Alpacas Are Fun and Useful Pets
Alpacas look like miniature camels. These camelids are
native to South America but are growing in popularity in the United States and
Canada.
Where Did Alpacas Come From?
Three million years ago, members of the camel family
(camelids) were native to central North America. During the Ice Age, the camelids migrated
south and never returned to North America.
As the centuries passed, the original camelid became the vicuna and
guanaco, roaming wild in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Inhabitants in these areas domesticated the
vicuna and bred them for their soft, thick coats. The vicuna developed into the alpacas of
today.
Alpacas Are Gentle
and Easy Going
Alpacas make wonderful pets because of their gentle and easygoing
nature. They’re very cooperative and
submissive, making them ideal as a family pet.
Alpacas love to be around the family members and become attached to
them. They never spit at people unless
they’re teased, but they will spit at other alpacas.
They communicate by moving their ears and tails into
different positions. Alpaca owners soon
learn what the different positions mean.
Alpacas also hum and make a shrill scream if they’re frightened.
Adult alpacas are usually three feet tall to the shoulder or
four and a half feet to the top of the head.
They weigh about 16 pounds when they’re born, and they can grow to 150
to 175 pounds as adults.
You Can Train Alpacas
Alpacas are smart animals, making them easy to train. Repeating a behavior four of five times is
all the alpaca needs to learn the desired skill. Training an alpaca is very similar to
training a dog. They learn how to walk
with a lead and halter and how to get into a vehicle. You can bring your alpaca in a station wagon,
SUV or a minivan.
Alpacas Don’t Cost
Much to Feed
Feeding alpacas is much cheaper than feeding most pets. They have three stomach compartments, just
like sheep and cattle, chewing their cud.
Alpacas require only two or three bales of hay every month. A veterinarian may recommend vitamin and
mineral supplements for pet alpacas.
Best Weather for
Alpacas
Pet alpacas thrive in almost any climate. When the weather is very hot, alpacas should
be sheared and placed in a shady area with water sprinklers. Alpacas also do very well in cold weather, but
you have to keep them in an enclosed barn, so the alpacas aren’t out in the
wintry conditions. For all other weather conditions, pet alpacas only need a
three-sided shelter.
Raising Alpacas Is a
Good Side Hustle
Pet alpacas are not only fun but are profitable, as
well. It’s soft, dense fleece is used
for making yarn, fabric, and even stuffed animals. Raising alpacas for fleece or breeding is an
expensive venture but can be profitable over time. If you’re raising alpacas for profit, you’ll
need a small herd for both breeding and shearing. Most people have one or two
alpacas, if they’re only raising them as pets.
How Much Does an
Alpaca Cost?
The cost of alpacas depends upon their qualities, and if you’re
raising them for fleece, breeding, or stud.
A gelded alpaca male can cost as little as $500.00, while a female used
for breeding can cost as much as $20,000. Pet alpacas usually range from $500 to
$1500. Take a look at several alpaca
farms before purchasing your pet. That way, you’ll find just the right alpaca
for your family.
If anyone has any tips on buying or raising alpacas, please
leave any comments that could help someone starting out with alpacas. Thanks.
Resources:
| Photo Credit: By Kyle Flood from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (Alpaca) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
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