They are very curious & friendly animals which makes them enjoyable to be around.
Some things to consider;
- They are herd animals so you'll need to start with two but we recommend at least three. For five or less alpacas you'll need a minimum of an acre of grass/pasture for them to roam and graze.
- You'll need some type of shelter for protection from elements where they can bed down.
- It's a good idea to check zoning by-laws in your area prior to bringing your new alpacas home.
- Do you have a large animal vet in your area? Are they familiar with alpaca care? You can start by looking for a livestock veterinarian.
- Alpacas need to be shorn once a year in early Spring. Do you plan on doing this yourself or do you have someone who can come in and shear them for you? Left unshorn it can increase the chance of skin infections and heat stroke. You can process your fiber into yarn and make wears and yarns to sell.
- Manure, aka black gold. Alpaca poop is a cold manure and makes a great garden fertilizer you can sell. If you don't plan on trying to sell it you'll need a place for it to go.
- Female alpacas are induced ovulators. This means if you want both males and females you will need to seperate areas to keep them apart.
- Alpacas are considered livestock which may allow you to take advantage of tax benefits.
- Are you looking for pet quality, fibre quality or breeding quality. Pet quality is usually older alpacas who's fibre is of lesser quality. Fibre quality animals are those that are not of breeding quality but generate good quality fibre. Breeding quality alpacas can be quite costly depending on their bloodlines.
Still interested?!! Please fill out this brief questionnaire which will help us understand your needs. We also encourage you to visit our farm, by appointment, and ask any and all questions you can think of. We are happy to share our knowledge with you. We want to know our animals are going to a good home and are going to be cared for properly. For an up to date list of animals for sale please send us a message.