Fantasy Farm Alpacas

New Buyer Information Sheet

 Fantasy Farm Alpacas provides the following information to all new alpaca pet owners.  This information is for “informational purposes” only.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas has been in the alpaca business in Texas for over 15 years, raising and selling alpacas.  However, Fantasy Farm Alpacas is not a veterinarian and thus we encourage you to consult with your own veterinarian when questioning health issues. 

The following information provides answers to our most frequently asked questions which Fantasy Farm Alpacas have been asked.

 1.      Can alpacas deal with Texas heat and humidity?  Yes, there are many established alpaca breeders throughout Texas.  Fantasy Farm’s animals have been raised in the dry Texas heat of Odessa and the humid heat of Boerne in the hill country of Texas so they are well acclimated to heat.

2.      Do alpacas need shade or shelter?  Alpacas are very vibrant animals, but in the heat of the day, shade is recommended as is recommended for all animals and people.  Shelters are not required but are very nice with colder evenings.  Shelters also provide security for the alpacas in the evening from coyotes and other predators.

3.      Do coyotes and such predators attack alpacas?  Coyotes, wild dogs and such predators will attach most all livestock, however in all the years Fantasy Farm Alpacas have been raising alpacas they have never lost an animal to such.  Alpacas protect themselves by running.  One of the best means of protection for alpacas is to allow them to come up to a yard near your home or a barn/shed.  (Movable pens can be purchased at Tractor Supply or other farm stores for less than $500.00.)  This allows you to feed your alpacas of an evening, bond with them and keep them away from potential predators, typically they do not come near a home.  Also use of livestock guard dogs or guard llamas can be helpful.

4.      Do alpacas make good pets?  Alpacas make wonderful pets.  They love to be loved on.  Alpacas typically do not kick, bite or spit.  They are loving social animals, but like with all relationships, the relationship with your alpaca is directly correlated to the amount of time you spend with your pet.

5.      Do alpacas get along with horses, dogs, sheep, goats, cattle and other livestock?  Alpacas are not aggressive animals.  They are typically very social animals.  Alpacas will not attack another animal and in most cases bond with another animal quickly.

6.      Do alpacas have problems with fleas ticks and such?  Typically not.  If your land has such infestation then it is important to visit with your vet.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas rarely has problems with this except for an occasional tick in an alpaca’s ear.  Guineas or turkeys in the pastures can also be a means of control for these.

7.      Do you need to purchase more than one alpaca?  Alpacas are social herd animals and thus get lonely if by themselves.  Two or more alpacas of the same sex are best.  However, some alpaca pet owners purchase one alpaca as they are able to spend the time personally with the animal to provide the attention they desire and need.

8.      Are alpacas easy to work with?  Yes, alpacas are very intelligent and typically train easily.  They learn to halter and lead in just a few sessions and even children find most alpacas to be safe and easy to handle.

9.      Are there organized exhibitions and competitions for alpacas?  Yes, there are many alpaca shows (both halter and fleece judging competitions) held throughout North America where owners can showcase their animals and their fleece. (However if you choose to show an alpaca sold as a pet, additional fees will be charged for registering such an animal for show competition.

10.   Do I need a lot of land to raise alpacas?  No the specific answer is quite variable and is contingent on such factors as type of terrain, amount of annual precipitation, seasonal factors, availability and quality of pastures and/or hay.  For arid climates animals are usually fed on “dry lot” with little or no pasture feeding.  In this instance the number of animals that can be raised in generally between two and six per acre.  In milder wetter climates with abundant fresh pasture available, however, ten or more alpacas per acre might be the norm.

11.   I live in the city; would it be possible for me to own alpacas?  Absolutely.  Urban dwellers can board their alpacas at nearby farms/ranches so that they can enjoy the benefits of ownership while living in a large city or suburb.

12.   Do alpacas qualify as livestock for Texas property tax exemption?  Yes, in the 2007 session the Texas Legislature in H.B. 3300 amended the agriculture code to defines the term livestock to include llamas, alpacas and other “exotic livestock”.

13.   What is the history of alpacas?  Alpacas are members of the camelid (or camel) family.  They are mild-tempered, gregarious animals with an inquisitive nature and penchant for bring great delight to their owners.

14.   Are there different types of alpacas?  There are 2 different breed-types of alpacas.  The huacaya (wah-KI’-ya) and suri (surrey) are almost identical except the huacaya has very fluffy almost “Teddy Bear-like” fleece and the suri has long silky fleece.

