Shari's Suri's
Suri Alpacas
Morro Bay, California

Alpaca morph animation 

Contact Shari at (805) 772-9665
 shari@charterinternet.com

Go to:
Shari's Girls for Sale
Shari's Boys for Sale

Some general alpaca information:

 


General Alpaca Care:

Alpacas are easy to keep. First they eat a grassy hay, not alfalfa. Once a day they also get a pellet supplement which has the other supplements they require. You can keep free range minerals out at all times that they help themselves to when they wish. I feed orchard grass hay, King Alpaca/Llama pellets from Atascadero Hay and Feed and free choice minerals from Stillwater Minerals.


The alpacas will need their nails trimmed once in a while and some require their teeth trimmed which should be done by your vet. The animals are sheared once a year. There are professional shearers experienced with alpacas or you can learn to do this yourself with manual shearing scissors or powered shears.


Breeding and birthing is not a complicated affair and gestation for an alpaca is approximately 11 months. Birthing, as a general rule, requires no intervention by you.


The animals should be dewormed twice a year with Panacur paste or an Ivomec injection and once a year they should get a CDT vaccination.


In the US, the alpaca’s number one predator is the domestic dog. Coyotes and mountain lions can also be a problem. Good fencing, a guard llama and/or a livestock guard dog (LGD) are recommended. Alpaca’s only defenses are spitting, kicking, flight and gathering in a circle for herd protection. Due to eye and face injuries, barbed wire is not acceptable for alpaca enclosures.


Alpacas are herd animals and should not be kept alone. Two or more alpacas are critical for the health and welfare of the animals.


The alpacas will establish specific “poop piles’ within their enclosures. A new alpaca owner can determine where these will be by placing fresh dung from the seller in a designated area(s) in the pasture. This way the poop piles can be kept away from feed and watering areas and limited to easy access clean up areas.


Alpacas seem to enjoy cooler temperatures. Extreme heat can severe stress, weaken or even kill an alpaca. Although my farm is located in the cooler ocean climate, I still “sprinkler train” all of my animals. This way, if they move to an inland area or hotter country, they will know to go to the hose or sprinkler to cool off their bellies and undersides. In the North County some alpaca farmers have installed misters on their fences and fans in their barns for the hot summer days. Days with temperatures of 90 degrees and above should be monitored. Shade is critical and should be available at all times.


Alpacas are like cats, some are very affectionate but most are somewhat aloof. They prefer to come to you on their terms but, like cats, they are extremely curious and so easily coaxed. I use Marty McGee training methods which is similar to the horse whisperer techniques. I give the animal time (and reason) to trust me and never grab at them or chase them down to catch them. Handling the cria (babies) as much as possible also helps to tame them. Young children that have respect for animals and are calm and consistent with their handling do great with the alpacas. But, just like cats, if the alpaca finds a person to be inconsistent, grabbing at them or abusive in any way, they will avoid that person to no end. So, I like to answer that common question of: “Are they good with children?” with “Are the children good with them?”

The Girls

Female Alpaca Photo Gallery

 

Nora - $6,000 - Nora Jones is a sweet and gentle medium brown huacaya young maiden out of two suri parents. She has abundant fiber from her eyes to her toes and no white patches on her blanket. Nora is a medium brown when you open up her fleece but her tips are a red brown. She has a good bite, a passive personality and she has been a healthy fast grower since her birth weight of 22 lbs. Her eight month fiber test came in at 25 microns. Nora comes with a full fertility guarantee.

Cotton Candy - female suri alpacaCandy - $12,000 - Cotton Candy is a lovely Bolivian suri female and she comes as a 3 in 1 package. She is bred to a bay black stunning male suri, Applegate’s Caballero, for a March 2009 delivery. She comes with her adorable fawn male cria at her side. She has had only suri cria. Candy is an easy breeder, almost always settling on the first attempt. She has had full term healthy pregnancies, easy births and plenty of milk. Candy has good confirmation, a perfect bite and is an all around easy keeper. She shears eight pounds annually of ivory white suri locks.

 

The Boys

Link to Shari's Suris male alpaca photo galleryMale Alpaca Photo Gallery

Lyle - Gelding Suri alpacaLyle - Lyle is a beautiful male suri whose fleece is "splashed" with fawn color on the top of his neck and back. His lower body is white. Lyle has abundant fiber with nice pencil locks. He has that "startled" look that some alpacas exhibit. Lyle is full of spunk and has been known to kick some. He is not a spitter and is not aggressive. He is very healthy and has had no physical issues. His fiber is super soft and fine, probably the finest fiber of all of my boys. He is priced at $600 alone or is offered with another pet male from my farm for a package price of $1000. Lyle is gelded and his DOB is 8-29-02.

