Alpacas
should be checked daily as a minimum requirement, ideally morning
and evening. Pregnant females will need more regular checking from
10 months of gestation onwards.
Alpacas are gentle animals
who rarely spit at humans unless severely stressed. Confident
handling of your alpacas, in an appropriately sized pen, reduces
the risk of stress for all concerned! Your alpacas will soon learn
to trust you if you handle them well.
Toe nails need to be
trimmed 2-3 times each year.
Teeth should be checked
routinely (over grown teeth can cause feeding problems). Teeth
trimming is usually carried out at shearing time when the alpaca
is restrained. Male alpacas develop fighting teeth at 2-3 years of
age. These are usually removed to reduce the risk of injury to
other males in its company.
Check for any swelling
around the jaw. This could be due to a mouth abscess and if so
will need to be treated by your vet.
Huacaya alpacas need to be
sheared yearly. We can help you organise this.
Alpacas need to be
vaccinated against clostridial disease (a number of products are
available).
As with most animals it is
important that your alpacas are not subjected to an excessive worm
burden. We treat our animals with Dectomax in the spring and in
the autumn. We also do faecal worm counts to monitor the
effectiveness. Some breeders recommend only treating on the
results of worm counts rather than routinely.
Alpacas are also at risk
of liver fluke, especially if grazing on wet ground. We would
recommend that you contact your own vet regarding local risks and
recommended treatment.
Alpacas do tend to hide
illness in order to remain with the herd. If your alpaca is
displaying any kind of abnormal behaviour (and is not about to
give birth) be concerned. If in doubt call your vet sooner rather
than later.
Alpacas are all
individuals and have very different personality traits. We would
highly recommend spending time in the paddock getting to know your
animals, this way problems are spotted quickly. WARNING: spending
time with your alpacas is addictive.
Beck Brow
Huacaya Alpacas For Sale Cumbria ~ Alpaca Fleece And Products Cumbria ~ Alpaca Stud Services Cumbria Pregnant Alpacas For Sale Cumbria ~ Pet Alpacas Cumbria
