2025/2026 Alpaca Owners Guide

of age, which can cause injury to both humans as well as other alpacas. Alpacas will reflexively kick with a hind leg, particularly if surprised from behind. While the impact of an alpaca kick is not on par with a horse, it can create a bruise. Also, there is potential for toenails to cut skin. As with all livestock, owners and visitors should use common sense and a degree of caution when working around alpacas. People working with alpacas should wear long pants and shoes or boots that have traction and cover the whole foot. Proper handling of alpacas, as well as all camelids, requires humans gaining their trust by using a calm voice and light restraint. Handling alpacas for herd husbandry is best taught to novice alpaca owners by experienced owners or experts. Q: Is it okay to have just one alpaca? A: No. Alpacas have very strong herd instincts and need the companionship of other alpacas to thrive. They should be kept in herds, preferably three or more. Alpacas are livestock and should not be treated as house pets. Alpacas should be kept with their own sex. One exception is that male crias stay with their mothers until weaning. Gelded males should not be housed with females, as they may repeatedly attempt to breed them. This can lead to serious health consequences for the females. A: Alpaca reproduction is unique, especially compared to other livestock. Female alpacas are induced ovulators, meaning they don't have visible heat cycles or discharge. Instead, ovulation happens as a result of mating, which makes tracking their reproductive cycle more difficult — but it also allows them to conceive at any time of year. To control breeding, most alpaca breeders keep males and females in separate herds. This allows them to choose which animals to breed and when. For example, many breeders avoid late-term pregnancies during extreme weather — like the coldest winter months or hottest parts of summer. Because ovulation depends on mating, artificial insemination (AI) is more challenging with alpacas than with other livestock. Q: How does alpaca reproduction differ from other livestock?

Photo courtesy of Red Granite Ranch, Ltd.

of concern and are warning others in the herd. The concern may be a predator, or something they are not familiar with, like a cow or horse in a neighboring field. Male alpacas also “serenade” females during breeding with a guttural, throaty sound called “orgling.” Q: Do alpacas spit? A: Yes. All camelids spit as a means of negative communication. Alpacas may spit when competing for food. Also, they often spit at one another during squabbles within the herd (usually involving two or more males). Occasionally, they spit at people on purpose. It is more common that people get caught in the crossfire between alpacas. Learning to read their behavior helps avoid these situations. Q: Are alpacas dangerous? A: No. Alpacas are pleasant to be around and generally easy to handle. Alpacas do not head-butt. They do not have

horns or hooves like other livestock. They move gracefully and adroitly about the field and are therefore unlikely to run into or over anyone intentionally. Males develop sharp fighting teeth at about three years

18 | ALPACA OWNERS GUIDE 2025/2026