| Alpaca Of The Finger Lakes Facts |
Alpacas are members of the camel (camel id) family. Alpacas have the
following characteristics: Very fine, soft, dense hollow fiber, with very warm
insulative properties. A fiber that is almost free of guard hair and is "no-itch
fiber". Unlike wool that tends to itch, Alpaca fiber has a feel of cashmere but
lighter and warmer than wool. Alpacas are very gentle and curious animals.
They are social animals and can be pleasantly dependent on humans. With
a little training they become great pets. Alpacas will occasionally spit at each
other when they are competing for food or trying to establish their pecking
order. Alpaca will spit at humans if they are frightened or nervous. The
natural habitat of the alpaca are in the high Andes mountains of South
America. Since 1984 they have also flourished on farms throughout the
United States.
The type of alpaca we have is the huacaya (pronounced wah-key-a).
They have colorful fiber that is extremely fine and gives the alpaca a
woolly and round appearance. The Alpaca enjoys being outside. The
only shelter needed is a three sided structure for protection from harsh
weather.
Alpaca's are grazing animals and need little additional food
supplement.
We also feed our alpacas a mixture of grains and minerals.
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