Care & keeping

What do alpacas eat?

A

Short answer

Mainly grass and grass hay, plus a camelid mineral or small amount of balanced pellet. Treats such as carrots should be small and occasional.

Alpacas are efficient grazers with a three-compartment stomach. A typical adult eats about 1.5-2% of its body weight in dry matter daily — roughly 2-3 lb (1-1.4 kg) of hay.

Provide clean water, a camelid-specific loose mineral, and pasture or hay. Breeding females and crias may need some alfalfa or a camelid pellet for extra protein and minerals.

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