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Getting to know your new llama:
Llamas are the most wonderful animal I have ever been around. They are peaceful, calm, willing creatures that want nothing
more than to please their owners. Llamas are very teachable if you know how to handle them.
Llama's aren't hard to get aquainted with. They're realtionships, with humans, are built on trust, as with most
animals. Llamas don't respond well to pain or being rewarded with food. They are always looking for your aproval. You must
be patient when working with your animal as they learn quickly but only if care is taking in getting the point across.
When ever you are building a relationship with your llama it is important to remember the above mentioned. The way
you build this trusting relationship is by, basically, never betraying your animal. I strive for a trusting relationship with
all my animals. Llamas are creatures of habit. If you do something to them they don't like every time they see you-you have
ruined your trust you are trying to build. Your llama will let you know what they like. Start by just being in the pen with
your animal, the more you are around your llama peacefully the more his trust will build for you. They get used to your smell
& the sight of you. They enjoy calmness. Once you've done this for quite sometime you can move on to catching your
llama, or just slightly patting him on the back, he will get used to your touch & feel, he will start to become comfortable
with you. After that your llama will began to look forward to your visits, even want to enteract with you! Of course all this
should be done in accordance with regular handling on a halter. The more you handle on the halter, the easier it will be to
gain your llama's trust off the halter.
Fears of owning a llama
Some of the most frequently asked questions I get when I
have my llamas out in public are: Do they Spit? Do they bite? Do they kick? What's the spit like-does it burn? Will it hurt
me?
The answer to most of these questions is: Yes! Many people want me to tell them, no, llamas are little angels that
do no wrong but this is simply, not true. Llamas kick, spit and occasionally bite. The thing many people don't understand
is why they do these behaviors. Llamas hate spitting and they don't like kicking. It is very rare for a llama to bite but
I did have one of my studs bite my head once.
There are many ways you can get spat on. Most llamas don't want to spit
on you & will give you ample warning before they hawk one at you. Llamas will spit if: You scare them, pull on their hair,
be impatient with them, approach them in a confrontational manner, yell at them, make a threatening gesture, hurt them, get
in the middle of a fight or do something they just generally do not approve of.
Since Llamas don't bark or make threatening
noises (except for amongst themselves) the only way they have of communicating their feelings is through body language and
spitting. Some llamas will do an occasional scream before spitting.
When your handling your furry critter pay attention
to his body language. He will let you know if your doing something he doesn't like. Ears back is a good indicator he is unhappy.
If he is submissive his head will be down, neck arched and tail over his back, this is a plea for mercy & he is asking
you not to hurt him. This is common of young insecure llamas. It doesn't mean you have been bad to your animal it's just his
way of saying he doesn't want to start a fight-they do it to each other all the time.
When his ears are erect and his eyes
are wide, he may be getting ready to bolt or spook. Hold your rope tightly in your hands and be on guard. His facial expression
will either soften or he will attempt to run off. This is usually when they see something they feel is threatening their well
being. Remember, llamas are pray animals and their only way of protecting themselves is flight, fight or spit.
Ears erect
and a soft expression on the face means he is happy or pleased. He is paying attention and listening to your commands-looking
at you he is watching your every move waiting, making sure he isn't missing anything. Remember he is watching your body language,
too.
You may be wondering if your llama starts to chew his cud (llamas are ruminant animals and they chew their cud just
like a goat or cow, this is what they spit) is he going to spit? Not necessarily. If his ears are back, he may but if he is
standing calmly and ears are up or tilted slightly back he is probably very relaxed. T-bolt & Rogue do this all the time.
Ears pinned back, Chest out, means GET AWAY OR I WILL CHARGE, SPIT OR KICK! If you see your young male doing this to you
it's probably time to make an appointment to get him neutered. Sometimes a llama will do this after a traumatic experience.
It's also a way of showing off how big they are when they are scared, kind of standing their ground against a predator. Some
times it is a result of how you approach him, especially studs. If he's tied up and you are come at him in a threatening way
he will try to protect himself. Make sure you aren't submissive but don't be threatening and totally domineering, remember
an animal needs their space, too. When a llama does this, don't stop your approach, maybe change the angle which you're approaching
them, talk softly "It's OK, it's just me, it's all right" put your hand out for them to smell and don't look them straight
in the eye at this moment.
Ears back, gurgling and chewing-a spit is eminent. Stand your ground and take the spit. I usually
spit right back at them. If you do get into a spitting war with them, make sure you win. Nachos used to spit at me all the
time until I started spitting back, now she almost never spits. Make sure and get to the bottom of the reason they are upset,
afterward. Remember, though, you are in charge and a llama will try to challenge your dominance. When they want to check if
your still top dog, make sure that they know "yep, I'm still boss". Never give in. Something that I have learned is stubbornness
with a llama is a virtue. Llamas can be stubborn, so you have to out last them, at times.
