Climate snapshot for alpacas
95/100Alpaca climate comfort score
84°FAverage high, Jul
16°FAverage low, Dec
~7Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~180Frost nights per year
18 inAnnual precipitation
3Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 95/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 16°F | 0.7 in | 118 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 45°F | 18°F | 0.8 in | 114 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 52°F | 24°F | 1.5 in | 122 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 58°F | 30°F | 2.3 in | 115 · ok | frost |
| May | 66°F | 39°F | 2.3 in | 119 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 78°F | 48°F | 1.9 in | 122 · caution | grass |
| Jul | 84°F | 54°F | 2.6 in | 132 · caution | worms, grass |
| Aug | 81°F | 52°F | 2.3 in | 135 · caution | worms, grass |
| Sep | 74°F | 45°F | 1.5 in | 127 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 62°F | 33°F | 1.1 in | 114 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 51°F | 24°F | 0.8 in | 120 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 43°F | 16°F | 0.7 in | 111 · 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 Douglas County, Colorado
January 44° / 16°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 45° / 18°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).
March 52° / 24°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 58° / 30°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
May 66° / 39°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.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 78° / 48°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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 84° / 54°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
August 81° / 52°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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).
September 74° / 45°F
- 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.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 62° / 33°F
- Secure winter hay: about 16 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
November 51° / 24°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.
December 43° / 16°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: May–Aug (breed in Jun–Sep).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: May, Jul–Aug — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Nov–Apr — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: May–Oct (about 6 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is uncommon this far west but cases occur near the edge of its range.
- Selenium: Most forage here supplies adequate selenium, and some western areas have high-selenium plants — avoid stacking selenium 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 Farm | farm | 8 mi | — |
| Antelope Alpacas & Fiber Arts Center · Elizabeth | shop | 18 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 Douglas County, Colorado?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Douglas County, Colorado scores 95/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Douglas County, Colorado?
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 Douglas County, Colorado?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Aug. For births then, breed females in Jun–Sep (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Douglas County, Colorado?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 39.325, -104.926 · land area 840 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Colorado.