Camelid Guide

PLEASE NOTE: This guide is applicable to both llamas and alpacas and was written for camelid owners in the Pacific Northwest Region. Different geographical regions in the U.S. may have different parasite issues, soil deficiencies, hay availability, etc., so always be sure to consult with your veterinarian when determining annual vaccinations, feed supplementation, and other aspects of care. This guide is also for informational purposes only.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Bedding

  • Feed/water

  • Shearing

  • Medical/Health

  • Training

  • Gear

  • Routine care

  • Useful books/links

  • Grief Resources

BEDDING


- STALL SHAVINGS

  • Wood:

    • Best options are Douglas Fir (lowest dust) or Pine

    • Flakes size varies from micro (like sawdust) to large flake. We like to put the micro or small flakes down as a first layer and then mix some larger flakes on top to make it cushier.

    • Shavings do get into alpaca fiber some, but it’s never been an issue for us for shearing each year

  • Straw:

    • Some alpaca owners use straw in their stalls. We have never used it because we prefer shavings so we can't speak to it's usefulness

  • Stall shavings vendors:


- ODOR CONTROL


- TOOLS

FEED/WATER

- HAY

  • Orchard Grass hay is best and you should offer as free feed year round. Alfalfa hay can be fed in moderation if the alpaca is underweight and in need, but it is very high in protein so always consult with your vet to make sure it’s appropriate.

  • Oregon Hay Facebook Group

  • We built fence line hay feeders for our animals based off of these plans from Premier 1. We're happy to share how we made them too. These feeders can be made in various sizes. We made ours to hold a week's worth of hay so we need to refill hay just once weekly. You can also just use a standard hay feeder from a farm store, or a poly bucket, etc. if you are okay with refilling more frequently.

  • We use a handy steel utility cart like this when we need to haul just a couple bales of hay or unload larger bags of feed and move them, etc. You can find these carts a various farm stores and places like Home Depot or Lowes. We also use a poly garden dump cart for various things.


- PELLETS

  • If you have good quality pasture and hay, grain/pellets are generally only needed for young animals, underweight adults, lactating moms, or ill animals. Be careful of choking and only feed in small amounts at a time when needed. If you alpaca starts to choke, massage the left side of the neck using downward strokes. Always make sure you have enough bowls so your alpacas don't fight to get to the pellets since that can increase choke risk. Also, always spread the pellets in a thin layer. We like to use these boot trays which can be found on Amazon.com or Home Depot or Lowes. These trays allow us to spread a thin layer of pellets out and we use a couple so they are large enough that the alpacas aren't competing for feed.

    • ​Haystack Naturals Special Blend: best for animals that need extra nutrition (e.g. underweight, lactating moms, elderly, very young)

    • Mazuri Alpaca Life: general pellet feed

    • For alpacas that are elderly and have dental issues and can't chew properly: Soak pelleted feed in warm water to create a mash before serving. Pellets can be fed at 2-3 cups per day for adult alpaca that needs weight put on, but this amount may vary depending on the alpaca's health, so always consult with your veterinarian.

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- WATER

  • Bar Bar Automatic Waterer. Hands down the best investment for your ranch and we highly recommend installing one. Automatic waterers keep the water clean and no buckets to scrub, no freezing water, and your animals have constant water access.

  • ​Heated Bucket: These comes in various sizes and are good to have on hand if you have an animal that needs to be separated in a stall in colder temps and they need their own water source. If your stalls are heated you don't need this.

  • Poly stock tank or metal stock tank: Both types come in various sizes. The larger size tanks have a drain so that's a bonus, but they are harder to tip over when you want to dump them quickly.

  • Stock tank heater/de-icer

  • Stock tank barley straw cleaner. These help to keep stock tanks clean, though only so much.


- MINERALS

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- TREATS

  • ​You can offer fruits and veggies but be sure to cut them in to small pieces to avoid choking. You may need to do a trial and error to see what your alpacas like. This is a great guide to what alpacas can and cannot eat.

MEDICAL/HEALTH
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- VETERINARIANS

  • If you need a recommendation for a veterinarian in Central Oregon please contact us


- HERD HEALTH/VACCINATION/CARE SCHEDULE

  • Please see the Routine Care Schedule section farther down on the page


- VET CHECKLIST

  • Checklist you can reference prior to your vet visit


- ALPACA HEALTH RESOURCES


- FIRST AID/MEDICAL

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- SYRINGES AND NEEDLES


TRAINING


IMPORTANT NOTE – Overhandling a young alpaca can lead to Berserk Male Syndrome (BMS) or Aberrant Behavior Syndrome (ABS), which are serious behavioral issues. This article talks about ABS and here's an informative video as well that is long but well worth watching.

