We're Off To See Alpacas

 Kingman, AZ   High  86  Low 59

 Alpacas of the Southwest offers tours of their alpaca ranch. We decided we needed to see some more cute animals and set up a tour. They limit the number of people in each tour due to COVID so it was just Jim and I. The ranch is located about 15 miles east of Kingman.

We really didn't know anything about alpacas except they are cute so here are some interesting and fun facts about alpacas.

Did you know that they always poop in the same spot? That's right. They choose a communal dung spot for everyone to use and poop in tidy mounds.

Just like their llama cousins, their average lifespan is 20 years. They are also very clean and do not have a bad smell which is why they are often kept as pets.

Alpacas don't spit unless they get into an argument with another alpaca. They are very quiet and gentle animals and safe for even children to be around.

 

There are only two breeds of alpacas, the huacava and suri. About 90% of alpacas are the huacava breed which makes the suri fleeze much more expensive.

Alpacas cannot live alone. They have really strong herding instincts and need to bond with each other.​

They are vegetarians. A 125 lb alpaca only east 2 lbs of grass or hay per day.​

Alpacas do not have teeth in the top front of their mouths. They have molars in the back and so their chewing is side to side rather than up and down.

 

They also have toes rather than hoofs.

​Historians believe that alpacas were domesticated more than 6,000 years ago by the Incas who raised them for their fleece.

Alpacas have a gestation period of 11 months and usually only have one baby at a time called a cria. Newborns weigh between 10 and 17 pounds.  

This is the newest baby at the ranch and he is about six months old. He didn't want to come visit with us.

Alpaca fleece is like sheep's wool, except warmer and less itchy. Because it lacks the oil lanolin, it's hypoallergenic and doesn't require high temperatures and harsh chemicals during processing. It is water-resistant and will wick away moiture.

 They hum. They hum softly when they're curious, content, worried, bored, distressed, or cautious. When in danger, one of them will let the others know with a staccato alarm call and the rest will join in. When they are ready to mate, the male emits a unique throaty vocalization known as orgling.

At the ranch we were introduced to Ted. I cannot get over how gentle and calm and patient he was. He even laid down (called kushing) which meant he was comfortable having us around. 

We got to feed some of them and their mouths are so soft and gentle. 

 

Ted has also been trained to stand up and eat out of a bowl. 

 They have two Bernese Mountain dogs that are the guardians of the herd. They also have two pigs whose job is to kill snakes.  

 

We really enjoyed our tour. Nothing like cute animals to make your day.  How could you not just love this face.