The Alpacas head for the barn at feeding time!

The Alpaca is native to the Andes Mountains of South America. In fact, three of our animals came to us from the country of Bolivia. Alpacas are very non-aggressive animals with above average intelligence and curiosity.  

Alpacas are considerably smaller than their larger relatives, the camel and the llama.  The average adult alpaca weighs between 130 and 160 pounds and stands about 32 to 39 inches high at the withers (front shoulders) and usually cannot quite look an average adult in the eye.

What, me worry? 

The gestation period of a pregnant alpaca is a little over 11 months.  They are often bred back at 21 days after birthing.  A newborn alpaca, called a "cria," usually weighs 12-19 pounds at birth. A newborn cria is usually up on its feet within 1/2 hour of its birth, and is often seen running wobbly laps in the pasture on the second day. The normal cria will gain at least 1/4 to 1/2 pound a day in its early days and we weaned our crias from their mothers at 6 months of age.

Yahoo Alpaca Links

Fireweed Ranch

Alpaca Registry

Alpaca Nation