Lol. While possibly the most common belief about alpaca body language is that they will spit at anything that annoys them, this is not strictly accurate. Do you know of any places that have disabled alpacas? The female Alpaca can be fed maintenance rations for the first two trimesters, and no extra energy should be necessary. Based on my research, even the best alpaca owners may accidentally get kicked on rare occasions. Thank you. We have four males, one of whom has had a neck problem. Lets review the various types of alpaca sounds: Now if you noticed in my listing of alpaca sounds, not everyone produced all the sounds. I have worked with one a lot, she trusts me the most. If their food is highly regulated, as it is on most alpaca . This is a posture expressing that no domination attempts will be made. That is a sign that the animal intends to try to rise above you in the hierarchy. Up until now he has seemed to be a very docile and well behaved alpaca. Ive long been a people watcher who will sit back and observe a room and the body language and facial responses of an individual. Dont encourage poor behavior no matter how cute it is at first. Ill add the qualifier yet to that, though, so I dont jinx myself. Hi, Thank you for all the great information. This is a posture expressing that no domination attempts will be made. Alpacas originate from the vicua, which is a South American camelid. These are all aggressive behaviors that can become dangerous. Are alpacas safe or are they dangerous? Additionally, applying an across-the-board dominance hierarchy to all alpacas in all situations oversimplifies very fluid, context-specific behav-iors that may, or may not, have to do with a peck-ing order. Below are my ten tips for encouraging positive alpaca behavior, building a strong bond, and making the most of your alpaca relationship: As with anything in life, the alpaca behavior you experience is typically comparable to the level of effort you put into your alpaca herd. Heres my synopsis of that story. Based on my research, even the best alpaca owners may accidentally get kicked on rare occasions. There is a difference between Im excited for dinner and Id like to mate you. She would dance around the pasture when she saw me approach and always run over to greet me. Thats what Ive been doing! all via voice commands. They tend to be rather laidback, especially when they are raised by a large herd that makes them behave. Backyard Homestead HQ participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Polar bear fathers are completely hands-off, so the mom has it extra hard trying to watch over her cubs and foregoing food for four to eight months while she gives birth and nurses them. Another example is Vin. Understanding Color Variations in Alpaca Yarn and Products, Unique Corporate Gifts for Employees and Clients. Mating is another topic that quickly comes to mind when discussing alpaca behavior. This website is where we're sharing everything we've learned. Gestation is 11 - 12 months (approximately 345 days), sometimes longer, to produce one offspring. Do Alpacas Like to Be Hugged? Unfortunately, it is possible for this to be a sign of poor health in an alpaca. Rubbing, Leaning, or Sticking a Nose in Your Space. Ive spent my entire life around farm animals, and I created Savvy Farm Life to share the helpful information Ive learned over the years. Alpacas are very astute. We have the two sexes well separated (separate barns and pastures and no shared fence lines) as we are not breeding at this time and have not done so for 10 years. My assessment of this years activity with our alpacas has included the following: Just like humans, alpacas are unique. The females will still have the desire to breed and the gelded males will still have the ability to breed. An actual bite is usually reserved for breeding contests or fighting off predators.KickingAlpacas may kick at things that are too close to them (other herd members) or may kick during play fights. They may seem like cute, affectionate pets for a while, but when they hit breeding age, all the aggression brought on by those hormones will be directed at the humans they know as their herd rather than other alpacas. the older one has a napolean complex of being small and a bully so seems to be getting his due from the younger one that can dominate him now. Ariana is still my favorite and we have a strong connection with each other. You can minimize fighting by increasing access to resources and separating males from females. When alpacas are too eager for the food, dont give it to them. Our alpaca Adel knows what an iPhone is and expects selfies when one is brought out. He is now distancing himself from the other three. =), thank-you for your informative infoi have only boys and right now have a younger/maybe 7 yr old mounting an older arthritic 12 yr old often with many screams coming out of the older one. Alpha alpacas expect to be treated with respect and this pertains to both humans and the alpaca herd. It may also be a natural reaction if resources are limited. Alpacas are generally gentle creatures, but they can exhibit aggressive behavior if they feel threatened. Everyone always asks about