Sarah, Elizabeth, Madeline, Abigail and ...Jim.

Recently Tony was approached by someone who needed to rehome his alpacas ASAP and we became the owners of five gorgeous alpacas! We were told when we adopted them that they were all females, but we learned very quickly that they were not all females - one was indeed a male. The previous owner had them for two years and didn’t even know their gender!

Because we do not want to be in the breeding business, we had Jim taken care of, but there is a good chance that one or several of our girls could already be pregnant. We will keep everyone updated!

Alpacas are very fascinating animals. They have cat-like personalities which has been an adjustment for us dog lovers! All of our other animals love to be loved on but the alpacas prefer to always make the first move and are a bit more distant - It’s just in their nature!

They are very smart animals, gentle, and easy to handle, each with their own distinct personality. These sensitive animals are shy, but very curious, quiet, and intelligent. They are herd animals so they stick together, and hang out with their camel cousins. They develop relationships based on their position in the group.

ALPACA FACTS:

- Alpacas are domesticated versions of vicuñas, a species of South American camelid mammal that live high in the Andes Mountains. Alpacas are related to llamas, which are domesticated versions of another wild Andean ruminant, the guanaco. Alpacas are smaller than llamas, but they can successfully crossbreed. An llalpaca is the product of a female alpaca and male llama, and it’s treasured for its unique, long fleece.

- An alpaca pregnancy lasts 11 – 12 months. Babies, called crias, weigh between 10 and 17 pounds and nurse for six to eight months. An adult can grow to a height of about three feet at the withers and weigh up to 190 pounds. They can live to be 20 years old.

- Both Alpacas and llamas were domesticated by the Inca Indians more than 6,000 years ago! They were raised for their prized fleece, which was reserved exclusively for the elite and noble due to its high quality. Alpaca fiber is like sheep’s wool, except warmer and less itchy. Because it lacks the oil lanolin, it’s hypoallergenic and doesn’t require high temperatures and harsh chemicals during processing.

- In 1984 a small group of importers brought the first alpaca to the states and Canada. The North American herd has grown from just a few (all residing in zoos and private farms) to more than 250,000.

- Alpacas are becoming increasingly common at hospitals, health care facilities and retirement homes as therapy animals. Pet Partners, the largest therapy animal group in the U.S., keeps about 20 of them. They make a great hiking partner or bedside companion.

- Alpacas always poop in the same spot! The group will designate a specific place to use, away from where they graze and sleep. This makes them easy to housetrain if you are so inclined.

- The most common sound alpacas make is a soft hum. When startled they let out a staccato alarm call.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for next week! Follow along on Instagram @ Antioch_Ranch