Anyone have llamas??

[Frozen Feathers]

I've always really enjoyed the llamas I've met and was wondering about them. How expensive are they to keep? What about feed, do they require grain, what about hay quality? Are their feet like goats, and need to be trimmed? Are they prone to certain diseases? How often do you have to shear them? How trainable are they? I think that's it...
I'm not going to just go out and buy one today, but I do like the idea of having one in the future...I think.

Thanks for any info!!

 

[Critter Crazy]

I dont have any Llamas myself, but my neighbor has a few along with tons of Alpacas. I love to watch them, they are so cute!

Here is a good website with lots of info on Llamas. http://www.kountrylife.com/articles/llamas.htm

Here are some of my Neighbors Flock.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Thanks!! I'd love that view, too! Alpacas are cute, too. I just want one of everything...just a small Noah's Ark....LOL!!

 

[Hotwings]

Llamas are usually kept sometimes as a flock protector, that is probably why there is one with the alpacas. They are a flock animal and shouldn't be left alone. Many keep them to guard sheep and such. The males can be gelded like a horse. They probably have a somewhat feeding regiment as a sheep. There are plenty of books on Llamas out, Storey's has one. I never heard of shearing one, but I think you can probably do so. I don't think they have the same kind of coat as sheep. They are really winter hardy as they are oringinally raised in the mountains of Peru.

 

[OHChick]

Hi there, I have alpacas, but no llamas. But our neighbor has a guard llama for her alpacas and some of our other friends has a guard llama with his cattle. (Llamas are passive guard animals, but if something comes into the pasture where they are 'guarding' they can stomp it to death.) They usually cost around $500 for a pet quality one (which is what I assume you're looking for) and geldings make the best guards. If you're going to have it around your chicks and other critters, I'd get a gelding, because like a horse, they have the best temperament. They need shorn once per year so that they don't roast in the summer. And for feed, grass hay is fine as is richer hay like alfalfa. We have both types of hay. At any rate, they are quite trainable, there are shows for llamas. Check out the ALSA website (alpaca & llama show association) for info. Our alpacas are halter trained, and llamas can be as well. We also have some 'pacas we have that we are training to jump bales of hay, etc. llamas will do the same thing. They are both camelids (camel family) and ruminants (so they spit and it STINKS!).

Hope this helps. I want to get a guard llama for my alpacas, we have coyotes around here, one of them got my kitten last year.

 

[JillsChicks]

Hi! We've owned and bred alpacas for six years. A few changes I'd make to the previous post are:

1. Alpacas only spit when they have space needs or are disturbed. If you move gently around them you are rarely spit at though some are more spitty than others. I have had some that never spit at people.

2. We lost an alpaca to a neighborhood dog attack. After doing much research, I learned that a llama may not be able to stand up against a pack of dogs, wolves, etc. There are pics on the internet of llamas with their faces torn off by dogs... We chose a livestock guardian dog and many choose big time electric fencing in areas were predation is high. Many folks shut their animals in at night.

3. Yes, you can get a gelding pretty cheaply nowadays. They have great personalities. If you are thinking of buying one ask to walk him on a lead and see if he minds being touched all over (they are very sensitive about their legs and top of head being touched, but can be desensitized). You want to be very happy with you purchase.

4. Alpacas and llamas need ruminant company, be it another of their kind, sheep, goat, cow. Horses can get frisky with them. Goats can fet feisty too, but the best thing is to have two alpacas.

5. They love sitting in baby pools in the heat of the summer. You will never laugh so hard seeing this!

Have fun if you get one!

Ann & Jill at JillsChicks