What is an alpaca?
Definition - Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.
Alpacas are herd animals. They originate from southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, alpacas were not bred to be beasts of burden but were bred specifically for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, much like wool is. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, coats and bedding. The fiber comes in more than 22 natural colors as classified in the United States.
Fun Facts:
Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups.
Not all alpacas spit, but all are capable of doing so.
Most alpacas do not like being grabbed. Some alpacas tolerate being stroked or petted, but many do not like their feet, lower legs, and especially their abdomen touched.
Alpacas use a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. This behavior tends to limit the spread of internal parasites.
To signal friendly or submissive behavior, alpacas "cluck," or "click".
Alpacas are pregnant for about 111/2 months. Babies are called crias. The crias are usually walking and nursing within 20 minutes of birth.
Alpacas generally live for up to 20 years. Most of which is spent reproducing.
Alpacas have a three-chambered stomach; combined with chewing the cud. This gives them the greatest opportunity of nourishment from their food.
Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and bears no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic. Without lanolin, it does not repel water. In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat similar to hair, being very glossy. The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool.
Definition - Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.
Alpacas are herd animals. They originate from southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, alpacas were not bred to be beasts of burden but were bred specifically for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, much like wool is. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, coats and bedding. The fiber comes in more than 22 natural colors as classified in the United States.
Fun Facts:
Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups.
Not all alpacas spit, but all are capable of doing so.
Most alpacas do not like being grabbed. Some alpacas tolerate being stroked or petted, but many do not like their feet, lower legs, and especially their abdomen touched.
Alpacas use a communal dung pile, where they do not graze. This behavior tends to limit the spread of internal parasites.
To signal friendly or submissive behavior, alpacas "cluck," or "click".
Alpacas are pregnant for about 111/2 months. Babies are called crias. The crias are usually walking and nursing within 20 minutes of birth.
Alpacas generally live for up to 20 years. Most of which is spent reproducing.
Alpacas have a three-chambered stomach; combined with chewing the cud. This gives them the greatest opportunity of nourishment from their food.
Alpaca fleece is a lustrous and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and bears no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic. Without lanolin, it does not repel water. In physical structure, alpaca fiber is somewhat similar to hair, being very glossy. The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the process used for wool.