Alpacas can eat some vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkin, cucumber and leafy greens, but only as small, chopped treats. Pasture or good grass hay should make up most of their diet.
Start with the basics
Alpacas are grazers with a three-compartment stomach built for fiber. Quality grass hay or pasture, a mineral supplement made for camelids and, if needed, a camelid pellet cover their needs. Vegetables are a bonus, not a meal. See our guide to what alpacas can and cannot eat for the full picture.
Vegetables that are generally safe as treats
- Carrots: a favorite. Slice them into thin pieces or shred them, because whole carrots are a choking risk.
- Pumpkin and winter squash: chopped or cut into small pieces.
- Cucumber: cut up, a cooling treat in hot weather.
- Leafy greens such as romaine or kale: small amounts, torn up.
- Sweet potato (cooked or raw, in small pieces): an occasional treat.
Apples and other fruit are also occasional options when sliced thin. See alpacas and apples.
How to feed treats safely
- Cut everything into small, thin pieces. Alpacas can choke on large chunks.
- Offer a small handful per animal, not a bucket.
- Introduce new foods gradually and watch for loose stools.
- Wash produce and remove moldy or spoiled pieces.
- Do not use treats in place of hay, pasture or a proper mineral program.
Foods and plants to avoid
- Bread, cereal, candy and other human snack foods
- Avocado, onions and garlic
- Large amounts of cabbage-family vegetables, which can cause gas
- Green or sprouted potatoes and tomato plants
- Rhubarb leaves
- Moldy hay or spoiled produce
Several common garden and field plants are poisonous to alpacas, including oleander, rhododendron and azalea, yew, bracken fern, and bulbs such as daffodils and amaryllis. Keep alpacas away from ornamental beds and check pastures for toxic plants. If your alpaca eats something suspicious, call your vet right away. For more, see what alpacas cannot eat.
Better hay and grass
For the foundation of their diet, read our article on the best grass for alpacas.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. Ask a vet or camelid nutrition expert about your herd’s needs.
Bottom Line
Treat alpacas to small, chopped pieces of carrot, pumpkin or leafy greens now and then, keep hay and pasture as the main diet, and keep toxic plants out of reach.
