The first two days decide a lot in a cria’s life. Your job is mostly to watch — making sure the cria stays warm, stands, nurses and gets colostrum — and to step in quickly if it doesn’t.
The first hours: milestones
| Milestone | Normal timing |
|---|---|
| Breathing, lifting head | immediately |
| Standing | within about 1 hour |
| Nursing | within 4 hours (many in 1–2) |
| First feces (meconium) | within about 24 hours |
| Normal temperature | 100–102.2°F (37.8–39°C) |
Colostrum and immunity
Crias are born with no antibodies. They absorb them from colostrum in the first 12–24 hours; after that the gut closes. A cria that misses colostrum faces failure of passive transfer and life-threatening infections.
- Watch for real nursing: the cria’s tail lifts and it suckles in bouts with swallowing.
- Strip the wax plugs from the dam’s teats if the cria seems frustrated.
- If the cria hasn’t nursed by 4–6 hours, give thawed colostrum by bottle and call your vet.
- Ask your vet to test IgG at 24–48 hours.
Navel and warmth
- Dip the navel soon after birth (and again in 12 hours) to prevent navel ill.
- Alpacas don’t lick crias dry. In cold or wet weather, towel-dry and use a cria coat.
- Check temperature in the first hours; a cold cria must be warmed before it can nurse. See hypothermia & weak cria.
Weigh daily
Weigh the cria daily at the same time for the first 2 weeks, then weekly.
- A small loss in the first day or two is normal.
- After day 3, crias should gain roughly 0.25–0.5 lb (110–225 g) per day.
- Any loss after day 3, or no gain for two days, needs attention — check the dam’s milk and talk to your vet.
Track progress with the cria growth tracker.
Warning signs
Call your vet if a cria: isn’t nursing by 4–6 hours, is cold or weak, has diarrhea, breathes with its mouth open or milk comes from its nose, has a swollen navel or joints, or stops gaining weight. See cria not nursing.
Weeks 2 to 6 months
- Crias start nibbling hay and pellets within a few weeks — provide creep feed they can reach but adults can’t.
- First CDT vaccine around 2–3 months with a booster; see vaccinations.
- Fecal egg counts from about 6–8 weeks; watch for coccidiosis.
- Vitamin D in autumn and winter in northern regions to prevent rickets.
- Handle gently, but don’t over-handle male crias — see berserk male syndrome.
- Wean at about 6 months — see weaning.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a cria nurse? Until weaning at about 6 months, though they eat hay from a few weeks old.
What if the mother rejects her cria? Keep them together in a small pen, help the cria nurse while holding the dam, and supplement by bottle if needed. See bottle-feeding crias.
Keep reading
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.