Burr-mergency!! Our Llama Is Covered In Burrs

[Loki]

Hello everyone. I am in some serious need of helpful advice.

The other day our pet Llama got loose and ran through the tree-line along our pasture. By the time we caught up to him he was COVERED IN BURRS!! I’m not talking about a few, or even a lot, I mean he is literally a giant burr. After two days of combing and sheering we have managed to get his neck and face mostly clean, but that was the easy part where his fiber is shortest.

The fur around his barrel and legs is about 6” to 8” long and impossible for us to comb or shear. Needless to say our otherwise happy Llama is now very cranky and will not even let us get close to him. Short of sedating him and shearing him down to the skin can anyone else think of a possible way to remove burrs from an 8” angora sweater? Or by chance does anyone know of a livestock groomer in the Appleton, Wisconsin area??

Also, it has been a couple of days since his escapade, how long do we have before they start to cause serious problems like irritation to the point of infection??

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

have you tryed the woolen mills, he knows a sheep shearer, maybe he knows someone that can help your Llama.

 

[AkTomboy]

You can shave him with hand shears or I love quilting scissors. You just slide your hand in starting at the topline and use your hand to keep the hair long and cut just over your hand. We do it often for the Alpacas instead of taking them to skin. If he wont stand you can always stretch tie him on the ground and scissor away while he is down then flip while still tied and do the other side.

 

[katrinag]

Alot of time the Amish people will come to you and shear them for a wonderful price.
Good sewing siccors work but you will get an uneven look, or at least I do no matter how hard I try.
You can also put an ad on CL

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

did you find someone to help your llama, who?

 

[thereseiam]

I personally would really hesitate to shear your llama this close to winter--he really needs his fleece right now to stay warm, especially in Wisconsin.

Use WD-40 to spray the fleece and it will help the burrs slide right out. To get him to hold still, put a goat or llama halter on him, and cross tie him to two beams, trees, or anything else that is about a doorway apart. That way he can't turn his head to spit or anything. Use a human wide toothed comb and a vent brush to help get the burrs out.

Then this spring you can shave him down and let the hair re-grow over the summer so he'll be warm enough for next winter.

Hope that helps,

Therese

 

[Amyable]

Perhaps try baby oil or vegetable oil and comb them out. I sure hate those buggers, our dog gets in them all the time.

 

[farrier!]

A metal curry comb will get the job done but it takes time.
The drier the burrs are the easier they will be to get out.

We had problems with burrs for years until we ended up with some goats.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Showsheen works.