Spring Farm Alpacas

The most friendly herd of quality alpacas for sale in Sussex, Surrey, Essex and Kent and possibly the whole UK

  • Home
  • Why Alpacas ?
    • Alpaca Basics
    • Alpaca Fibre
    • Alpaca Husbandry
    • Alpaca Types
    • Alpaca Birthing
    • Toe Nail Trimming
    • Biosecurity
    • Useful Links
    • Testimonials
  • Alpacas for sale
  • Stud Male Alpacas
    • Huacaya Stud Males
    • Suri Stud Males
  • Alpaca Walking
  • Holiday Let
  • Services
    • Agistment
    • Services Backup
    • Facilities Design
    • Photograph Alpacas
  • Gallery
    • Springfarm Images
    • Springfarm Videos
  • Events
    • Workshops
    • Shows
    • Husbandry Days
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
Home » Alpaca Basics

Alpaca Basics

ALPACAS THE BASICS
Huacaya Alpacas

Huacaya alpaca

ALPACA BASICS

Where do alpacas come from?
Alpacas were domesticated in South America about 6,000 years ago. Today, in South America, they are mainly found in Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

Are there more than one type?
There are two types of alpacas – Huacaya and Suri. Huacayas should have both a dense and crimped fleece which is fine and feels very soft to the touch. Suris fleece hangs from the body in narrow pencil locks (looks like dreadlocks). It should be fine, lustrous and have a silky handle – which feels cool to the touch.

How long do alpacas live?
Alpacas have a typical lifespan of about 15 – 20 years. We lost Molly at the age of 27 to old age - we think she was the oldest in the UK when she died in 2020.

How big are they?
Adult alpacas weigh about 70 to 85 kg and stand about 36'' tall at the withers.

Do they get many illnesses?
Alpacas are extremely hardy, but do need vaccinating and worming. Crias are generally vaccinated at one month old, and wormed at six months – when they are weaned.

What do they eat?
They graze and browse, and ideally need access to hay all year round. We give ours a feed supplement once a day which gives them a correct balance of minerals and vitamins.

How many alpacas can you keep per acre?
About 2 to 3 alpacas can be kept per acre depending on the quality of the grass and the time of the year. In certain circumstances a higher stocking density is possible, but obviously it helps to be able to rotate their grazing.

How long is their gestation?
Alpacas have a gestation of about 11.5 months. They give birth to a single cria which generally weighs about 6 to 9 kg. Alpaca crias tend to be born in daylight in the late morning, but are seldom born later than mid-afternoon. They very rarely have twins, but if they do they rarely both survive. Crias are typically weaned at about 6 months.

Are they difficult to breed?
The females are first bred at about 2 years old. They are induced ovulators and therefore can be bred at any time. However, we want the cria to be born in late Spring/early Summer so typically mating occurs between May and July. This is to avoid the colder months as female alpacas do not lick their cria dry. If crias are born during the colder months of the year, they can die of hypothermia. The females are generally re-mated 2 to 6 weeks after the birth. Males become fertile at about 2 to 3 years old.

Do they need special shelter or fencing?
Alpacas benefit from a field shelter to allow them to get out of the rain and the sun but they do not need to be brought in during bad weather and they do not need stabling. Alpacas do not challenge fences and so a 4 foot fence is adequate. Barbed wire should be avoided as should electric fencing.

Do they affect the pasture?
Alpacas are very gentle on the land because their toes have soft pads and therefore do not churn up the ground. They deposit their droppings in middens in only a few sites and therefore cleaning up is easy. Alpaca droppings make incredible fertiliser which doesn't need to be rotted down - you can pick it up and use straight away on your plants!

Can alpacas be kept on their own?
No, alpacas are a herd animal and can become very stressed if kept alone even for short periods (such as travelling). They should be kept in groups of three or more. Alpacas can be run with other animals such as goats and sheep. They are sometimes kept with horses, ponies and donkeys, but should be introduced with care.

