I have dabbled in the exotic market for years and have seen all the fads, Fennec Foxes, Sugar Gliders, Hedge Hogs, and all the rest, so I speak from experience. This is just the Pot Belly Pig, Emu, etc. scam all over again with a different critter. The Alpaca business is a high dollar sucker hustle, an animal based Ponzi scheme, nothing more nothing less. The only reason is has lasted as long as it has is because the reproduction rate is not as rapid as it is with Emu and pigs. Just as the Llama market eventually became saturated and the price fell to almost nothing, so too will the Alpaca market. Ask yourself a simple question, at the current asking prices what are they good for? The answer is breeding stock, a very limited wool market, and not much else Can't ride them, and way to expensive to eat. The breeder market is rapidly disappearing and the wool must be very carefully handled to be worth much, animals must wear a jacket to keep hay, twigs, manure and such off the wool, highly labor intensive. Most of the folks that have responded to your question have it right, bad idea.
