Pet Superstars: Alpacas: No hump but spits like a camel

CASSANDRA

Hi, I'm Cassandra, and this is my alpaca Leung Kai Kwan. He's very inquisitive and relaxed but he likes to do things his own way. Alpacas mouths are always drawn up in a grin, so it looks like they're always smiling. Each alpaca has its own unique hum, so they can differentiate which alpaca is which. They sound like... Mmmm! When I got my first alpaca, it was a sense of joy and that my parents actually trusted me with something. My alpacas are really family-focussed and always need company. You always have to have at least two alpacas, because they can die from being too lonely. Alpacas squabble like siblings.

Animated cartoon

CASSANDRA

Alpacas are really good at spitting. They can bring bring up strong grassy gloop from their first stomach and use it in defence. They're such good spitters, they can even blind their enemies. I remember once two females were fighting over food. One spat at the other and it missed and landed on my face. It was gross and it stunk. When alpacas spit, it can cause sour mouth, caused by the gross taste of their spit. Serves them right for spitting in the first place!

Cassandra trains her alpaca

CASSANDRA

This is how I'll train an alpaca to do an obstacle course. It's very easy to train them. Alpacas are related to the camel family but you shear them like sheep. We shear them once a year just before summer. It's a pretty big event.

Cassandra shows the fleeces

CASSANDRA

These are some of the beautiful fleeces from my alpacas. I like this one because it's from my alpaca. There are two different types of breed of alpacas. There's the Huacaya, like Kai, where their fleece grows straight out from the body. And there's also the Suris, whose fleece hangs down in dreadlocks. We donate the fleeces to charities. Their fleeces can turn into yarn, felting or fabrics. My alpacas are food-obsessed. They have no off button when it comes to eating. Alpacas eat grass and we also give them lucerne hay. They've eaten a few of Mum's favourite trees, but Mum now keeps them fenced up so they can't. When they can get to some trees, they'll look exactly like a tree only with a flat bottom. We take them for walks down the road to keep their toenails down so we don't really have to cut them. People ask, 'What type of dog is that?' My alpacas are awesome pets. The more affection you give them, the more you get back. The best thing about alpacas is the way they comfort you when you're sad, but always make you happy even when you're happy. So they make you happier. Kai taught me that no matter what the situation is, to always keep smiling. I'll give my alpaca the Most Inquisitive Pet Award.