Are alpacas easy to handle?
Alpacas are very gentle and easy to handle. They can be halter trained very easily especially when young. We are often asked "do alpacas spit?" Alpacas normally only spit at each other when arguing over personal space or food (or females if they are boys). Think of it as comparable to humans swearing - only occasionally and to emphasise a point. Occasionally, alpacas will kick when being touched on their back legs/end which is normally a response to a perceived predator. Alpacas have lower teeth at the front of the jaw which meet on a hard upper pad. At the back of the jaw, they have molars like us on both top and bottom jaws. In addition, they develop "fighting teeth" which are half way back in the jaw and are used by stud male alpacas for fighting. We round off these teeth in our stud males to prevent them injuring themselves - but this is a vet's job - please don't try this yourself. They don't tend to bite, but sometimes pull at clothing to attract attention!

How often do they need shearing?
We shear our alpacas once a year - both huacayas and suris. On average a fleece will weigh about 3 to 5kg with top quality stud males having fleece weights at the upper end or even above 5kg.

What colours can alpacas be?
There are 22 fleece colours ranging from white to fawns and browns to black, there are also greys and rose greys and multis.

Do alpacas make good pets?
Alpacas make excellent pets. They are intelligent, easily trained and are very gentle with children. They are inquisitive, approaching people who stand and watch them. They will eat out of the hand if time is spent with them, and training to lead by a halter is straightforward (we teach all our alpacas after they are weaned).

Latest Posts

Springfarm Prince Caspian winning Champion Fawn male suri and addionally Champion Fawn suri fleece at the BAS National Show 2025

BAS National Show 2025 Spring Farm results

Spring Farm Alpacas was again a bronze sponsor of the BAS National Show in 2025. … [Read More...]

Heart of England Fleece Show 2024 results

We breed high quality suri alpacas and huacaya alpacas here at Spring Farm. To … [Read More...]

TripAdvisor Travellers’ choice award 2024

TripAdvisor travellers’ choice award 2024 We are very proud to have been … [Read More...]

Shows

There are no upcoming events.

