Llamas and alpacas are unusual pets, but they are becoming more popular with homeowners who have adequate land and time to care for them. These gentle giants are obviously adorable, but they do require a lot of hard work and know-how. Below we share 5 pieces of pet care advice for keeping llamas and alpacas.
1. Outdoor space
Llamas and alpacas need outdoor space that is safe and fenced off. They need enough space to roam and the rule of thumb here is that for every four llamas, you should have an acre of land. Your choice of land is also important as they need to be able to graze. Therefore, if you live in an urban area, keeping llamas and alpacas really isn’t an option unless you have access to somewhere out of town.
2. The importance of specialist vet care
You need to have good links with your vet and they need to be knowledgeable in caring for these type of animals. It’s also important to know that they need regular monthly check-ups as they are prone to parasites. There is obviously a big cost implication for keeping llamas and alpacas, so you should be sure that you have adequate finances to care for them.
3. Stress relief
These animals make great pets as they are fantastic for helping to treat stress. Many individuals choose to keep llamas because they make wonderful therapy pets, especially for children with special needs and individuals with dementia. What’s important to know is that you do need more than one to cater for their own well-being.
4. Diet, fluids and vitamins
Llamas and alpacas forage for food and you need to allow them to do this on your property. You do need to watch their weight as they will eat pretty much anything. Ideally, their foods should consist of 10 to 12 percent protein, so it makes sense to test your grass hay. These animals also need additional minerals, which are easily bought and placed info feeders. Freshwater is also vital to help in the prevention of fungal and bacterial infections.
5. Shelter
These animals do need adequate outdoor shelter to keep them warm and dry. A three-sided shelter should suffice as long as it is deep enough. Alpacas and llamas are conditioned for cold weather, but they will need somewhere to keep them dry and out of the harsh sun.