Llama Questions

[yoker]

I might be getting a llama soon and I have a few Questions first:
Can you pack llamas and horses together?
Can you have more then one guard llama?
Does anyone else on here have any llamas? any stories anyone wants to share?

 

[chickenzoo]

Hi, I have a male and female llama. I also have a male alpaca. They are around my horses all the time, although my horses are good natured.I don't see why you couldn't pack with both. As far as guardians, in my experience mine are more like goats. They lay around and eat, LOL. Some people do use them for guarding, but I have LGDs and emu for that.

 

[Thomas423]

Check out BackYardHerds.com
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/
There is also a link at the bottom of this page.
Lots of great info and pics of Llamas.
I want one soooooo bad.

 

[babszoo]

I have raised llamas and alpacas for a few years. You should put the llamas in a pen by or if possible inside the horses area if neither has been around one another. A horse could kick and kill the llama very easily. Introduce them gradually. walk them around the horses or let them free while you are watching but pen up when not. when you see them getting along ok then it should be fine to have them all run together mine have even been with the cows and no problems.
If the llamas were raised as guard or with other guard llamas they will guard, if they were raised as just pets and never had to guard from anything then they usually won't guard.
I have my friends bring over there dogs to help them realize my dogs are friends and others are not. Out of instink they may buegle if they see or smell something unfamilar.
You can PM if you want
Babette

 

[ksalvagno]

It depends on the llama and horse if they get along or not. I don't have horses so I don't know the proper procedure for introductions. I'm sure it should it be slow.

Guarding is an instinct in llamas. They either have it or they don't. You really don't know if they are guards until they are adult. Supposedly it is better to have 3 guard llamas guarding instead of just one. I currently have 2 guard llamas guarding my alpacas. The one guard llama was doing just fine but I took in a rescue and she has ended up being a guard as well.

 

[yoker]

So you can have more then one llama guarding at a time?
Can you ride horses and lead a llama for packing?
I know you can keep them with horses.

 

[ksalvagno]

I don't see why you couldn't have a pack llama with riding horses as long as you are going slow. The llamas could never keep up with a running or trotting horse with a pack on their back.

Yes, multiple guard llamas are fine. Make sure they are actually guard llamas though.

 

[coolchickens]

Hi - I have llamas and love them! I got into them about 12 yrs ago starting with two gelded males for packing. I joined a llama club in my area so I could learn more and hiked and packed for several yrs. with the club. I have reduced my herd to only 5 now, 3 geldings and 2 females. Basically, we never took out the females with the males on packing trips. Intact males & geldings get along okay on the trail but if you add a female there is trouble on the trail. (Females don't have heat cycles, the presense of the male stimulates them into heat) My females are natural guards in the pasture, the geldings could care less. All live with my three horses and everyone gets along. Llamas can run really fast and are very intelligent and keep out of reach of the horses. I have heard of a couple of people trying packing using horses but it is not a good idea. Basically, llamas walk the speed of people so hiking with packs is the desired way. If you can get a slow moving horse who does not kick then I guess it would work but everyone I know uses them for carrying supplies while they hike. One of our members takes people into the Sierras for the wkends and gets $300 per llama for the wkend, usually 1-2 llamas per person depending on equipment carrying. Next wk he picks them up, another $300 per llama, and he did pretty good until he retired at 85 yrs. ! Well, any questions just ask and I'll try to answer. I was told if your guarding a herd of sheep to use only one guard llama as otherwise they bond with the other llama and don't stay with the herd well. Sharon

 

[babszoo]

You can mix them as long as you do it gradually. It seems when we are in parades with the llamas we end up with either the horses in front or behind us. Ours are usually next to the horses as they are use to them. When worked together they will pack together but yes you need to go slow as a llama can't keep up with a horses stride.

 

[coolchickens]

PS - I forgot... if your buying a llama look at the foot and fetlock. If it is not straight up and down, breaks over like a horses fetlock, the leg is going bad and there are a lot out there that way that are cheap because of it.