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Alpaca Facts
FACTS
There are two breed types: the Huacaya and the Suri.
The difference is in the fleece.
Huacaya fleece has a crimp to it. This gives it a fluffy or "Teddy Bear" appearance.
Suris have no crimp in their fleece, so the fiber clings to itself, forming long pencil locks.
Alpacas have no upper teeth. They have lower teeth and an upper dental pad.
They have soft padded feet with two toenails on each foot.
Being ruminants, they chew a cud and have three compartments to their stomachs.
Alpacas are about 36" tall at the withers and weigh between 100-200 pounds.
They can live up to 20 years.
IT'S ABOUT
THE FLEECE
mohair.
It comes in 22 natural colors from white to every shade of brown, black, gray, and rose-grays.
There is no need to dye it.
This fiber is strong, soft and resilient. It has no lanolin, or grease, likes sheep's wool. It does not need cleaning except for dirt, this makes it easier and less expensive to process.
Fiber is sorted by fineness and crimp. Crimp is the regular wave formation found in the locks. The crimp is what makes the fiber resilient and makes garments keep their shape. It is believed that crimp is an indication of fiber density and will have a more dense and higher fiber yield.
Alpacas are herd animals and their social structure requires that they live in the
company of other alpacas. An alpaca will be lonely, and may even sicken and die if taken away to live by itself.
Alpacas can be halter trained and will walk on a lead.
Steve enjoys having his Alpacas rub their faces on his beard!
