Climate snapshot for alpacas
96/100Alpaca climate comfort score
86°FAverage high, Jul
31°FAverage low, Dec
~18Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~75Frost nights per year
47 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
17Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 96/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 32°F | 8.2 in | 130 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 52°F | 32°F | 7.8 in | 132 · ok | — |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 7.0 in | 131 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 61°F | 37°F | 3.9 in | 132 · ok | grass |
| May | 69°F | 44°F | 2.5 in | 123 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 78°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 114 · ok | — |
| Jul | 86°F | 56°F | 0.1 in | 114 · ok | — |
| Aug | 86°F | 55°F | 0.2 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Sep | 80°F | 51°F | 0.5 in | 119 · ok | — |
| Oct | 69°F | 44°F | 2.5 in | 112 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 56°F | 36°F | 4.8 in | 120 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 48°F | 31°F | 8.4 in | 128 · ok | frost |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: NOAA nClimDiv 1991–2020 county normals.
Alpaca care calendar for Placer County, California
January 50° / 32°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 52° / 32°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 56° / 35°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 61° / 37°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
May 69° / 44°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Secure winter hay: about 17 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 78° / 50°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 86° / 56°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 86° / 55°F
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
September 80° / 51°F
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 69° / 44°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
November 56° / 36°F
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 48° / 31°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: May.
- Best months for crias to be born: Apr–Jun (breed in May–Jul).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: May, Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Jan — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Mar–May, Oct–Nov (about 5 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Selenium levels vary across the state. Test hay or blood before changing supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 80 km (50 miles). Contact them before visiting — opening times change.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca Exotic Imports | shop | 42 mi | — |
| Cusco Alpaca Peru | shop | 47 mi | — |
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a farm that's missing? Add it to OpenStreetMap and it will appear here in the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Placer County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Placer County, California scores 96/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Placer County, California?
Plan shearing for May, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Placer County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Apr–Jun. For births then, breed females in May–Jul (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Placer County, California?
With roughly 7 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 833 lb (378 kg) — around 17 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 39.062, -120.723 · land area 1,407 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.