Calvin - This guy is really cute with a permanent “smile” on his face. Calvin is super curious and sweet. He is a fawn colored male suri alpaca who currently lives with the black guy “Louey” as his playmate. Calvin's fine fiber tested at 23 microns at one year of age. His price is $700 as a non-breeder, pet male. Calvin is also offered as a two package deal with Lyle, my other pet male for $1000. Calvin is not yet gelded and his DOB is 1-6-07.

Louey Armstrong- Male Suri alpacaLouey - This guy is really cute with gorgeous lock and luster in his fiber. Louey is a bay black male suri alpaca out of two bay black parents. Great head, confirmation and fleece make him an excellent potential future herdsire. He already knows the moves and he carries himself like he owns the pasture. His price is $5000 and I would like to place Calvin with him at no extra charge since these boys are "two peas in a pod" and are nearly inseparable. See more pictures of this guy in the Male Alpaca Photo Gallery. Louey’s DOB is 10-9-06.

Ramone - Gelding Huacaya alpacaRamone - Ramone is a huacaya male gelding alpaca that is boarding at my farm and also for sale. He and Paco have been together forever and should stay together. Ramone is a really big boy, almost llama size, but is very healthy and an easy keeper. He has very coarse, dark brown, dense fiber coverage. Ramone is the leader of the herd and also the watchdog of the pasture. He and Paco really need a new happy home and their price is negotiable to the right farm. Both are about 7 years old and we are asking $800 for the pair of them.

Paco - Gelding Huacaya alpacaPaco - Paco is a huacaya male gelding alpaca that is boarding at my farm and also for sale. He and Ramone have been together forever and should stay together. Paco is a large boy with coarse reddish brown fiber. Neither he nor Ramone are spitters or kickers. Paco is healthy and an easy keeper but might require some annual teeth maintenance. Paco is Ramone’s sidekick and companion. He and Ramone really need a new happy home and their price is negotiable to the right farm. Both are about 7 years old and we are asking $800 for the pair of them.

Leon - Male Suri alpacaLeon - Leon is a sweet and gentle yearling fawn male suri alpaca. He has soft fine fiber and nice confirmation. This little cria (baby) is quite tame and sweet as could be. Leon gets along best with Lyle and would make a great pet or companion animal. He is quiet and docile so far but their true nature comes at about 2 years old. His price is $700 as a non-breeder, pet male. I consider him pet quality because his fleece lacks luster and penciling. Leon is also offered as a package deal with any one of my other pet males for $1000. Leon is not yet gelded and his DOB is 4-22-06.

Noah - Gelding Suri alpacaNoah - Curious is an understatement when it comes to Noah. This handsome gelded suri is absolutely lovable. He is always the “first to the fence” and as cute as a bug. Dense fleece with well defined large lock structure and consistency throughout. This guy definitely takes after his sire with his full coverage. He is furry from the tips of his ears to the tops of his toes. He exhibits excellent confirmation, personality plus, gorgeous fiber coverage and an always “on” presence. He makes a great companion, pet and fiber animal. Noah is a beautiful gelding male who gets along great with all of my other males – young, old, gelded or intact. His price is $700 alone or buy him in a package of two pet males for $1000. I also offer any gelding boy free with the purchase of one of my breeding females. Noah’s DOB is 7-29-03.

Copper - Gelding Suri alpacaCopper - Copper is a gelded male suri with fine fiber that just shimmers. Copper has silky fine fiber and plenty of luster. He will make a terrific fiber animal or pet companion. As with all animals from my farm, he is halter trained and has been handled using Camelidynamics, Marty McGee’s methods. This personable guy is a first-to-the-fence alpaca. He will eat grain from your hand. I practice Marty McGee methods, which creates a very trusting animal. Copper is friendly with people and quite inquisitive. He is one of the more dominant males in the field but not overly aggressive. He is priced at $700 alone or is offered with another pet male from my farm for a package price of $1000. Copper’s DOB is 6-21-01.

Wyatt - Male Suri alpacaWyatt - Wyatt is a sweet and gentle reddish brown male suri. He has silky fine fiber and nice confirmation. I use Marty McGee Camelidynamics and this guy is quite tame and sweet as could be. Wyatt gets along with all the other boys in the pasture and would make a great pet or companion animal. He is alert and inquisitive and a good healthy eater. His price is $700 as a non-breeder, pet male. I consider him pet quality because his fleece lacks luster and penciling. Wyatt is also offered as a package deal with any one of my other pet males for $1000. Wyatt is not yet gelded and his DOB is 8-7-04.