Climate snapshot for alpacas
96/100Alpaca climate comfort score
78°FAverage high, Aug
40°FAverage low, Dec
~2Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~16Frost nights per year
34 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
13Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (8 months of grass growth)
- 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 | 60°F | 41°F | 7.0 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 60°F | 41°F | 6.5 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 63°F | 42°F | 5.0 in | 139 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 66°F | 44°F | 2.3 in | 137 · ok | worms, grass |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 0.9 in | 123 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 74°F | 50°F | 0.2 in | 110 · ok | — |
| Jul | 77°F | 54°F | 0.0 in | 105 · ok | — |
| Aug | 78°F | 54°F | 0.0 in | 110 · ok | — |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 0.1 in | 116 · ok | — |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 1.4 in | 116 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 65°F | 43°F | 3.4 in | 128 · ok | worms, grass |
| Dec | 59°F | 40°F | 6.8 in | 139 · ok | grass |
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 Santa Cruz County, California
January 60° / 41°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 60° / 41°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).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 63° / 42°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 66° / 44°F
- 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).
May 70° / 47°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Secure winter hay: about 13 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 74° / 50°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 77° / 54°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 78° / 54°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
September 78° / 53°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 73° / 49°F
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 65° / 43°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 59° / 40°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Jan–Apr (breed in Feb–May).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Apr, Nov — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Oct–May (about 8 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 Headquarters · San Juan Bautista | shop | 28 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 Santa Cruz County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Santa Cruz County, California scores 96/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Santa Cruz County, California?
Plan shearing for March, 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 Santa Cruz County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Jan–Apr. For births then, breed females in Feb–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Santa Cruz County, California?
With roughly 4 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 632 lb (287 kg) — around 13 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 37.012, -122.008 · land area 445 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.