Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Local alpaca guide · Southeast

Raising Alpacas in South Carolina

South Carolina has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa): summer highs average 91°F in July and winter lows average 34°F in January, with about 48 inches of precipitation a year. The main challenges for alpaca keepers here are summer heat, barber pole worm and meningeal worm.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team

Statewide snapshot

58/100Alpaca climate comfort score (state average)
91°FAverage high, Jul (state average)
34°FAverage low, Jan (state average)
~54Days above 90°F (32°C) per year (state average)
~32Frost nights per year (state average)
48 inAnnual precipitation (state average)
9Barber pole worm months (state average)
8Hay bales / alpaca / year (state average)
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
30°0.048°1.565°2.982°4.4100°5.9Jan: 3.8 inJanFeb: 3.5 inFebMar: 4.0 inMarApr: 3.4 inAprMay: 3.5 inMayJun: 4.8 inJunJul: 4.8 inJulAug: 5.1 inAugSep: 4.4 inSepOct: 3.5 inOctNov: 3.2 inNovDec: 3.9 inDecJan high: 56°FFeb high: 60°FMar high: 67°FApr high: 76°FMay high: 82°FJun high: 88°FJul high: 91°FAug high: 90°FSep high: 84°FOct high: 76°FNov high: 66°FDec high: 58°FJan low: 34°FFeb low: 37°FMar low: 43°FApr low: 50°FMay low: 59°FJun low: 67°FJul low: 70°FAug low: 69°FSep low: 64°FOct low: 52°FNov low: 42°FDec low: 36°F°Fin

Average of 46 county normals (NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020). Conditions vary a lot within the state — open your county below.

Statewide challenges

  • Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in May–Sep
  • Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Mar–Nov)
  • Meningeal worm — white-tailed deer parasite is established in this region
  • Low selenium — regional soils and hay tend to be selenium-deficient

Most alpaca-friendly counties

  1. Greenville County — 65/100
  2. Cherokee County — 61/100
  3. Spartanburg County — 61/100
  4. York County — 61/100
  5. Abbeville County — 60/100

Most challenging counties

  1. Oconee County — 55/100
  2. Jasper County — 56/100
  3. Aiken County — 58/100
  4. Allendale County — 58/100
  5. Bamberg County — 58/100

All 46 counties

Click a column to sort. Temperatures in °F; “worm months” follow Gordon's bioclimatograph for barber pole worm.

CountyPeak highLowest lowDays ≥90°FFrost nightsWorm monthsShearHay balesScore
Abbeville County913350378Mar960
Aiken County923564299Mar858
Allendale County923664249Mar858
Anderson County903343408Mar960
Bamberg County923564259Mar858
Barnwell County923565279Mar858
Beaufort County91405399Mar858
Berkeley County923662199Mar858
Calhoun County923562269Mar858
Charleston County913952129Mar858
Cherokee County903040587Mar1261
Chester County913249488Mar960
Chesterfield County913251429Mar958
Clarendon County923561279Mar858
Colleton County923762199Mar858
Darlington County923457349Mar958
Dillon County923456349Mar958
Dorchester County923665209Mar858
Edgefield County923462319Mar858
Fairfield County923355409Mar958
Florence County923560289Mar858
Georgetown County903648219Mar858
Greenville County883230457Mar1065
Greenwood County923455379Mar958
Hampton County923663209Mar858
Horry County903546259Mar858
Jasper County9238611410Mar856
Kershaw County913352419Mar958
Lancaster County913147498Mar960
Laurens County913349428Mar960
Lee County913453349Mar958
Lexington County923462339Mar858
Marion County923556289Mar858
Marlboro County923356379Mar958
McCormick County923457339Mar958
Newberry County923359409Mar958
Oconee County883133497Mar1055
Orangeburg County923565259Mar858
Pickens County883130487Mar1259
Richland County923461309Mar858
Saluda County923360379Mar958
Spartanburg County903240487Mar1061
Sumter County923455309Mar858
Union County913150498Mar1060
Williamsburg County923560269Mar858
York County903142537Mar1061

Typical alpaca care calendar for South Carolina

Based on statewide averages — your county page has a calendar tuned to local conditions.

January 56° / 34°F

Meningeal worm
  • Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
  • Toenail check and trim.

February 60° / 37°F

Meningeal wormCria season
  • Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.

March 67° / 43°F

ShearingWorm seasonMeningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • 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 76° / 50°F

Worm seasonMeningeal wormCria seasonBreeding
  • 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.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • 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 82° / 59°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal wormBreeding
  • Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
  • Toenail check and trim.

June 88° / 67°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.

July 91° / 70°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Toenail check and trim.

August 90° / 69°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.

September 84° / 64°F

HeatWorm seasonMeningeal worm
  • Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Toenail check and trim.

October 76° / 52°F

Worm seasonMeningeal worm
  • 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.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.

November 66° / 42°F

Worm seasonMeningeal worm
  • Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
  • Toenail check and trim.

December 58° / 36°F

Meningeal worm
  • Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.

Key recommendations for South Carolina

  • Shearing: March.
  • Best months for crias to be born: Feb–Apr (breed in Mar–May).
  • Heat precautions: May–Sep.
  • Barber pole worm season: Mar–Nov — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
  • Winter: frost is rare.
  • Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
  • Grazing season: year-round (about 12 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
  • Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (carried by white-tailed deer) is established in this region and is a leading cause of neurological disease in alpacas. Talk to your vet about a prevention plan for the snail season.
  • Selenium: Soils and hay in this state are often selenium-deficient. Use a camelid mineral formulated for low-selenium areas and blood-test a few animals each year.

Alpaca farms & shops in South Carolina

No alpaca farms in South Carolina are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet.

Frequently asked questions

Can you raise alpacas in South Carolina?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. South Carolina scores 58/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat, barber pole worm and meningeal worm.
Which part of South Carolina is best for alpacas?
By our climate comfort score, the most alpaca-friendly counties are Greenville County, Cherokee County and Spartanburg County; the most challenging are Oconee County, Jasper County and Aiken County.
When should alpacas be shorn in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Feb–Apr. For births then, breed females in Mar–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in South Carolina?
With roughly 0 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 365 lb (166 kg) — around 8 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in South Carolina?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 54 days a year above 90°F (32°C).

Neighboring states

District of ColumbiaGeorgiaNorth CarolinaVirginiaAlabamaMaryland

See how these guides are calculated.