, but usually at each other as a form of herd communication or self protection. Also, used to establish food dominance and a herd pecking order. Q How often does an alpaca give birth? A Gestation is 11½ months. They have single births (this is also why prices remain high) and twins are extremely rare. The babies are called 'cria' (pronounced kree-ah). Q Are Alpacas one of those "exotic" animals like ostriches, emu, or llamas that people invested in and lost their shirts on years ago? A Alpacas and Llamas are no longer classified as "exotic" by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Ostriches, emu's, and llamas flooded the Untied States before there was a market for them. The alpaca industry has learned from those mistakes by closing the registry for any new imports and developing new markets to sell the alpaca fiber. Q Can a person who has no livestock experience raise alpacas? A Alpacas are very easy to care for and many owners have had no previous experience caring for livestock. The best way to learn is to buy from reputable breeders who are willing to provide follow-up support. Another way to learn is to join alpaca support organizations like AOBA or SOCALPACA and become part of the network with other alpaca owners. Find someone with whom you have a good rapport to be a mentor to you. Some of the smaller breeders may have more time and willingness to help you. Q Are Alpacas expensive to care for and own? A Many people pay thousands of dollars for their pets or registered animals such as dogs and horses and think nothing of it. The downfall is those "other animals" don't provide a costly and useful commodity like alpacas. Alpacas are less expensive to feed than horses or a large dog. Feeding requirements would vary depending on whether they are on dry lot or grass pasture and how much hay they would need as a supplement to their regular diet. Some owners provide additional supplements such as pellets, minerals and vitamins. Routine care for a healthy animal is yearly shots, periodic worming and shearing in Spring so they are cooler and healthier. Some animals need toenail or tooth cutting. They are also easy to transport in a van or pickup truck and don't require a trailer.
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Keene, CA 93531 661-823-9023 |
