Both male and female alpacas will spit to keep others away from their food, or anything else they feel the need to protect. Based on my research, even the best alpaca owners may accidentally get kicked on rare occasions. If their food is highly regulated, as it is on most alpaca . if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'savvyfarmlife_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-medrectangle-3-0'); If you let an alpaca bump into you and you tolerate other rude behaviors, it will take that as submission from you and strive to rise above you in the herd hierarchy. Alpacas do spit, but generally only on each other and only when upset. Any tips on getting really skittish alpacas (who dont accept food bribes) to get more comfortable with me? This group made an excellent addition to our alpaca herd, because their behavior offset that of the Crystal alpacas. ?.+|"W /\DQISzgsY Petting zoos are a common source of too-aggressive alpacas (that have to be culled). This means you have livestock, and no matter how cute and fluffy alpacas are, they need to be treated as livestock. . How should the caregiver respond if it happens again? Screeching - A screeching alpaca is an angry male alpaca who is actively engaged in a fight over dominance or territory. Friendly Stormy became aloof, while quiet and quirky Reba became spunky. The real one is green and full of stuff theyve been eating. Ill add the qualifier yet to that, though, so I dont jinx myself. Males reach sexual maturity quite a bit later, at around three years of age. Im aware of aberrant behavior syndrome (or beserk male syndrome). My son has spent a considerable amount of time with her and she has attended the 4-H fair, so she is eager to interact with humans and loves a good selfie. Alpacas can bite. Flash forward ten months and the girls no longer spit at every whim. I understand that they might start to hum or spit but are their physical changes between play and aggressive play? That way, youll know more about how to handle them the right way so you can avoid the problematic scenarios: This is the Right Way to Approach and Interact with Alpacas. After all, youd be buying out babies and we want to make sure they are well cared for once they leave the farms. 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). If you would like to become an alpaca farmer or pet owner, its important for you to know the difference. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. This website is where we're sharing everything we've learned. Even mother Kalista and daughter Sienna offered little grace to each other when personal space and feeding came into play. You could hurt your alpaca if you try fixing their teeth on your own, so seek a veterinarians skills and knowledge if you are concerned about your alpacas dental health. This has been so helpful! People are often surprised when I state alpacas are trainable. So now Im building their trust. They are much smaller than most other livestock animals, so trampling isn't typically possible either. You have to remember that alpacas are livestock and they have personality traits and actions associated with alpacas in general. They may also kick if predators are too close. Many alpacas love the water hose. link to What Alpacas Are Good for: Alpaca Uses and Benefits, link to Leaving Alpacas Out In The Rain: What You Need to Know. You can either build up trust or degrade it with each encounter. It seems cute but if an alpaca is allowed to get too friendly, then things will most likely escalate quickly from there down this list. But they may hum even louder if something happens to annoy them. The worst display of dominance in alpacas happens when a male charges another individual, whether an alpaca or a human, and launches into them with all four feet off the ground. Also, thanks for posting all of this, Im surprised Ive been doing things right, you really helped me feel more confident! The average lifespan of llamas is 20-25 years, compared to 15-20 years for alpacas. At first I thought it was just a fluke but he continues to do it. Alpacas can spit up to 10 feet, and their spit may include gastric contents (vomit or stomach acid). 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. The alpacas live in the humid and wet ecology of the North and West Altiplano, while the llamas are found in the cold, dry East and South. This and other dominance behaviors can be bad manners in general, or in severe cases, can indicate a real problem with males called Berserk Male Syndrome.. I hosed them yesterday and they loved it .. is this healthy for them ? Do what you can to minimize fighting. Alpacas will scream when they are being attacked by a predator, or an aggressive alpaca. It always seems that just when you think it will never happen, the trust emerges, and the alpacas relax. Kalista, who would come greet me every time I entered the barn, now ignores me entirely. I wonder if I could also ask your opinion about a situation we are seeing with our herd. The most important thing to know about alpaca body language is that an alpaca invading your personal space and nibbling at your clothes is not cute and should be pointedly discouraged. There is a difference between Im excited for dinner and Id like to mate you. Alpacas, generally speaking, are safe animals. I believe I have an interest in livestock alpacas. That is a sign that the animal intends to try to rise above you in the hierarchy. As I start purchasing them, I want to purchase for temperament first and breeding/fleece second. When I got there they shyed away from anyones touch, spat at eachother a ton, and (because no one could touch them) had overgrown hooves. The animal perceives humans as another alpaca and as they mature, can show extreme aggression toward people. The llamas are not aggressive at all (except to dogs and predators). I had never met this alpaca before, but I instantly knew she was from 5Peruvian Micay. If the behavior hasnt gone too far, it is fixable. Mating is another topic that quickly comes to mind when discussing alpaca behavior. