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.