Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Alpaca Etiquette
Alpacas are gentle and love to have their picture taken. They can spit, but rarely do unless provoked. Luckily, alpacas fire a blank warning volley first.
Do
- Approach slowly and calmly
- Talk in a calm soothing voice
- Keep your hand flat when touching an alpaca and pat with the back of your hand. Grabbing them or their fiber makes them think you are a predator.
- Touch the alpaca on the top of its back, shoulders and side of its neck. Alpacas don't like being touched on their heads.
- Ask the handler what the alpaca prefers- just like people they have personalities with their individual likes and dislikes.
Don't
- Don't touch or feed alpacas without asking.
- Don't touch an alpaca's head, hindquarters, tail, or toes.
- Don't grab or hug an alpaca. grabbing frightens them.
- Don't stand behind an alpaca. Like other livestock, alpacas may reflexively kick if you touch their hindquarters or startle them.