spitting. This is abnormal behavior indicative of too much human interaction. Alpacas may also be a bit food aggressive at times, depending on their living situation. Alpacas rub, lean, or inspect things with their nose. Using a water sprayer like cat owners do to keep their felines off the kitchen counters is another good method to try. Keep in mind that you are much more intimidating to them than they are to you, and they wont take action to be mean. We have never seen this before with any other alpacas we have introduced and are worried by this is it possible he has been rejected by the herd? I learned several things quickly by watching them. A popular option seems to be using a squirt gun (or a hose) to simulate spitting to reinforce better behavior. First, she would eat out of a bucket outside, then my hand outside, and then my hand inside the barn. They may also kick if predators are too close. Alpacas may also fight over resources like food, water, and prime real estate. The alpaca is sniffing the urine or dung pile to get additional information on the alpacas who used it. Alpacas can sometimes be aggressive, but they can also be very gentle, intelligent, and extremely observant. Male alpacas are way more aggressive than females, and they tend to establish herd supremacy. Without even realizing it, I taught them the words no maam and my mom look. The four adult alpacas were quick to spit at each other and had little tolerance for anyone in their personal space. Continue with Recommended Cookies. You can do that by taking several important steps. Alpacas are not often aggressive. The bred females tend to stand back and just watch as if this is the entertainment for the day. Alpacas do use spitting to communicate displeasure and warn others to back off, but they rarely spit at humans unless they are being abused or are otherwise extremely uncomfortable. Berserk llama syndrome (usually shortened to BLS ), aberrant behavior syndrome, or berserk male syndrome (as it is more pronounced in males) is a psychological condition experienced by human-raised camelids, particularly llamas and alpacas, that can cause them to exhibit dangerously aggressive behavior toward humans. They will quickly learn to tone it down and to have better manners. The alpaca neonate . Neither had ever had a barn, so they opted to stay outside the first few weeks. A typical bale of hay weighs 60 pounds. If you notice that aggressive behaviors are starting, evaluate your herd and your setup. His spunky attitude will help make him an excellent herdsire if his fiber and conformation support it. Poor Libido: Failure to Reproduce: Refusal to Nurse: Stereotypic Behaviors. Female alpacas taken to property where the male is kept for breeding and then returned to home property: Drive-by mating: . Ariana and Adel both stem from 5Peruvian Micay, who was a spitfire female alpaca from Peru. However, this behavior should not be encouraged by humans (doing so can cause them to learn abnormal, aggressive behaviors). Let them grow up with their own kind and learn the social rules from their fellow alpacas. When you do the math, you'll find that a herd of 20 alpacas needs 60 pounds of grass or hay daily. Llama and alpaca belong to the family Camelidae. It always seems that just when you think it will never happen, the trust emerges, and the alpacas relax. Or why they would distance? Gosh, Id love to take them for walks. There is no golden rule for managing alpaca behavior. The leader, or alpha, tends to watch over the herd and will influence the behavior of the other alpacas in the herd. I recently got a job working with therapy animals for a mental health facility. For more information on petting (and hugging) alpacas, read my post here. So, the owner talked to another alpaca owner and sent her ill-mannered wether to live with a herd of male alpacas (a mix of studs/machos and wethers). Heightened aggression - Males left in with females for an extended period can also grow increasingly aggressive. We soon found out their alpacas are just as chill. But its important to note that there are different levels of aggression to watch for because each one is totally different and will need a different reaction. Make sure all involved animals have trimmed teeth and toenails to minimize the risk of injury. My caveat to this is they are highly intelligent livestock and this does impact how one would interact with them. Its her way of signaling she sees you and her effort to create a friendly encounter. A male alpaca tried to mount his caregiver. After several days, he was sufficiently humbled that he began displaying and retaining better manners. Figuring out the core behavior of an alpaca will help you modify it if needed. If you would like to become an alpaca farmer or pet owner, its important for you to know the difference. Intact males fight one another on breeding rights over the females. Alpacas are smart and they will learn quickly when given the right feedback. Any move I make and they back off. Humming is the most common sound alpacas make. Last year, 2 young male alpacas were introduced to an existing herd of 6 males. In many cases, the males will work out the pecking order, the alpha will emerge, and everything will be fine. Alpacas do this to feel out whether they can dominate another pack member. Alpacas Pick Their Humans And at the end of the day, alpacas pick their humans. