And here is what I learned...
...that alpacas are probably the cutest things on the planet, on a par with bunnies, kittens and chinchillas
...that they can make squeaky noises like dolphins and hum like bees
...that they have pointy toes whose nails need trimming every two months
...that they have funky hair dos
...that they come in a variety of colours (provided you aren't expecting pinks, blues and greens. If you are, you'll be sorely disappointed)
...that they are excellent companions for sheep and poultry because they make very good guard animals against predators
...that they have very expressive faces and curious natures
...that they make hard-wearing socks (well, the sign on the sock stall said they did; I didn't actually see any evidence of an alpaca in the process of knitting)
...that the lady alpacas are pregnant for 11 and a half months and their babies are called 'cria' which must make for some confusion when the mummies call the babies in for dinner
...that if you are going to keep alpaca for their wool you must have at least 3 gelded males - something to do with 2 grazing at any one time whilst one keeps a look out for danger
...that if you want to buy a breeding female you need very deep pockets or a limitless bank account
...that alpacas are great time wasters. Like chickens.
And my one disappointment of the day? That I didn't get to hear an alpaca humming because I would have liked to know what tunes they favoured. Country and western? Songs from the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber? Or a spot of Mika or Marillion maybe? Sadly, I shall never know. Until we get our small holding in the countryside. Because the alpaca has now joined our list of preferred livestock.
And then? Oh, how the winter evenings will fly by once I've mastered the art of spinning alpaca wool!
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