Always remember to be very gentle
with your animal when your handling him. Sometimes all a spitting problem is, is a lack of trust. He may get over it if you
get to the root of the problem.
Oh yeah, the spit doesn't burn and after you've gotten spat on as much as I have,
the odor won't make you sick anymore.
Kicking & Biting
Llamas do kick. This usually
occurs when you come up from behind them (Just like a horse) and don't let them know your there or your doing something they
don't like. Be careful when a llama is kicking, just because that's a skinny little leg they can really hurt you-especially
if you are dealing with a big ornery stud. If he's big enough a stud llama can brake your leg, always be careful.
The
other nasty thing about a llama kick is their claws. They look platonic but they can be sharp.
There are three ways a llama
will kick. They can kick out which is a very fast swiping motion directly behind them. They can kick to the side, almost like
a cow. They can also do what could be called an inverted kick. This is where the back foot comes up and scrapes the inside
of the front leg. (Left on left & right on right) This can be particularly painful if you're nailed by it. Those sharp
toes can give a pretty nasty scrape.
The best of llamas kick & really it is a form of rebellion. Just like with the
spitting, be persistent and try to get to the root of the problem. Usually it's just because they simply, don't want to be
touched in that spot.
Biting is not a big issue with llamas. I have never, personally, heard of a llama biting it's owner
but like I said I had one of my studs bight my head once. I bent down to untie him after giving him an injection of Ivemec
(talk to your vet before using ivemec) and he was perturbed, to say the least. I was bellow him and he bit the top of my head.
I have never had it happen since but if he's mad enough there's a very small chance he may bite you..LOL It's highly unlikely,
though!
Will it hurt me?
Well, the answer to this is yes & no. If you put you & your llama in the right position,
he will hurt you. Unless your llama is berserk (read more about this on the Breeding llamas page) he doesn't want to hurt
you. With any animal, you must respect your llama's space & not put yourself or him in a position where either of you
may get hurt. Llamas don't intentionally want to hurt you. Always think safety first for you and your llama when you're together.
Remember that your llama is stronger than you usually. (A cria is a bit different and a strong man can handle a big burly
stud better than a woman can) This is why you never wrap your lead rope around yourself or tie it to yourself. Know when to
let go. It is far better for your llama to get loose than you be drug through the dirt and injured. Also, never tie your llama
up in a knot that cannot be quickly released. Don't leave him so much rope that he can get his legs tangled up in either end.
Always have a good grip on your llama when holding him untied.
When ever your handling your llama just remember to use common sense & you'll both be, just fine!
Finding that perfect llama
There are many different types of llamas for different
jobs. It is a good idea to come up with the type of llama you want before you buy, then go shopping for your perfect animal!
Their
are many growing uses for llamas the most common are: Guarding livestock, breeding (we will get into this on the Breeding
Llamas Page), carting, packing, pets, lawn mowers, pasture ornaments, showing, performance.
Before you buy your llama(s)
you need to figure out what you will use him for. A good pack llama is not a small heavy wooled stud. Like wise, a good guarding
llama is not a tall light wool stud. The right llama for the right job is very important.
Guard llamas
The
best guard llama needs to be based around your weather. If you live in Arizona I don't suggest even owning a heavy wool, unless
you keep him sheared & keep lots of water on him & in him, llamas overheat easily. You may not have any shelter for
your llama if you own a large piece of property & his job is to guard the livestock. It's not a big deal but it would
be nice if he had a few trees to go under, if this is not available I suggest providing a lean to or some kind of small shelter
for him. If you are in an area with very harsh winters I suggest a medium to heavy wooled llama that rarely gets shorn. You
must be careful with him in the summer because he can overheat with all his wool on. Most llamas need to be shorn once every
2 years, this is a good practice as it keeps their skin healthy & lets them cool off in the summer. Do this early as possible
so he will have all summer & fall to grow his fleece back before winter. If he is a very sturdy heavy wooled llama (preferably
a gelding) chances are, he won't even come in during snow storms. Most llamas will find a dry place to lay when the storm
starts & will lay there until it ends, especially if they have very heavy wool & have been appropriately acclimated.
This doesn't mean they don't need shelter, as long as the winter isn't to harsh, most llamas can winter it with minimal shelter.