Workshops

  • Alpaca beginners day course

    September 6 @ 10:30 am - 4:30 pm

Open Days

  • Alpaca beginners day course

    September 6 @ 10:30 am - 4:30 pm

Husbandry Days

  • Alpaca beginners day course

    September 6 @ 10:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instagram

Is anyone worried about walking our alpacas in the Is anyone worried about walking our alpacas in these hotter conditions? Well we give the walking team (alpaca/llama) a quick shower before and after the walk. The walk itself is entirely on our own land so we do the introduction in the shade and ensure most of the walk is also in the shade…and offer a little trick we learned about whilst walking on safari in Africa for our 2 legged guests which keeps you cool and thinking - why didn’t I think of that? #springfarmalpacas #alpacawalk #alpacawalking #walkalpacas #outdoors #outdoorlife #outdoorfun #summer #sussex #walksinnature #walkswithfriends #walks
Is that Batman I see before me? Soprano pipistrell Is that Batman I see before me? Soprano pipistrelle bats coming out from a maternity roost yesterday evening. The little gadget is a bat detector so you can hear the bats echo location clicks! #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #bats #batsofinstagram
Room with a view or view with a room…you decide! Room with a view or view with a room…you decide! The Lodge at Spring Farm Alpacas puts you in the middle of a working alpaca farm and is available to rent as a holiday let through AirBnB on a weekly basis. Our farm is within the High Weald AONB and is managed for wildlife - wildflower meadows, ancient woodland. Full details on our website or AirBnB. #springfarmalpacas #HolidayLet #UniqueStays #FarmStay #StaycationUK #CountrysideRetreat #QuirkyAccommodation #RuralRetreat #NatureStay #EcoStay #AlpacaExperience #AlpacaHoliday #AlpacaStay #AlpacaAdventure
Well after a little debate, Lord Farquhar has deci Well after a little debate, Lord Farquhar has decided to call himself Pink Floyd! To meet Pink Floyd and our other baby alpacas you need to book an alpaca walk here at Spring Farm Alpacas. We walk 5 days a week in Summertime. Please see www.alpacawalking.co.uk for details, availability and booking (and gift vouchers)
#springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #AlpacaWalking #AlpacaExperience #WalkWithAlpacas #AlpacaAdventure 
#FarmExperiences #MeetTheAlpacas #AlpacaWalks #CountryEscape 
#FarmDaysOut #AlpacaTime #AlpacaTherapy #FeelGoodFarm 
#SlowDownAndWalk #NatureWalks #FluffyWalks #AnimalEncounters 
#FarmVisit #UnplugAndExplore #AlpacaVibes #FarmFunDay
Firefly and his chums have just been let into a ne Firefly and his chums have just been let into a new field - which calls for a huge wizz around before settling down with mum. Book an alpaca walk to meet Firefly and his chums - but fair warning, you might just fall in love! #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #alpacas #BabyAlpacas #AlpacaFarm #FarmLife #LifeOnTheFarm #AlpacaLove #CountryLiving 
#CuteFarmAnimals #PasturePets #AlpacasOfInstagram #FarmDays #InstaFarm 
#FluffyBabies #RunningFree #AnimalLovers #FarmVibes #SmallFarmLife 
#AlpacaLovers #DailyFluff #FieldJoy #BarnyardBabies #FarmingJoy
To say we are chuffed would be an understatement. To say we are chuffed would be an understatement. Meet Lord Farquhar - a super rare rose gray alpaca. We are doubly pleased as he is the first son of our new stud male - Spring Farm Caesar. #springfarmalpacas #alpacawalking #alpacafarm #cuteness #alpacalife #alpacababy #huacaya #alpacagram #farmlifebestlife #farmlife #countrylife
This is FFFFFerrari - So named because he was zoom This is FFFFFerrari - So named because he was zooming round the paddocks within 2 hours of being born. Heather Huntley has adopted him and they are now best mates! Book an alpaca walk with us and meet them all. #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #CuteAnimals #InstaAnimals #AnimalLovers #DailyFluff #FluffBall #TinyFloof #FloofOfTheDay #InstaCute #Petstagram #alpacawalking #alpaca
The Lodge at Spring Farm Alpacas is a fully equipp The Lodge at Spring Farm Alpacas is a fully equipped luxury holiday let set in the middle of our wildflower meadows and, on a regular basis, in amongst our main birthing paddocks. What’s better than being immersed in birdsong whilst watching baby alpacas and their mums all around you. See www.springfarmalpacas.co.uk for details and link to book via AirBnB #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #UniqueStays #HolidayLet #AirbnbExperience #FarmStay #CountrysideEscape #StaycationUK #NatureRetreat #RuralRetreat #QuirkyStays #AlpacaExperience #AlpacaHoliday #AlpacaStay #StayWithAlpacas #AlpacaAdventure #MeetTheAlpacas #AlpacaLife #InstaAlpaca