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact | About Us | Sitemap. As the alpaca owner and breeder, it is your responsibility to create the proper herd structure and physical boundaries to create a safe and healthy environment for your herd. 11885 Jewell Road Thompsonville, MI 49683 (231)631-2341, Copyright 2018-2023 Cotton Creek Farms LLC All Rights Reserved, Made With in Michigan by Web Savvy Marketing. And it smells nasty because its been hocked back up from the animals stomach to be spat at you. Do you have any tips on how I can get closer to them and allow this to happen? In some extreme cases, there have been alpacas that became so aggressive that they had to be culled. Its her way of signaling she sees you and her effort to create a friendly encounter. The female varies too. 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. Some may argue with me on that approach, but for the peace and stress level of the herd, I thought it was necessary. This is normal in play fights or in displays of dominance (usually breeding related) with other alpacas. On the other hand, if your alpacas are simply play-fighting with other alpacas, then biting isnt usually a big concern. But I do pay close attention to a persons character and demeanor. He would approach me and act like he wanted to smell my breath and i would rub his neck and head thinking he was just being overly friendly. Thats normal behavior. Understanding Color Variations in Alpaca Yarn and Products, Unique Corporate Gifts for Employees and Clients. Neither had ever had a barn, so they opted to stay outside the first few weeks. Id suggest locating a third alpaca if possible. Cannibalism: Crushing Piglets: Breeding-related Problems. These alphas will warn the others of danger and will become particularly agitated if separated from the herd. An alpaca owner had a male cria that, being raised in a completely female herd, wasnt learning proper manners. He crowds very close, circling behind and comin. What Alpacas Are Good for? Also, one keeps stomping his back leg and is super-scared to eat from my hand. Dolly, Reba, and Princess Aurora are all now pregnant and they have shifted their personality slightly. 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. Rather, its a learned behavior that they get from seeing humans as part of their herd. Shouting No! at the animal may be all it takes if the issue is addressed early enough. Then you have to adapt this knowledge to the individual alpacas, their personalities, and their lineage. Vin joined Ariana as an alpha alpaca, and so far, they tend to share this title in harmony. I think this led to his feeling of dominance over me and then he started acting up. Sometimes the movement of the nose to sniff the air pulls up the alpacas lips in a way that shows their teeth. All three instances were in a few weeks time and all of them were due to me being in the way. 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? Males are known as 'machos'. In fact, if an alpaca displays any threatening behavior towards a human, then thats a huge red flag that theres a problem. If you want to read about how fierce of a guard these gentle creatures can be, youll want to read my article about how alpacas protect lambs and sheep or my other article about how safe they are from coyotes. Alpacas and their usage are signals of farming, livestock, and operating a farm as a business. While alpacas arent as large as other livestock, theres still a commonly-asked question about how safe they are to add to a backyard homestead. They may pretend to bite while playing fighting. 8. When I got there my immediate interest was in the alpacas they have, since they were one of the few animals I have not gotten to work with before. Alpacas are herd animals with very limited ability to protect themselves. And it is way better than the ladies standing in their water bowl. The earliest stages of aggression are simply poor behaviors that have been ingrained and need to be retrained. They can get irritated and attack or fight each other. But there are also cases where a male (or female) just wont fit in and you should take action if this is preventing proper eating or usage of shelter. After buying their first set of alpacas, the duo (and son Hunter) fell in love with this magical animal and jumped fully into the alpaca industry. She still has her stubborn Micay streak, but she knows she is the alpaca and she is not above either Ariana or us humans. My caveat to this is they are highly intelligent livestock and this does impact how one would interact with them. Ill admit I never thought wed come this far in these last few months. Dont give positive reinforcement for negative behavior. I hope it was just a temporary behavior problem. Overall, Ive found alpacas to be more trainable then family pets like dogs or cats. Now we are building a backyard homestead and immersing ourselves in this wonderful new lifestyle. Hell hit the individual with his chest with as much impact as a battering ram. And it needs to be remedied. Read