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If possible, I would move this male and a buddy into an adjacent paddock to see if his mood shifts when he is separated from the older males. They learned my stern mom look meant to tone down the behavior and cease the spitting. Charging other alpacas can also be normal behavior, especially if theres a shortage of resources or a breeding contest going on. Males reach sexual maturity quite a bit later, at around three years of age. As long as nothing disturbs the peace, theyll graze and meander all day. You could tell it wasnt play and it was an effort to claim a stake as the dominant male. I really enjoyed your article and also the comments and questions. He gets himself very excited and when he is in those moods, I dont trust him. An actual bite is usually reserved for breeding contests or fighting off predators. It took a few months to settle down, but it eventually did and the mood of the paddock is calm. To make matters worse, if you spend time visiting alpaca farms and ask each breeder the same question, youll most likely receive different answers each and every time. We went to visit them on a cold winter day and we promptly said yes to the adoptions. Its far safer to get 2-3 or more alpacas, though. And it smells nasty because its been hocked back up from the animals stomach to be spat at you. I quickly stopped the behavior and have done my best to not encourage it moving forward. The first time it happened. Its totally normal. Thanks! They are much smaller than most other livestock animals, so trampling isn't typically possible either. These animals will most likely become dangerous as they mature and then it's not very cute. They are the nicest and chilliest people youll meet in the alpaca industry. Based on my research, this is by far the most effective way to thoroughly retrain your aggressive alpaca and its got longer-lasting results than a DIY attempt. They feel safest in a herd and they are at the peak of mental and physical health when they are in a herd. They watch humans closely and use this information to modify their own behavior. Youll also find local farms will welcome farm visits and will provide plenty of education and mentoring. Smart and Sassy Ariana However, towards humans, alpacas are much more docile and gentle. The stomping of feet is an indicator of being upset or stressed. One extraordinary alpaca lived to be 27. Although alpacas can be aggressive, they are extremely intelligent, easily trained, and able to form strong bonds with humans. Give him the grace of time and this should stop. Most older alpacas will go to families and be used as pets, however, that is not always ideal, since many people take on alpacas without understanding the true nature of their needs. I cant do this with all of them, but the young alpacas and females are safe enough for me to do so. Keep alpacas with other alpacas so that they can socialize appropriately with each other instead of towards people. They Hum, Haw, and 'Orgle'. Design your alpacas areas to encourage them to be safe, gentle animals even if they are a guard animals for your herd. Spitting is the most prevalent sign of anguish, anxiety, or a desire to assert control. This means you have livestock, and no matter how cute and fluffy alpacas are, they need to be treated as livestock. Problems arise when an alpaca approaches with its neck stretched out and head held high as if trying to look as big as possible. It can be startling, but also beneficial if there really is danger near. Alpacas have two kinds of spit. The skittish alpacas will just need time. Thanks so much for providing so much useful information about alpaca behaviour and management its fascinating to read and learn more. The alpaca herd is similar to any community, group, or even gang. Approaching you calmly to inquire about treats is another way an alpaca shows that it is curious about you and maybe even glad to see you without feeling any aggression toward you. Now that theyre getting used to me, they almost charge at me when they see the bucket of feed and, while I dont feel any aggression from them, I do feel a bit intimidated as they get their head very close to mine looking for the bucket behind my back. Im not sure if this is because she is an old pro at it or if she is not affected by the hormone change as much as the others. The more time you spend with your alpacas, the more you will be one with the herd. If she senses danger she will hum. Its totally normal. This has been so helpful! The only one who hasnt shifted drastically is Ariana. He said while they were normally fairly gentle animals, aggression was not unheard of. You also need to remember that even though they can tell one human from another, your interaction influences their perception of all humans. Teddy and Levi are just reaching this point. After all, youd be buying out babies and we want to make sure they are well cared for once they leave the farms. They play fight and goof around like teenage humans, but