1. Alpacas are herd animals:
You need to have at least 2 for them to be content. Even in the midst of a herd,
alpacas show concern when one is separated from the group.
2. Shelter - fencing: Some protection from snow, wind, sun, rain
and lightning should be provided.
Make sure fencing is suitable to keep other species out of their enclosures
(use electric fencing outside regular fencing if necessary). NEVER use barbed
wire as the barbs can easily injure their prominent eyes and get entangled in their fiber.
3. Heat and humidity: Alpacas handle cold much better then heat and
humidity. They cool through their belly primarily so need shearing in the
spring. They must have shelter from the sun and can sunburn. Open-mouthed breathing in the heat of
summer can be a sign of distress. Our
alpacas love to play in a few inches of water in a childs swimming pool, or in a sprinkler. They will all gather around to get
sprayed with a hose on a hot summer day.
A normal adult alpaca temperature is 100- 102 degrees. Anything 103 degrees or higher is
abnormal.
4. Alpacas should not be left tied to a tree/post or left
haltered. Use a bungee or similar
elastic extension if you must tie an untended alpaca. Always closely supervise
a tied alpaca! Don't leave the
halters on all the time - train your alpacas to accept haltering or provide a
catch pen or stall to facilitate haltering. Always ensure that the halter fits
properly and well up on the nose- alpacas are nose breathers and anything that
restricts their nostrils will cause them to panic fearing suffocation.
5. Traveling with your alpaca:
Alpacas usually tolerate travel very well. Be aware that any change in environment
or routine does cause some stress. Never
transport an alpaca in her third trimester unless it is an emergency - wait
until the cria delivers and then transport. Be particularly cautious when traveling
in temperatures over 75 degrees and especially cautious if the humidity is also
elevated. Travel at night to reduce heat problems. Avoid crowding and mixing
overly dominant alpacas with less aggressive ones. Provide feed and water in
containers that can not easily be contaminated. When traveling with cria
or suris in cold weather, restrict the air flow to
conserve heat, use cria coats and provide a heavy hay/straw bedding for insulation.
6. Have a chute or safe restraint: If an alpaca is injured or
refusing shots, toenail clipping, etc. a means of safe restraint is needed to
prevent injury to the alpaca and yourself
7. Weigh your alpaca or do a monthly hands
on: Those fat cuddly alpacas can be skeletons under that fiber. Neither your
veterinarian nor a veteran alpaca owner can stand back and accurately guess the
weight of an adult alpaca. Learn to
body score your alpaca!
8. Males grow fighting teeth between 2-3 years of age and these can
easily be cut off by your vet.
9. Don't buy cria younger than 4 months: Unweaned cria are not suitable
pets.
10. Alpacas can choke on concentrated pellets: Occasionally an
alpaca will "choke" while eating pellets particularly if there is a
lot of competition for food. The "lump" may be massaged down the
throat with gentle pressure always in a downward motion. If choke is not resolved by the animal
in 1 hour, contact your vet. Do not
feed rabbit or cow pellets even though they look identical. They can cause
mineral toxicities in alpacas.
11. Alpacas need a mineral/salt supplement: No matter what feeding
regime you are using, alpacas need free access to a source of salt and
minerals. In selenium deficient areas of the country this is particularly
important. Check with your Extension Agent or vet as to which minerals are
lacking in your area. Any cria born during the fall and winter months will require Vitamins
AD&E to prevent "rickets" on a regular basis until spring.
12. Help your alpaca avoid poisonous/dangerous plants and trees:
Alpacas are browsers and nibble on a variety of things. Some are quite lethal
such as rhododendron, oleander, wilted cherry, etc. Even a few leaves blown
from your neighbors' yard can prove fatal. Some will cause abortions or
congenital deformities. Pine needles and resins produced by some trees can
cause impaction. Cria are particularly noted for
nibbling on odd substances and are more susceptible. Check with your vet and read up on
the signs and symptoms of distress in your alpaca vet books.
13. Never leave male and female alpacas together unless you want to
breed them: Young females are sexually precocious and fertile and pregnancies
can occur in females less than 6 months old!
14. Prolonged labor is not natural: Alpacas normally deliver before
2 or
15. Keep colostrum and plasma on hand: Colostrum needs to be in the cria's
belly within 12 hours after delivery to be absorbed and provide passive
transfer of antibodies, provide strength and aid as a laxative to move any meconium (stool) along. Don't wait until you have a
problem. Keep frozen colostrum (from Triple J, etc.)
on hand and thaw as directed, bottle feed directly to the cria
in the first 12 hours (make certain the cria is warm
or no absorption will occur). If 12 hours have expired then have your vet
transfuse plasma IV. Keep two
units of plasma in your freezer for emergency use. - both
colostrum and plasma will last long periods of time
if frozen.
16. Deworming and vaccinations: Institute
a regular health check either handled by yourself or your vet. Panacur or Safeguard paste and Ivermectin
subcutaneous shots are recommended and considered safe during pregnancy. Annual CDT is standard. Cria are
vaccinated and boosted I month later (check with your vet for schedule). Young
alpacas are susceptible to coccidia infestations more
so than adults; diarrhea is a symptom. Coccidiosis
can lead to dehydration, debilitation and death. Treat with Corrid
as directed by your vet.
17. Tid Bits:
Always consult with your vet if you need specific advice on the
care and health of your alpacas.
Alpacas are nose
breathers. If they suffer a snake bite to the nose - insert hair rollers into
each nostril immediately (don't wait until the nares
start to swell).
For suspected gastric ulcers use Prilosec
(Omeprazole) orally - do not use NG tube
Do not apply any cortisone containing substance (ie ointment, eye drops, etc.) to a pregnant alpaca as it
often will cause an abortion.
18. Reading material: If you buy no other alpaca books be sure and
get
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