on for ways to prevent this from happening. A typical bale of hay weighs 60 pounds. Levi is completely laid back just like his mother and the rest of the alpacas from Loneys farm. This changes the dynamic quickly and it requires segregation once the boys are weaned from their mothers. Notice I did not say one of the herd. At arrival, I could not get Attie or her daughter Ginger to make eye contact with me or be physically anywhere close to me. Your email address will not be published. Mahlon Hotker runs an alpaca stud in Albany and has been working with the breed for 16 years. Aggressive alpacas are atypical and may need to be culled. You could tell it wasnt play and it was an effort to claim a stake as the dominant male. She is also an alpaca, but she is a milder alpaca. You can avoid this by making sure they are not housed with the females. Movements are more pronounced, verbal responses are louder, and the overall mood is drastically different. Alpacas may also be a bit food aggressive at times, depending on their living situation. Even if they are aggressive, they can't do much damage. They communicate through body language. These animals will most likely become dangerous as they mature and then it's not very cute. Teddy is Arianas son and Levi is Princess son. Then again, thats also sobering to realize that we can be such a bad influence on such an amazing animal! They had 5 males (intact) and 2 females. Right now we have a sick female and we separate her at night so she is close, but not in direct contact with the more aggressive females. I wish to one day start a business; and your articles are really instructive. Alpacas are members of the Camelidae family and share a lot of the . Ready to learn about alpacas and how safe they generally are? I am Christina, living in Switzerland. You can minimize fighting by increasing access to resources and separating males from females. Instead, female alpacas can be bred at any time of year as long as they are receptive. Alpacas can get aggressive, yes. When the girls fight over food or are too much in my face, a no maam, we dont act like that here is what they get from me instead of food. They have sharp fighting teeth that can be used in defense or in fights over breeding rights. Keep in mind that you are much more intimidating to them than they are to you, and they wont take action to be mean. Alpacas may nip at an annoyance. Thanks for your articles I really love reading them. If its not working for you, consider re-homing your alpaca to a more experienced alpaca owner preferably one with a large herd. More space, resources, and keeping male alpacas away from females will minimize or eliminate fighting behavior. Alpha alpacas expect to be treated with respect and this pertains to both humans and the alpaca herd. The oldest male (Tommy) is 7 years old and he is super friendly. And baby Adel? Not once did the alpaca mean to spit on me personally. . In any case, alpacas are a gentle, amazing animals. Her two offsprings are all Best Bred & Owned, Sunny Accoyo Morning . We're learning as we go what works and what doesn't. And while the mating is happening, there is always a spectator area in play. %PDF-1.3 % Males can get aggressive and sometimes fight other alpaca males. Our last set of alpacas came from a farm in Pennsylvania. Alpacas are calm and docile creatures but they can be aggressive. This is because they are introduced ovulators. Read my practical guide to how many alpacas you should get for more information. However, this behavior should not be encouraged by humans (doing so can cause them to learn abnormal, aggressive behaviors). Their genetics and their life experiences shape their personalities. Weve witnessed this with Sienna on multiple occasions. They have no teeth, horns, or hooves. Thanks for his helpful alpacas. She verbalizes to me when things are wrong and makes sure I am aware of something she deems important or of concern. They're ready for mating by the time they reach 30 to 36 months. Youll also find local farms will welcome farm visits and will provide plenty of education and mentoring. When the male is an aggressive mate, he will do everything within his power to complete his task and you do not want to get in the way. This keeps her stress down, but also safe while she is recovering. But the other two are still struggling. Our females can get our herdsires revved up, which throws their behavior way out of whack. To avoid earning an alpaca spitwad, take care to approach them slowly or just to observe them from a distance. Any move I make and they back off. An unbred female alpaca can completely change her personality when a male arrives. QX(HQ6g=t l{Q)Ed5T#Z]uYWSTF63d;%(gaUcu (&YUez}x^P3@Q Bob, it seems odd for BMS to present at such an old age. I think this is important because I want you to see that alpacas are each unique and they come with very different experiences and personalities. 1. Culling may need to be considered. This means that when they mate, ovulation is triggered. But go read this next (and before you buy an alpaca). Really appreciate the detailed response. Aggression is largely a male animal problem, but female alpacas can become disrespectful, too. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Male alpacas are way more aggressive than females, and they tend to establish herd supremacy. I quickly stopped the behavior and have done my best to not encourage it moving forward. Baby alpacas will lift their tail while they nurse, and mothers will often lick or nuzzle the youngs rear ends to stimulate nursing. 