Alpacas
Brutus
We have 6 gorgeous Huacaya alpacas, Which are all boys.
They are the most therapeutic animals.
Which are all so friendly and have incredible personalities, here is some information of our amazing Alpacas:
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Brutus who was born on 10/07/2012
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Hell-Fire born on 24/05/2012
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Apollo born on 07/08/2013
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Casper born on 04/06/2015
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Czar born 18/06/2014
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Checkmate born 29/08/2015
Alpacas usually would keep guard and chase any foxes away to protect our poultry, I can safely say our boys do not. With us closely monitoring our animal CCTV we have witnessed foxes trying to play with the alpacas and laying down next to them. With their great personalities they always manage to put a huge smile on everyone's faces.
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See below the top 10 things about Alpacas you may not of known along with our boys and their names.
Czar
1. They're ancient
Alpacas were domesticated by the Incas more than 6,000 years ago and raised for their exquisite fleece. Due to its quality and all of its superhero characteristics, alpaca fibre was reserved exclusively for the elite and nobility.
2. They're trendy
In 1984, a small group of importers brought the first of a carefully selected herd to the United States and Canada, and they’ve been dotting the bucolic landscape ever since. The North American herd has grown from a few alpacas in zoos and private farms to about 20,000.
3. They're therapeutic
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When most people think of therapy animals they imagine dogs, but therapy alpacas are growing in popularity at hospitals, healthcare facilities and retirement homes around the world. For example, one couple in Australia has been providing therapy alpacas for 15 years. "They're very sensitive and they're very intuitive animals," alpaca owner Nils Lantzke told The Canberra Times. "We find that after people have a talk and a pat with the alpaca, they become more relaxed and it makes the environment a lot happier for everyone."
4. They grow superlative, hypoallergenic fleece
Alpaca fibre is much like sheep’s wool, but warmer and not itchy. It is lacking in lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic and also allows it to be processed without the need for high temperatures or harsh chemicals in washing.
6. They're water-resistant
Like wool, alpaca fibre is water-resistant, but it can wick away moisture because of its unique ability to mimic cotton in moisture regain. These attributes are what make alpaca feel lighter than wool but warmer than cotton in cool and damp climates.
7. They come in a rainbow of hues
Alpaca fibre comes in 22 colours and hundreds of shades, from white to light rose grey to dark fawn.
Hell-Fire
Casper
8. There are two types of alpacas in this world...
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Alpacas come in two types: Suri and the huacaya. The suri has fibre that grows long and forms silky dreadlocks. The huacaya has a wooly, dense, crimped fleece — like a teddy bear — giving it a very wooly appearance. About 90 percent of all alpacas in North America are huacayas.
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Which one do you think our Alpacas are??
9. They share a bathroom
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Alpacas use a communal dung pile (where they do not graze, thankfully). Because of their predisposition for using a dung pile, some alpacas have been successfully house-trained.
Checkmate
Apollo
10. They hum and haw ... and orgle
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Humming is the most common sound that alpacas make. Alpacas hum when they are curious, content, worried, bored, fearful, distressed or cautious. When startled or in danger, a staccato braying is started by one animal, then followed by the rest of the herd in the direction of the potential threat. During breeding, the male alpaca Romeo emits a unique throaty vocalisation called “orgling.”