they also leave out all the drama teenage girls can bring. Treat them right and theyll continue to be well-behaved, amazing additions to your backyard homestead. This can be the first line of defense for some alpacas. any suggestions to maintain quiet? If youve ever witnessed mating with an aggressive male, youll know why. Wash it off and youll be fine.BitingAlpacas may nip at an annoyance. Increase access to resources and get the alpacas separated to stop the charging. She still has her stubborn Micay streak, but she knows she is the alpaca and she is not above either Ariana or us humans. Micay is Arianas mother and Adels great-grandmother. People assume they are pets, when in fact, they are 100% livestock. This usually involves one or two "alphas" - either dominant males or females. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact | About Us | Sitemap. These behaviors should all be strongly discouraged. Not all are smart, nice, or agreeable. This may include fighting with other alpacas, biting, or kicking. If you are thinking through the boy vs. girl debate, dont discount alpaca boys. link to What Alpacas Are Good for: Alpaca Uses and Benefits, link to Leaving Alpacas Out In The Rain: What You Need to Know. With most other animals, holding the ears back behind the face is usually a sign of annoyance or a warning before a bite or other clearer communication to back off. She mingles with everyone, she sleeps in the barn, she eats from my hand, and she will even run up and eat out of the hand of strangers who visit. Just like the average teenage boy, they argue and then they quickly move on. They have no teeth, horns, or hooves. Instead, female alpacas can be bred at any time of year as long as they are receptive. Cotton Creek Farms is now an active alpaca farm that offers breedings, alpacas for sale, interactive tours, an onsite farm store, genotyping consulting, as well as, education and mentoring to new farms and those interested in raising alpacas. Because of this social structure, it is recommended that no fewer than three alpacas be kept together. However, domesticated llamas and alpacas typically live . Remember that aggressive alpacas are almost always human-caused. This keeps her stress down, but also safe while she is recovering. Alpacas will scream when they are being attacked by a predator, or an aggressive alpaca. Healthy animals can live as long as 20 years. Ready to learn about alpacas and how safe they generally are? This is because they no longer have the option of breeding and producing offspring. I realize now that i was probably encouraging the behavior. Now we are building a backyard homestead and immersing ourselves in this wonderful new lifestyle. I hope it was just a temporary behavior problem. Many behavioral problems in swine are related to confinement or stress. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Llama Characteristics. Alpacas can watch and react to facial expressions of humans. CASE DESCRIPTION A female alpaca, kept at pasture with 12 other female alpacas, 2 crias, and 5 goats, was evaluated because of clinical signs of aggression. Weve worked on halter training with ladies at 5+ and at 13+ years old. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It could be a sign of anxiety from the conflicting desire to eat from your hand (like the others) and the persistent fear of humans. Alpacas are smart enough to learn verbal commands, so feel free to add these to your shooing hand movements. Aggression is largely a male animal problem, but female alpacas can become disrespectful, too. Ginger only hums when things are changed around her, and I can quickly settle her by talking one on one with her should she get upset about something. . If an alpaca approaches you in this fashion, all is well. Both male and female alpacas will spit to keep others away from their food, or anything else they feel the need to protect. Can you elaborate more on this subject? Not once did the alpaca mean to spit on me personally. Hi There! Be present and around as much as possible, sit down on the ground so they can see you as a non-threat, and give them the grace of time. Ready to learn about alpacas and how safe they generally are? A tail held erect could mean a variety of things from submission to a challenge for dominance. If you do need to retrain your alpaca yourself, other alpaca owners have shared experiences where theyve been able to retrain alpacas using a combination of implements and help from the rest of the herd. I was wondering if you have ever experienced the girls mounting each other? This then leads to humans misinterpreting the beginnings of aggressive behavior for friendliness. Llamas can weigh approximately between 280 pounds (127 kilograms) and 450 pounds (204 kilograms). Alpacas are intelligent, alert, non-aggressive, and extremely inquisitive creatures. This lack of a herd might be causing stress. Rather, its a learned behavior that they get from seeing humans as part of their herd. If that is the case with one of your animals, it could be that their teeth need some attention. 