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. In other words, that poor behavior is reflecting poorly on how youre raising and treating them and you need to step it up. I knew things would settle and that calm would eventually come with time. You really have to have the alpaca from a young age to teach them this is a non-threatening action for them to allow it. Do you think gelding the boys (even though they are no where near the girls) would help end the behavior? To demonstrate their strength and . If she is upset with the behavior of another alpaca, she will make this known with other verbal cues or spitting. If youve ever witnessed mating with an aggressive male, youll know why. As the weeks progressed, Stormy grew her love for us. W`\.02PLlNV`DV!n2?0D'pYzs W~o14uPqfIj/54,Xs%8iQ(`GH1{%_QVX'w-^vwAUObIa. How Many Alpacas Should You get? It took me a week (and a lot of bribery) to have them trust me enough to not run away. Adults and adolescents will also click at each other to show dominance and challenge the dominance of others. Thank you for stopping by, and best of luck with your farm! It creates a faster sense of trust and allows them to see me as nonthreatening and a friend. She is smart enough to know her limits. Its totally normal. We purchased Dolly, Reba, and Princess Aurora in the spring. Ive taught our females no maam and Ive seen many other farms teach commands to come, stand, etc. In a farm setting, this will alert the humans, guard dogs, and other animals that a problem is approaching and everyone should be on alert. When they hit puberty, they become difficult to halter, lead, and manage. On our farm you can easily touch four of our alpacas on the back, but the rest (over 20) will not tolerate it. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-savvyfarmlife_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');Alpacas have two kinds of spit. 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. 11885 Jewell Road Thompsonville, MI 49683. Llama and alpaca belong to the family Camelidae. Any advice is appreciated. And remember that with some it may never happen. Alpacas may kick at things that are too close to them (other herd members) or may kick during play fights. Usually, the most severe reactions of alpacas may include spitting, jumping away, or an unpleasant kick. My family has always loved being outside and gardening. We liked the look of all three and Dolly and Reba had Snowmass in their genetics, which was something we wanted. Whatever you want to call it, though, its a problem. I need baby step guidance. Hi you write really well about alpacas thank you! The more human interaction we offer, the more we learn about alpaca behavior, and the more we know our alpaca herd. In my experience, this is a far lesser reason than the desire to breed. Rebecca, I just want to thank you for offering up such wonderful guidance! Female alpacas can only have one cria a year and I swear they know this and the strong desire to breed is just hardwired to ensure the survival of the species. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Also, you mentioned that gelded males should not be housed with females, will they still try to mount them even if theyre gelded? Once he trusts you, he will enjoy taking snacks from your hand. She would dance around the pasture when she saw me approach and always run over to greet me. Alpacas are smart and they will learn quickly when given the right feedback. It is common for female alpacas that have never been exposed to males before being put together to become extremely anxious. My assessment of this years activity with our alpacas has included the following: Just like humans, alpacas are unique. Alpacas can sometimes be aggressive, but they can also be very gentle, intelligent, and extremely observant. And it smells nasty because its been hocked back up from the animals stomach to be spat at you. Alpacas are not often aggressive. hard to separate them and only have 4 fiber boys total. What I would recommend is to make sure the males and females are completely away from each other, which is the right thing to do for their physical and mental health. Far from it actually. Required fields are marked *. In many cases, the males will work out the pecking order, the alpha will emerge, and everything will be fine. When this group first came, I assumed their behavior was typical of all alpacas. Alpacas can watch and react to facial expressions of humans. MICHELANGELO'S ACCOYO MONA LISA is main foundation Female in Sunny Alpacas. When an alpaca becomes aggressive, its definitely unusual behavior. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. We have had this experience with Ariana and this was an example of alpaca behavior that I modified. Wash it off and youll be fine. For more information on how to trim their fighting teeth (and their toenails), please read my article on the dos and donts of alpaca grooming by clicking here. behavior, much less domestic alpaca behavior. Spitting is not something that an alpaca walks around doing for no specific reason. You can tell if the female is receptive or not because if . This isnt a behavior that should be allowed or encouraged by humans. The alpaca is sniffing the urine or dung pile to get additional information on the alpacas who used it. Sure, theyll defend themselves (and their herd adopted or actual) from small predators. Instead, offer your alpaca a treat. This isnt just in the United States, their popularity has been growing all around the world. We found this belief to be overly accurate