Before we ever bought our first alpaca, or even had a farm for that matter, I bought a book on camelids to help me understand the basics of raising alpacas. It wasn’t the best book, but it was enough to give me a baseline of what I needed to consider and think about.
As we progressed in our journey of alpaca ownership, I bought more books and then I bought even more books. Well, let me be fully transparent, I bought ever book I could find looked like it could be helpful. And they were just that.
There is a lot to know about owning alpacas, and while I advocate for having a mentor, this isn’t always possible. This is where a good library of resources will come in handy. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve referenced one of my books or gone back to a page I tagged for easy access. Heck I’ve dragged birthing books out to the paddock with me to have in case of an issue.
As you can tell, books are valuable to me. They are information, they are life, and they are comfort. The teach, they reinforce my existing knowledge, and they keep me calm when an emergency arrives. This is why I love them and this is why my list is long.
Today I’d like to share a list of alpaca books that sit on my shelf. These recommendations can and will get you started on the right path. Please keep in mind this list includes current books and ones that are out of print. Since I wanted to learn as much as possible, I enjoy reading aged items that illustrate the history of camelids.
Alpaca Information and History
The Complete Alpaca Book
I dragged this massive book with me on a business trip and when I turned away for a moment my friend Elena was reading it. Elena is not an alpaca owner, but the book drew her in just as it sucked me in. The book does a great job of walking you through the history of alpacas, alpaca management, fiber, genetics, and training.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Eric Hoffman
- Publisher: Bonny Doon Press
- Published Date: 2006
- Number of Pages: 620
- ISBN: 978-0-9721242-1-8
Alpacas: Synthesis of a Miracle
This book is an interesting read if you’d like to take a step back into history and see how alpacas progressed. It also covers breeding techniques and the fiber business in Peru in decades past.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Michael Safley
- Publisher: Northwest Alpacas (Independent)
- Published Date: 2001
- Number of Pages: 381
- ISBN: 0-9709687-0-1
Alpaca Husbandry and Care
The Alpaca Handbook: The Complete Guide to Raising a Happy and Healthy Herd
The Alpaca Handbook is the essential guide to raising and breeding for alpaca owners who own them for both fun or profit. Each chapter includes educational information, as well as stories that tie this information to real-world experiences. This is the latest alpaca book available and it arriving in early 2026.
- Reading Level: Basic to advanced
- Author: Rebecca Gill
- Publisher: Lyons Press (The Globe Pequot Publishing Group, Inc.)
- Published Date: 2026 (preorder available now)
- Number of Pages: 248
- ISBN: 978-1-4930-9227-7
The Frugal Alpaca Farmer: A Holistic Approach to Success
This is one of the first books I bought and I’m thankful I did. Ingrid gives no-nonsense information on raising alpacas. I would recommend you buy this book first and read through it before visiting farms or shows.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Ingrid Wood
- Publisher: AuthorHouse
- Published Date: 2017
- Number of Pages: 391
- ISBN: 978-1-5462-0152-6
Alpaca Field Manual
This book is a must-have book for alpaca owners. It covers key elements of ongoing care, breeding, birthing, immunizations, and parasites. I own the third edition and my only complaint is the organization. The information is great, but it is difficult to find things based on the way the information has been assembled. Hopefully this is addressed in the fourth edition that was recently published.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: C. Norman Evans
- Publisher: Unknown
- Published Date: 2008
- Number of Pages: 336
- ISBN: Unknown
Camelid Care Handbook for Alpaca and Llama Owners
This is a new book that I’ve yet to sit down and read. It is designed to help alpaca owners garnish a deeper understanding of alpaca care. The author is an avid supporter of the alpaca community and often shares education and resources online.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Claire E. Whitehead
- Publisher: Inspired By Publishing
- Published Date: 2025
- Number of Pages: 305
- ISBN: 978-1-0683-5720-6
Alpaca Behavior
The Camelid Companion: Handling and Training Your Alpacas & Llamas
This book will teach you about alpaca behavior, herd dynamics, and alpaca training. It’s a great read for newer alpaca owners.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Marty McGee Bennett
- Publisher: Raccoon Press
- Published Date: 2011
- Number of Pages: 386
- ISBN: 978-0-9709916-0-7
Breeding Alpacas
The Reproductive Process of South American Camelids
While a bit older, this book is exceptional if you truly want to drive into camelid breeding. From anatomy and physiology to bahviour and lactation, this book offers first hand experience and information. It is technical, so be prepared to set aside and focus as you read.
