Alpacas are domesticated members of the camelid family, others include camels, llamas, guanacos and vicunas. They are native to South America and reside in the higher elevations of the Andes, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayAlpacas have been raised for centuries and are raised for their fleece. There are two breeds of alpacas: the Huacaya (pronounced wakaya) and the Suri. The Suri is not common in the UK and has a pile that can be compared to dreadlocks which are loose and long. The Huacaya makes up 95% of the world's alpaca inventory and has a denser, more fibrous coat. Alpacas grow to around 90cm tall at the withers and adults weigh between 50 and 80kg. At birth, an alpaca weighs approximately 8 kg. The baby alpaca is known as a gelding, and male crias are usually referred to as wethers. Alpacas live an average of 15 to 20 years and females can breed for about 12 years with a breeding season of 11 to 12 months. There are 22 colors of fleece, from white to black, with some going as far as brown, fawn gray and pink grey. Alpacas as pets: you need a herd! Alpacas are herd animals and should not be kept as you will need room for at least 3 to 4 people and they should be stocked at a rate of 4 to 6 per acre. Compact surfaces are sufficient for raising alpacas, although you will need land. They are hardy animals and it is great to provide them with open fronted shelter, especially for summer shade. There is no need for fencing as alpacas jump fencing, which is very rare. 4ft high sheep fencing is recommended as the most appropriate and avoid barbed wire or electric fencing as this gets caught in their fleece. They are semi-ruminant and consume grass. Hay should be provided when the grass is grown, especially in winter. Special alpaca food blends are available that help alpacas obtain vital vitamins and minerals. They require a small amount each day and you may want to feed them when alpacas are pets to keep them tame. As with all livestock, a supply of fresh, clean water is required. Alpacas don't create much mess as they use manure piles for your animals to go to where this can be cleaned up and used as manure. Caring for Your Alpacas as Pets Alpacas very rarely have health problems, which makes keeping alpacas less expensive than other animals. They should be dewormed and vaccinated twice a year against clostridial diseases (soil-borne bacterial diseases such as black leg and tetanus which can prove fatal). Every 2-6 months, toenails will need to be trimmed, and light-colored alpacas need trimming. They want to shear once a year and the fleece can be marketed to users of alpaca wool. So keeping alpacas as pets can have a financial benefit. We at Penrose Products would like to hear from you if you have fiber. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Lessons are available to help you both learn how to train and care for them with patience, alpacas can be trained and are reasonably priced. You can teach him to walk on a halter. They are animals that do not like to be handled too much and do not like having their head or neck touched. Keep this in mind especially when you have children who want animals.