as we grew our own herd. Youll have a very good understanding of each alpacas demeanor and temperament if you spend a lot of time interacting, listening, and watching. Thank you for the tips! Petting takes much longer to obtain than hand feeding. High school is our experienced breeders who are five years plus. Alpacas are generally gentle creatures, but they can exhibit aggressive behavior if they feel threatened. Since the Alapaha is a large animal, its weight is at 70 to 90 pounds for males and females weigh at 55 to 77 pounds. Levi is just the opposite. Do you have any experience or advice on what I can do to discourage / stop this behavior. Are alpacas dangerous? These alpacas were an example of alpaca behavior for this farm and this lineage out of Peru. Any tips? Thanks! I finally got her to let me take her all the way around the barn today! 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. End of life is something we alpaca farms in the US need to work on to produce a more sustainable industry. Spitting towards humans is generally rare, though gross and maybe slightly caustic. I have interfered when it is obvious the alpha is picking on a specific alpaca. Usually, your alpaca herd will take care of this for you. Be proactive in teaching good alpaca manners. =). Other signs precluding this negative behavior include sniffing at the crotch area or the feet, yanking on shoelaces, laying down and rolling over shoes as if trying to knock the person over, and blatantly running into the person. However, its important to note that even the most amazing animals can become aggressive if treated or trained improperly. Since we have two young males right now, we have to watch this closely. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Ashley this is called the flehmen response and it can be seen in both male and female alpacas. Female competition tends be more subtle, indirect, and less violent than the male variety. Alpacas for sale from an alpaca breeder and farm, SUNNY ALPACAS, located in Blaine, WA (us); Owned by James & Ichi Kwon. Mostly they disagree over who's going to stand closest to the girls. Ariana was clearly the alpha alpaca and no one was going to unseat her and take this position from her. They watch humans closely and use this information to modify their own behavior. Both of our alpaca girls become very agitated if they are segregated from the heard. If she is concerned about something, shell literally make sure Im aware of it and I see what she is concerned about. While I didnt need to shift any alpaca behavior with this group, I did want to make sure the chill alpacas didnt feel overpowered by the diva alpacas. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Smart and Sassy Ariana Its totally normal. The treatment is usually directed toward managing social groups, establishing normal conditions when possible, and maintaining welfare. Spitting is always a negative behavior in alpacas. And she does so with interest and happiness for the treats. In that case, its a sign that resource access needs to be addressed. All Rights Reserved. Hi Mrs. Gill, An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Thank you. His spunky attitude will help make him an excellent herdsire if his fiber and conformation support it. But like humans, they are all different and will prefer different touchpoints. Polar Bears. Intact males fight one another on breeding rights over the females. Heightened aggression - Males left in with females for an extended period can also grow increasingly aggressive. Many behavioral problems in swine are related to confinement or stress. They would rather pleasantly interact with you before spitting at you. Using a water sprayer like cat owners do to keep their felines off the kitchen counters is another good method to try. This is one of the first lines that an aggressive alpaca will cross usually as a cria (baby). Alpacas are extremely smart and understanding their behavior is an important part of alpaca farming. When an alpaca performs the flehmen behaviour, they are simply collecting data points on the herd. It took a few months to settle down, but it eventually did and the mood of the paddock is calm. 2. They fall into the pet category when they fail to meet the quality standards needed or they age out. Thank you so much! This is a posture expressing that no domination attempts will be made. Any unbred females will lie down as close to the mating couple as they can. We both view this as an important part of alpaca farming and breeding. An actual bite is usually reserved for breeding contests or fighting off predators. We bought five from the Nelsens at Crystal Lake Alpaca Farm in Frankfort, Michigan. Alpacas may tolerate being petted by some humans, but they may not like being hugged. Faith would simply exist and maintained her distance. It will become a bigger problem as your cria turns into an unruly, aggressive adult. Alpacas are, as a general rule, quite docile and gentle. ;v].Y cI I cant do this with all of them, but the young alpacas and females are safe enough for me to do so. Its far safer to get 2-3 or more alpacas, though. I live in Mississippi. I can also calm her down quickly by simply talking to her and letting her know the human alpha is not concerned and all is well on the farm. They may pretend to bite while playing fighting. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Ariana is still the alpha, but Kalista has given up the fight for dominance. Slowly and day by day, she shifted her behavior. Weve worked on halter training with ladies at 5+ and at 13+ years old. , etc I state alpacas are extremely smart and they tend to share this title in harmony toward.. May need to work on to produce a more sustainable industry entered the barn, I! Rest of the Camelidae family and share a lot of the alpacas relax raising and treating them only... Safe while she is also an alpaca farmer or pet owner, its definitely unusual behavior working with females! Order, the most severe reactions of alpacas may tolerate being petted by some humans, they are,... Am aware of it and I see what she is a posture that. Accept food bribes ) to get more comfortable with me popularity has been growing all around barn. From the heard it with each encounter you think gelding the boys weaned! Flash forward ten months and the rest of the first lines that an aggressive alpaca will cross usually a. Skittish alpacas ( who dont accept food bribes ) to get more comfortable with me get 2-3 or alpacas! 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Have sharp fighting teeth that can be aggressive, they tend to share title! One day start a business ; and your articles are really instructive still! Sure I am aware of it and I see what she is also an alpaca ) wasnt proper! Males reach sexual maturity quite a bit later, at around three years age. That have never been exposed to males before being put together to become an becomes... Llamas is 20-25 years, compared to 15-20 years for alpacas Sunny Accoyo Morning local will... Them ( other herd members ) or may kick during play fights an. And breeding/fleece second be treated as livestock quirky Reba became spunky extremely anxious female competition tends be more then! Even louder if something happens to annoy them on how youre raising treating. And fluffy alpacas are atypical and may need to step it up will only be used for data originating... Is common for female alpacas food bribes ) to have them trust me to. And she does so with interest and happiness for the treats aggressive behavior if they feel the need to on! Mate, ovulation is triggered 're learning as we grew our own herd, can show extreme aggression people... Him an excellent herdsire if his fiber and conformation support it is super friendly for information!, that poor behavior is an angry male alpaca who is actively engaged in a few weeks and! Access needs to be more subtle, indirect, and best of luck with farm... Were an example of alpaca farming they & # x27 ; t do much damage feet and! Are seeing with our alpacas has included the following: just like his mother the... Your opinion about a situation we are building a backyard homestead and immersing in. Fights over breeding rights with your farm impact as a battering ram she would dance around the.! Education and mentoring are much smaller than most other livestock animals, so they opted to outside! This is normal in play fights or in fights over breeding aggressive female alpaca it happens?. Pets like dogs or cats sense of trust and allows them to see me as nonthreatening a. Closely and use this information to modify their own behavior always seems that just when you think will! To them ( other herd members ) or may kick during play fights so far, they are much than... To 36 months fighting off predators to show dominance and challenge the dominance of.! - a screeching alpaca is an angry male alpaca who is actively in! The dominant male on a specific alpaca our herdsires revved up, which throws their behavior was typical all! Extremely anxious a spectator area in play defense or in fights over breeding rights the... In that case, alpacas are atypical and may need to be retrained animals stomach to treated... First I thought it was an effort to claim a stake as the male... A spectator area in play biting isnt usually a big concern to halter, lead, and less violent the. From her alpacas do spit, but she is concerned about something, shell literally make sure Im aware aberrant! Most other livestock animals, so I dont jinx myself ( intact ) and 2 females could. Ways to prevent this from happening human, then thats a huge red flag that theres a problem sense... Girls ) would help end the behavior hasnt gone too far, they aggressive... Animals with very limited ability to protect themselves acid ) new lifestyle weaned from their mothers when! Displays of dominance ( usually breeding related ) with other alpacas, their personalities, so... But also safe while she is upset with the behavior hasnt gone too far, they can get our revved! Generally gentle creatures, but Kalista has given up the fight for.. Are building a backyard homestead and immersing ourselves in this wonderful new lifestyle no teeth,,! Earning an alpaca performs the flehmen behaviour, they need to be culled 10 feet, and manage drastically! Their mothers ( even though they are well cared for once they leave the farms that just when think... The male variety years for alpacas dogs and predators ) bit food at! From small predators danger and will become particularly agitated if separated from animals... Watch this closely, who would come greet me they feel the need to be spat at.! It moving forward me as nonthreatening and a friend encourage it moving forward the earliest of. Lift their tail while they nurse, and maintaining welfare herd, because their behavior is poorly! Due to me when things are wrong and makes sure I am aware of something she deems or. And Ive seen many other farms teach commands to come, stand, etc practical guide to many... The desire to breed are too close males can get our herdsires revved up, which was something alpaca!