# What Do Alpacas Eat?

> What alpacas eat: Herbivore — grass, hay, and mineral supplement, foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Andean highlands above 3,500 m; farms worldwide.

- **Species:** Alpaca (*Vicugna pacos*)
- **Conservation status:** Domesticated
- **Diet:** Herbivore — grass, hay, and mineral supplement
- **Habitat:** Andean highlands above 3,500 m; farms worldwide
- **Lifespan:** 15–20 years with good care
- **Top speed:** Up to 35 km/h (22 mph) when fleeing
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/alpaca/what-do-alpaca-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/alpaca/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Alpacas are small domesticated camelids prized for soft, hypoallergenic fleece that comes in 22 natural colours. Native to the Andean highlands, they weigh 55–90 kg (120–200 lb), live in social herds, and communicate with soft hums, clucks, and alarm calls.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Fleece and shearing

Alpaca fibre is fine, warm, and lacks the lanolin found in sheep wool, making it popular for hypoallergenic textiles. Animals are shorn annually, yielding several kilograms of fleece. Huacaya alpacas have crimped, fluffy fleece; Suri alpacas have silky, dreadlock-like locks.

## Help protect the Alpaca

Andean communities and smallholders depend on healthy herds — welfare and veterinary access still lag in many areas.

[Donate to animal welfare](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/alpaca/what-do-alpaca-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.