The best way to prevent BMS is to avoid excessive handling of your alpacas. If an alpaca invades your space aggressively, do not tolerate the behavior. At our sanctuary, we are intentional about not over-handling our babies to prevent ABS. If you adopt from us, rest assured that your alpaca has been raised with this in mind.

In cases where bottle-feeding is necessary, we keep it strictly business-like to avoid excessive bonding or imprinting. Once your alpaca is in your care, please continue to handle them appropriately to prevent behavioral issues.

You can train your alpaca to accept a halter and be social in a healthy, respectful manner. The key is knowing the proper approach. Please take the time to research Berserk Male Syndrome and the best handling practices.

- TRAINING RESOURCES

GEAR

- HALTERS


- LEADS

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- COATS

  • ​Alpacas don’t need coats unless it’s under 30 degrees and they are under 30 pounds, OR they are elderly/sick and low in weight. Should you ever need a coat, these from Etsy are our favorite due to the style. Warning though, they do take longer to ship because they are handmade. https://www.etsy.com/listing/211526696/

  • If you need one faster, this is an option, though in our opinion, they slide around the body more: https://www.useful-items.com/product-p/096.htm​​


- OTHER HANDY ITEMS

  • Alpacas really enjoy getting their bellies and legs wet during hot weather. They can do this either in your irrigation sprinklers, or you can buy a sprinkler for them to use. You also just use a regular garden hose and give them a good hosing off. Just avoid their backs and faces. Many alpacas also enjoy using a baby/kiddie pool to cool off when the temps are high.

  • Mentioned above in the HAY section, but we use a handy steel utility cart like this when we need to haul just a couple bales of hay or unload larger bags of feed and move them, etc. We also use a poly garden dump cart for various things. You can find both of these types carts a various farm stores and places like Home Depot or Lowes.

  • Tarps. Make sure you have a couple of tarps on hand.

  • Hay twine cutter or you can just use a scissors.

MANURE

A.k.a. the scoop on poop. Check out this article for some great tips on manure management. Some alpaca poop highlights:

  • Alpaca poop is often referred to as "beans" because they look like little black beans.

  • Alpacas poop in communal piles which makes for easier clean up. You can even encourage your herd to poop in a certain area by putting their poop in that spot. 

  • Alpaca poop makes great fertilizer and you can often give it away to gardeners that want it for their garden, or you can spread it in your own field (in an area the alpacas are currently off of) to enrich the soil. Please note - Only spread poop if your alpacas are in good health and parasite free. If you have one sick alpaca you don't want to spread their poop across your pasture and risk others getting sick.

  • ​A few companies make "poop vacuums". They can be expensive but folks swear by them. Two examples are the Bean Machine and Greystone Paddock Vacuum

ROUTINE CARE SCHEDULE


We're sharing our general schedule below as a reference, but it's important to develop a care routine that fits your herd's specific needs. Factors like herd size, hay feeder capacity, and waterer type will all play a role. Please be sure to consult with your veterinarian for a proper vaccination schedule.

Daily

  • Get an eye on all animals for a "wellness check". Make sure no animals are showing signs of being off, such as low energy, not eating, separating themselves from others, not moving around.

  • Check hay and water. Clean water buckets if needed.

  • Spot clean stalls as needed with muck rake. Create a pile and dispose of poop there daily, or collect poop in a large muck bucket and add it to a pile weekly.

​Weekly

  • Do larger stall clean outs and replace bedding 

​Quarterly/Seasonally

Semi-annual

  • Rotate animals off of main forage pasture for pasture rotation. Click here for more information.

Annual

  • Shearing, hoof trims, vaccinations. Consult with your vet to determine vaccinations to be given at time of shearing.

  • SPRING: Prepare for fly control for warm months.

  • LATE FALL: order coats if needed, get extra bedding to have on hand, heated water buckets, etc. if needed to prep for cold colder weather

USEFUL RESOURCES

- BOOKS


- WEBSITES


- ONLINE GROUPS

- GRIEF RESOURCES: This website is geared towards cats and dogs but we find it helpful when dealing with losing other animals as well.