Why do you want to keep alpacas?
| You are strongly recommended to purchase alpacas from owners who are registered with the BAS. All members adhere to the Society's Code of Conduct for the Sale of Alpacas. |
If you are interested in the idea of keeping alpacas, it is important to talk to as many owners and breeders as possible.
- Visit people who have alpacas to get experience in handling and how to position fencing to make moving the alpacas easier.
- Attend shows and listen to the judge's comments about good and less good alpacas to learn how to select your herd.
- Local BAS alpaca groups provide an excellent way of meeting other owners and gaining basic handling and welfare information.
- The BAS has a registry of alpacas which are all microchipped and tagged for identification.
Having gathered lots of information, you can then decide if you are going to breed alpacas, or own a group of them for pleasure and the fibre.
If you intend to breed, your herd should comprise of the best quality females you can afford and possibly a stud male. Alternatively, stud services can be purchased from other breeders. If you do not wish to breed, the cheapest way to set up your herd is by purchasing castrated males.
Alpacas are such wonderful animals that once you own some you will never look back.
