Visit a few different alpaca farms before you make your first purchase. Most reputable breeders will gladly refer you to other farms they know will be beneficial for you to visit. Education and knowledge is a good thing! We all do things a little differently, and you can learn a lot by keeping your eyes and ears open on your ranch visits. Look at different barn layouts, paddock setups, fencing, waterers, hay, nutritional supplements, pastures -- the list is endless, as are the opportunities to learn from others who've been doing this awhile.

Take your time to get to know the farms you're visiting. There will be some that you really "click" with - those that you just feel comfortable being around, who supply you with good information, and who have the experience necessary to guide you through this process. Ask for the farm's references, and then call each one. See if you really can rely upon that farm to be a dependable mentor for your new business. Start your alpaca venture with a solid, honest, reputable breeder in your corner.

Make sure you know at least enough to determine for yourself if an alpaca is appropriately priced and if it's a healthy, solid investment. Your starter herd doesn't have to be made up of those gorgeous color champions in the glossy magazines if you need to start out at a more budget-minded level. But your starter herd DOES need to be healthy and appropriately priced. If you don't know the first thing about alpacas, their fleece and conformation, what to look for in a producing dam, or what requirements need to be met for that male to make it to herdsire status, do your homework before you buy! Learning will be an on-going process, but you need to have a basic alpaca understanding before you turn over your hard-earned money.

Use common sense. Don't spend your entire budget on alpacas and leave nothing for their upkeep. Make sure that you're prepared for the long-term investment of alpaca ownership. This isn't a get-rich-quick scheme, and for the small start-up herd purchase of 2 or 3 females, it may take several years before you show a profit.

Ask to see the health records, breeding and birthing history, shearing/histogram information, and registration papers on each animal you're considering. These documents should be quickly and easily produced for your examination.

Understand that this is a BUSINESS, and you must treat it as such to be successful.

Have fun, and enjoy the process! This is the most rewarding endeavor of my life, and I feel so blessed to be able to share it with others. I'm more enamored with the magic and beauty of alpacas than I was the first time I saw my first one all those years ago. It's okay to engage your heart. Just don't forget to engage your mind, as well.

If you'd like to schedule a ranch visit with Red Moon Alpacas, please give us a call at 870-439-2775. We'd love to hear from you!