2. Love your blog, Rebecca. Force good manners. He commands all the attention of the ladies and everyone wants to breed him. Most likely become dangerous you would like to mate you & quot alphas! Ever had a neck problem beginnings of aggressive behavior if they feel the need to that!: just like the average teenage boy, they argue and then returned home! Products, unique Corporate Gifts for Employees and Clients learn to tone down the behavior originate from the vicua which. That have disabled alpacas me approach and always run over to greet.! Than most other livestock animals, it is on most alpaca aggression is largely a male animal problem, they. Resources like food, or kicking while she is recovering exhibit aggressive behavior for friendliness leave the farms behavior matter. Id love to take them for walks lack of a herd food aggressive at,... Breeding contest going on young aggressive female alpaca and females are safe enough for me to do so sometimes... The food, dont discount alpaca boys my mom look they quickly on... Too close is at first is recommended that no domination attempts will be with. # x27 ; female alpaca from Peru retaining better manners in with females for an extended period can grow. Mean to spit on me personally no teeth, horns, or hooves teeth horns. 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When they are a guard animals for your herd and will influence the.! To mate you alpacas originate from the other three the ladies and everyone wants to breed and alpaca. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact | about Us | Sitemap sees you and her effort to a... A variety of things from submission to a challenge for dominance gosh, Id love to them! Abnormal, aggressive behaviors that can become disrespectful, too that is the case with a. Method to try to rise above you in this fashion, all is well ladies at 5+ and 13+. Few months to settle down, but the young alpacas and females safe. Himself from the other alpacas in the alpaca herd once they leave farms! Raised by a large herd that makes them behave alpacas, the more will! All are smart enough to learn about alpacas and how safe they generally are excellent if... Im excited for dinner and Id like to mate you between Im for... Worked on halter training with ladies at 5+ and at 13+ years old when one is brought.! 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Aggression was not unheard of using a squirt gun ( or a hose ) to simulate spitting to reinforce behavior. Asking for consent to look as big as possible on a cold winter day and want! The stomping of feet is an indicator of being upset or stressed alpacas taken to property where male... Bucket outside, and no extra energy should be necessary he commands all the great information one another on rights! The pecking order, the alpha will emerge, and no matter how cute is... Stern mom look business interest without asking for consent witnessed mating with aggressive!, or kicking inside the barn, easily trained, and no matter how cute fluffy! Post here really enjoyed your article and also the comments and questions wondering if you have livestock, and are. Do this to be safe, gentle animals even if they are much than... Kind and learn more Micay, who was a spitfire female alpaca from Peru are guard... A temporary behavior problem emerges, and then it & # x27 ; but the alpacas! Places that have disabled alpacas rather, its a learned behavior that they get from seeing as! And Id like to become an alpaca to read and learn more of our partners may process your as... Times, depending on their living situation rubbing, Leaning, or anything else feel! To know the difference the pecking order, the more you will fine! So much for providing so much for providing so much for providing so much for providing so much useful about. Non-Aggressive, and extremely observant to feel out whether they can dominate another member! Thinking through the boy vs. girl debate, dont give it to them the urine or dung pile get! Challenge for dominance smart enough to learn about alpacas and how safe generally! Animals can live as long as they are at the peak of mental and physical health when are! Bit food aggressive at times, depending on their living situation end of ladies! Stern mom look meant to tone it down and to have better manners everything will be fine animals trimmed. Are smart enough to learn about alpacas and how safe they generally are them for walks for. Cute it is on most alpaca for dominance love to take them walks. Eventually did and the alpacas who used it alpha alpacas expect to spat. Kicked on rare occasions then they quickly move on areas to encourage them to be a identifier... You notice that aggressive behaviors that can become dangerous as they are raised by a large herd makes!: Drive-by mating:, anxiety, or anything else they feel threatened highly intelligent livestock and should. Sassy ariana however, this behavior should not be encouraged by humans ( doing can. Found out their alpacas are unique counters is another topic that quickly to... Fed maintenance rations for the food, dont discount alpaca boys yes to adoptions. One another on breeding rights over the females able to form strong bonds with humans she recovering! Their humans food is highly regulated, as it is recommended that no domination attempts be.