15.   How big do alpacas grow?  Alpacas stand approximately 36” tall at the withers (the area where the neck and spine come together) and weigh between 100-200 pounds when they are full grown.

16.   Do alpacas eat trees and plants?  Not normally unless there is no other grazing.

17.   How much does an alpaca eat?  Alpacas require only modest amounts of food, approximately 1.5 to 2% of their body weight in hay or grass plus free access to fresh water and free choice mineral.  Alpacas graze on most domestic and natural grass. Although supplemental feed is not necessary for your animals, if you choose to supplement your animals’ feed you may purchase feed from Fantasy Farm Alpacas if you wish.  Simply call to place an order.

18.   How do alpacas graze?  Alpacas cut the grass off above the ground as they graze rather than pulling the grass out by the roots as do sheep.  Alpaca have soft padded feet that leave pasture undamaged and usable for years.

19.   What preventative medications does Fantasy Farm Alpacas use?  We vaccinate yearly with CD & T vaccine.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas also uses Ivomec or Dectomax or Cydectin for worming on an as needed basis per your vets advice.

20.   What other health care is needed for alpacas? 

A.  Alpacas teeth continue to grow throughout the animals life so occasionally they need their teeth ground down.  This is usually done every two to three years when their bottom teeth (they do not have upper teeth) grow over the dental pad on the top of their mouth.  This can be done by a vet or we will be glad to assist you with this for a nominal fee or will help train you in how to do this yourself.  However, the males do get two sets of fighting teeth somewhere around two years of age. These teeth are very sharp and are curved, making them extremely dangerous to other alpacas. These fighting teeth should be cut down after they emerge to protect other animals.

B.   Alpacas sometimes need their toenails clipped depending on the terrain they are living on.  This usually needs to be done once or twice a year.  This can be done by a vet or we will be glad to assist you with this for a nominal fee or will help train you in how to do this yourself.

C.   As with any living thing from time to time other illnesses might occur.  Alpacas are known for being extremely healthy and very low maintenance but if your alpaca should develop an illness, please consult your local veterinarian for proper care.  Although rare, if you notice diarrhea in your alpaca, you should contact your vet as soon as possible to plan treatment of such.  Diarrhea can dehydrate an animal quickly so treatment should occur as soon as possible.

21.   What are books or resources I can read regarding alpacas?

A.   Caring For Llamas & Alpacas - Order online at www.usefullamaitems.com. Or call 800-635-5262 (This is also a good reference website for alpaca items.)

B.  Alpaca Field Manuel - Dr. Norman Evans, D.V.M.
Able Publishing, PO Box 1968, Manhattan, KS   66505 - 785-537-0320, info@llama banner.com

C.   The Complete Alpaca Book - Eric Hoffman - Bonny Doon Press - SBN-0-9721242-0-9

22.   How often are alpacas sheared?  Typically once a year before summer begins.

23.   How do you shear an alpaca?  You can shear your alpaca yourself much like a sheep using sheep shears.  You can also hire a professional shearer to shear them for you or bring them to Fantasy Farm Alpacas when we shear and have your alpacas sheared for a nominal cost.  Alpacas are sheared down to the skin similar to a sheep.  The diagram shows the various parts of the fleece on a "stretched" alpaca. #1 the blanket is the prime fleece on an alpaca, and is usually finer, more consistent and of a longer staple length.  #2 the neck and upper legs of an alpaca may be a bit coarser than the blanket, may have some guard hair present, and often is of a shorter staple length.  #3 the lower legs, brisket and belly of an alpaca usually have a large amount of guard hair and may be very solid. The fleece in these areas should be kept separate.

24.   How do I sell the alpaca fiber?  Alpaca fiber can be sold in the following three ways:

A.   The most profitable way is to sell to the local cottage industry in our area.  You sell to local people who clean and spin and weave their own yarn.

B.  You can sell your fiber to major co-ops that sell large amounts to fiber mills in South America.  See http://www.afcna.com for further information.

C.   You can send your fiber to a private mill in the US for processing into yarn and then sell the yarn yourself.  These mills typically process fiber but do not purchase fiber. (One such mill is Bear River Fiber Works. 435-657-0336 or fiber works@rio-oso.com.)

D.   You can sell you fiber to American Alpaca Fiber Federation, LLC.  (www.americanalpacafiberfederation.com)

25.   How much fiber is on an adult alpaca?  Typically from 5 - 10 lbs per animal.  Price averages $5 to $25 per lb.

26.   What is done with Alpaca fiber?  Alpaca fiber is in very high demand in the garment industry with many designers beginning to recognize the many benefits of alpaca fiber.  It is extremely soft (reported to be soft as cashmere), durable and very insulating (reported to be 5x warmer than sheep wool)

27.   What colors do alpacas come in? Alpacas come in 22 different shades with the primary colors being White, Fawn, Brown, Black and Grey.