#alpacawalking
We are so chuffed to introduce Firefly. A classic We are so chuffed to introduce Firefly. A classic grey huacaya cria - full brother to multi award winning Spring Farm Wizard. Mum is Penelope and dad is Gunsmith. So we now have 5 baby alpacas you can meet if you have booked a walk with us - go to www.alpacawalking.co.uk to see availability and book. #springfarmalpacas #alpacawalking #alpacawalk #alpacafarm #TooCute #CutenessOverload #BabyAnimals #AdorableAnimals #DailyCuteness #FluffyBaby #FuzzyFriends
Meet The Fantastic Mr Fox (Foxy). Born on Thursday Meet The Fantastic Mr Fox (Foxy). Born on Thursday to Betty Boop, Foxy waited till it was cold, wet and windy before deciding to make a break from Mum’s womb! Now running round the fields with Fifi T, HH and one other… #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #alpacawalking #walkalpacas #TooCute #CutenessOverload #BabyAnimals #AdorableAnimals #DailyCuteness #FluffyBaby #FuzzyFriends #alpacababy
And meet Heather Huntley! She is soon off to her l And meet Heather Huntley! She is soon off to her lovely new home with her mum Sambuca. HH hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped since! Best book a walk soon to see her, Fifi T and their 2 friends - more to follow! #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #alpacafarming #BabyAlpaca #AlpacaLove #AlpacaLife #CuteAnimals #FluffyAnimals #AlpacaOfInstagram #InstaAlpaca #AlpacaGram #AlpacaWorld #AlpacaAddict
Fifi T is now 5 days old. The first few days, we h Fifi T is now 5 days old. The first few days, we had to have her and her Mum (Elsa) in our red room. This is a stable where we put down interlocking judo mats to give a soft bouncy surface. To keep her warm, we have heat lamps running on timers all day/night. Now she is getting the hand of the Mum’s milk bar, she only needs a coat if the weather is either cold or wet. It’s been a long 5 days but completely worth it! #springfarmalpacas #alpacawalking #InstaDaily #PhotoOfTheDay #InstaCute #ExplorePage #ViralAnimals #CutenessOverload #DailyDoseOfCute #alpacafarm
Born on Saturday 24th May, little Fifi Trixibelle Born on Saturday 24th May, little Fifi Trixibelle joined us five and a half weeks before she was due to arrive! Baby alpacas are only really viable 6 weeks prior so we have had to bottle feed her every 2/3 hours since. Touch and go at first but she has now discovered Mum’s milk and hopefully sorted from here! By the way, it’s the “F” year for 2025. If you book a walk with us, you will get to meet Fifi T and her 3 compatriots after the walk. Bring your camera! You need to book on www.alpacawalking.co.uk though as we cant cater for walk ins. #springfarmalpacas #alpacawalking #InstaDaily #PhotoOfTheDay #InstaCute #ExplorePage #ViralAnimals #FurryFriday #CutenessOverload #DailyDoseOfCute
Bath day for our baby starlings! They have really Bath day for our baby starlings! They have really suffered over the last few decades (now red listed) but not here - and we are so pleased! Mind you having to fill up the mealworm feeder twice a day wasn’t on the weekend’s plan! #springfarm #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #alpacawalk #alpacawalking #starling #starlings_sanctuary #starlings
I see a little silhouette of an alpaca… Huge tha I see a little silhouette of an alpaca… Huge thank you to Matt, Dan and Marie plus Izzy, Coral, Lara, Emma, Kaitlyn, Nicole, Mary, Tony, Vivien, Simon and Chris. Fab day shearing in advance of the mini heatwave. #springfarmalpacas #alpacafarm #alpacalife #alpacawalk #alpaca #alpacashearing #alpacaworld

Get in Touch

We are always pleased to hear from you and if there is anything we can help you with then please do get in touch:

Spring Farm,
North Hall Lane
Fletching
East Sussex
TN22 3SA

Tel: 01825 790885
or 07776 181811/12

Email: info@springfarmalpacas.co.uk

© 2025 · Spring Farm Alpacas

MENU
  • Home
  • Why Alpacas ?
    • Alpaca Basics
    • Alpaca Fibre
    • Alpaca Husbandry
    • Alpaca Types
    • Alpaca Birthing
    • Toe Nail Trimming
    • Biosecurity
    • Useful Links
    • Testimonials
  • Alpacas for sale
  • Stud Male Alpacas
    • Huacaya Stud Males
    • Suri Stud Males
  • Alpaca Walking
  • Holiday Let
  • Services
    • Agistment
    • Services Backup
    • Facilities Design
    • Photograph Alpacas
  • Gallery
    • Springfarm Images
    • Springfarm Videos
  • Events
    • Workshops
    • Shows
    • Husbandry Days
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us