Never get a stud for guarding your sheep or goats. Studs may be very handsome & sturdy looking but they have hard core
attitude issues when it comes to this sort of thing. The stud may actually try to breed the sheep or goats & it can end
up killing your ewes or does. I have had (at one time) 3 studs out with sheep & goats (not a lot, but a few) & they
have never done anything, BUT this doesn't mean they wouldn't, given the chance. Studs are unpredictable & shouldn't be
trusted. I don't suggest geldings that have bred before, either. The same thing can happen. The best guard llamas are adult
geldings & open females.
Carting:
A good cart llama should be athletic but not
frail in structure. A very "leggy" llama with good bone will be most adapt at carting. When I say "leggy" I mean a llama that
is not short & sawed off but has amply long legs. Good bone means he should have a medium to thick bone structure. This
means, again, he should not be a light boned "lady like" llama. Your ideal carting llama should be light wooled, the heavy
wools, if their body structure is right, will be fine too. Most of the time the body structure just described will be a medium
wooled animal. Depending on how much you cart, the wool weight doesn't matter as much as with packing. If you plan to do a
lot of carting for long periods of time I would suggest a light wooled llama. If the ideal comes along & he is heavy wooled
he can be shorn & the same effect can be achieved as if he were a light wool. A good carting llama can be an open female
or a gelding that has been gelded later on. I geld my boys around 2 years old, it gives them that extra 1/2 year to really
feel out & just enough time to get the hormones they need to look like boys when they are adults. If you could find a
gelding that has been gelded late he is a good carting prospect, his bones will be strong & his skeleton will be better
apt for pulling weight. Getting a gelding that's been gelded to late can lead to a studly acting llama. He may be gelded but
he was intact long enough for some behaviors to be learned, now he acts like a stud & may always. I don't suggest studs
for carting, although I know of quite a few that do this sport, but for myself I would not trust life & limb to a stud
in a cart. Remember, carting is one of the most dangerous uses for llamas, you are trusting your animal to take good care
of the apparatus & you. Animals are unpredictable, but why add to this by doing it with a stud? In my opinion, you are
asking for trouble. Open females are OK for carting, but they are not (in my opinion) as strong as late gelded geldings. One
thing is, though, females are very steady when they are open. Don't pick out a lazy animal that barely wants to move when
you tug on the lead rope. Look for an energetic (not hyper), willing specimen who wants your approval & tries very hard
to please.
Packing:
A pack llama should be a sturdy well built gelding or open female.
If you get my drift, studs shouldn't be used for anything but making more llamas. I suppose, that, a stud could be used for
a pack llama if he is the only llama going on the hike. For chains it is best to keep to either gelded males or open females.
Your gelding (or female) should be relatively thick boned and preferable light wooled, although there are many heavy wooled
pack llamas. If you get a heavy wooled llama you should get used to the fact he will always be bald. Llamas over heat easily
&, as with the carting, should be kept shorn for heavy work.
A lawn mower or pasture ornament should just be a friendly
animal you think is pretty. Conformation or wool weight (heavy, medium or light) doesn't really matter, although, if you get
a heavy wool you will HAVE to shear it-light wools can go quite a while without being shorn. I, again, don't suggest a young
male or stud.
Showing:
Show llamas are a totally different animal. You should get in
touch with a breeder who knows what they are doing & breeds for quality, not quantity. It is a good idea to have someone
who has no stock in selling you a llama and can tell you what you are looking for. Read books & get involved in your local
llama club. You can't expect to get a world champion (usually) right off the bat but if you get the right connections you
will be able to get a good specimen. The best llama for this job would be any sex, any age & any wool weight. Remember
to keep your personal preferences in mind. Think about if you want stocky heavy wooled little teddy bears with heavy ear fringe,
or thin leggy llamas with naked heads.
Performance:
Lastly, is performance, this also
includes 4H. Performance is: Obstacle, PR (Public relations), pack & Showmanship or anything that is not a conformation
class. A good performance animal doesn't have to be the best looking animal you've ever seen. I do tend to like performance
animals that have relatively good conformation so that the obstacles don't cause them any pain. Attitude is paramount, here.
Look for a willing, energetic (not hyper) subject who wants to please and is constantly seeking your approval. It will be
vital for you to build a trusting relationship with this llama as performance is a game of blind trust on the llama's part
& handler's. Again, I don't suggest a stud for this particular task.
A few last words on "Why not Studs?"
I
would just like to point out that the reason I am so against doing pleasure activities with studs is, I have had my studs
be pretty unpredictable at times. This doesn't mean that all studs are bad for performance and the above mentioned tasks,
I am just saying that a lot of studs will not do well at these things. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
My boys have come through for me in a lot of pinches but they have also double crossed me a few times!LOL
So now I hope
you are a little better informed so you can spend your money wisely!:)
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