28.   How do you travel with alpacas?  Alpacas are hauled every day across the United States by trailer.  Alpacas travel very well and are easily handled.  When traveling across state lines, as with all livestock, health documents are normally required.  Travel papers for travel between states can be obtained from your local vet.  No papers are required for travel within your state.

29.   How long will an alpaca live?  Alpacas live to be 15-25 years of age.

30.   At what age are babies (crias) weaned from their mothers? They are usually weaned from 6 - 8 months of age.  Almost all alpaca births are single, multiple births are rare.

31.   How many alpacas does Fantasy Farm Alpacas have?  Fantasy Farm Alpacas have approximately 200 animals on our 50 acre ranch.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas was among the first alpaca breeders in the nation.  We have been breeding Alpacas for over 15 years with bloodlines purchased directly from Peru when the alpaca was first introduced into the United States.  Fantasy Farm purchased such premier herd sires as Peruvian King Solomon an original import from Peru in 1993 and Peruvian Fabio a direct import from Peru in 1993.  The most recent additions to the herd sires of Fantasy Farm Alpacas were purchased form Magical Farms at their recent Breeders Choice sale.  They are multiple Color Champion MFI Peruvian Palace Guard and MFI Accoyo Trouble.

32. Do alpacas like being hand fed?  Absolutely, find what treat your animal loves and use this as a special time to bond with your animal.   Most become very excited and thoroughly enjoy any opportunity to consume all manner of fruits and vegetables.  Since these "treats" are normally quite outside their average daily standard fare, they are often at first hesitant to try them. However, be prepared. once they do, most will respond with intense enthusiasm.

RECIPE for CAMELID COOKIES: This is not an original recipe. In fact, it has circulated over the years and today no one seems quite sure of the originator.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix sticky ingredients in a bowl. Measure out balls about the size of a teaspoon and place on a foil covered cookie sheet, Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
 

33.   Will Fantasy Farm Alpacas be available to give advise to new owners?  Absolutely.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas is in the business of caring over our customers and their alpacas.

34.   Are Fantasy Farm Alpaca animals purebred registered animals?  All Fantasy Farm Alpaca animals are purebred and are from of the finest pedigrees in the industry.  Because of the low selling price, pet alpacas are not sold as registered animals but can be registered for a fee.

35.   Can alpacas be used by children in a 4-H or FFA program?  Alpacas are shown in many parts of the country, however this would depend on your program’s director or local agent.  Alpacas are available for all such programs and are listed as livestock.

36.   Where can I purchase alpaca halters and leads?  These can be purchased directly from Fantasy Farm Alpacas at cost or there are many websites that offer such products such as www.usefullamaitems.com.

37.   What kind of fence is required for alpacas?  Alpacas do not challenge fences as a rule.  A four foot fence is sufficient for alpacas.  Barb wire along the top of the fence is acceptable but it is preferred to not use barb wire for the whole fence.

38.   What is the cost of an alpaca?  Alpacas are very valuable.  Fantasy Farm Alpacas sells “pet” males from $1,000 and up.  Breeding animals sell for $5,000 up to $200,000 plus.

39.   How do I groom my alpaca?  Tie your animal securely.  Pick out or brush out the largest pieces of vegetable matter out of coat.  Gently blow the animal’s coat with a livestock-type blower, starting low on the animal first work from the skin out toward the fiber tips.

40.   Should I insure my alpaca?  Insurance on your alpaca is not a necessity, but is a precaution. The use of insurance is advisable for the transportation of your alpaca.  (National Livestock Insurance Agency, P.O. Box 229, Amarillo, Texas 79105, Phone: 800-692-4031 (Toll Free); Prairie States Insurance Agency, Inc., 210 Park Ave., Suite 2280, Oklahoma City, OK 73102, Phone: 800-627-4677 (Toll Free)Wilkins Livestock Insurers, Inc., 830 G Street, Geneva, Nebraska 68361, Phone: 800-826-9441 (Toll Free))

41.   What organizations can I join that would be a helpful resource?  Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association, Inc.,  http://www.alpacainfo.com, Phone: 615-834-4195

42.   Can I return my alpaca after purchasing it if I change my mind?  All Fantasy Farm Alpaca sales are final.