- Reading Level: Advanced
- Author: Walter Bravo, DNM, MS, PhD
- Publisher: Unknown
- Published Date: 2002
- Number of Pages: 103
- ISBN: 0-9719073-0-7
The Alpaca Breeding Book: Alpaca Reproduction & Behavior
This book is written at a very basic level, which makes it an ideal resource for future alpaca breeders. I purchased it years into our alpaca journey, so it didn’t provide as much value to me as it would have at the beginning of our ownership. But that said, it is a great option for new alpaca owners.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Dr. KD Galbraith
- Publisher: Walnut Creek Publishing
- Published Date: 2013
- Number of Pages: 113
- ISBN: 978-0-9893241-0-6
Birthing Alpacas
Llama and Alpaca Neonatal Care
This is a great book for reference while birthing. I have pulled it out many times when things start to go sideways.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author:
- Publisher:
- Published Date:
- Number of Pages:
- ISBN:
Neonatal Care for Camelids: Breeding to Birthing to Weening
This book is a great tool to improve your understanding of reproduction and neonatal care of llamas and alpacas. The authors have over 50 years of combined experience with the reproduction and health care of camelids.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Authors: David E. Anderson, Toni A. Cotton, Claire E. Whitehead
- Publisher: Unknown
- Published Date: 2018
- Number of Pages: 278
- ISBN: Unknown
Showing Alpacas
The Art & Science of Alpaca Judging
If you plan on purchasing show quality alpacas, this book is must-read. It will teach you about conformation, fleece quality, and genetics. It will help prepare you to review high-quality alpacas for purchase, as well as, help you breed for a show worthy phenotype.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Authors: Jude Anderson, Cheryl Gehly, Michael Safley, Amanda VandenBosch
- Publisher: Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (Independent)
- Published Date: 2011
- Number of Pages: 197
- ISBN: 978-0-692-01052-5
Alpaca Medical Care
Medicine and Surgery of Camelids
This book is designed for advanced care and to assist local alpaca vets in honing in on their alpaca expertise. It includes a section Pam Walker (DVM, MS), who is one of our favorite Midwest alpaca vets. This book has a great index, which helps quickly find information for a specific illness or concern.
- Reading Level: Advanced
- Author: Dr. Andrew J. Niehaus
- Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- Published Date: 2022
- Number of Pages: 653
- ISBN: 978-1-119-58324-0
Veterinary Techniques for Llamas and Alpacas
Organized by areas of the body, this book provides text and visual information to help local vets manage through alpaca procedures. This is a complex read and not designed for the average alpaca owner.
- Reading Level: Advanced
- Authors: David E. Anderson, Meredyth L. Jones, Matt D. Miesner
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell (Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
- Published Date: 2013
- Number of Pages: 348
- ISBN: 978-0-813-81987-7
Llama and Alpaca Care: Medicine, Surgery, Reproduction, Nutrition, and Herd Health
This is another book that I keep handy for reference. If time allowed, I’d sit and read it cover to cover. It is a great resource for all alpaca owners.
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- Reading Level: Basic to Advanced
- Authors: Chris Cebra, David E. Anderson, Ahmed Tibary, Robert J. Van Saun, LaRue Willard Johnson
- Publisher: Saunders (Elsevier, Inc.)
- Published Date: 2014
- Number of Pages: 789
- ISBN: 978-1-4377-2352-6
Alpaca Teeth: The Owner’s Guide to Alpaca Dental Health and Wellbeing
This book is focused, but basic in nature. It has lots of images and diagrams, but lacks the details you’d want in addressing alpaca dental issues.
- Reading Level: Basic
- Author: Allison Quagliani
- Publisher: Busybird Publishing
- Published Date: 2021
- Number of Pages: 72
- ISBN: 978-1-922465-86-3
Veterinary Parasitology
On our farm we perform our own fecal testing and this book has been great for identifying ugly parasites. With 500 photos and figures, it’s a great reference tool.
- Reading Level: Advanced
- Author: William J. Foreyt
- Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
- Published Date: 2013
- Number of Pages: 256
- ISBN: 978-1-118-68226-5
Hopefully, my recommended list of alpaca books helps provide you with a good resource list. Many of these books are available as used copies and I’ve bought multiple books this way.
Warning: And this is a big warning. There are a lot of books popping up on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. that are self published AI garbage. Be careful and read reviews. Also look to see if there is a valid publisher listed. This will help you filter out the AI nonsense that would waste your money and cause a lot of frustration.
