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Llamas
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What do llamas eat? Llamas eat pretty much the same thing as cows, goats and horses. They eat grass, hay and grain. They are browsers and grazers, and given the choice appear to prefer to browse on leaves, vines, thorns and the like. When they browse on Kudzu, for instance, it generally dies out and goes away, at least for a while, so they can be used to help clean up a kudzu patch. They can be fed most kinds of grass and hay, but generally fescue is to be avoided in breeding stock unless it is known to be "endophyte free". High protein hay such as Alfalfa is unnecessary since the llama only requires about 10% protein. The best grains for llamas are those especially formulated for llamas with second best probably being a coarse dairy chow. Grains generally should be low in molasses especially during hot parts of the year since it tends to increase body heat. Many breeders feed no grain or cut it out during summer months to reduce heat stress in their llama herd although recent studies on zinc deficiencies suggest that grain should be used as a supplement year round to prevent zinc deficiencies. (back to the list)
How do llamas get along with children? Llamas usually get along with children and any small animal very well. They are usually very curious about small things and want to explore, but are very gentle around little ones. It is not unusual at shows to see toddlers who can barely walk leading llamas many times their size around. I have never known a llama to harm a young person. Even the very large ones are very careful not to step on or bump a little person. (back to the list)
How big do llamas get? Llamas are beasts of burden and therefore get pretty large compared to other non-food domesticated animals. The full-grown, standard male llama ranges from 5 1/2 to well over 6 feet at the head and may weight between 350 and 550 lbs. There are some bigger than that but rarely. The full-grown female is usually about the height of the average American female. So, between 5 1/2 to 6 foot in height and they average in weight from between 250 lbs to well over 400 lbs. It is not unusual for a female llama to be larger than her male mate. In the United States a small llama breed is being developed by breeding smaller llamas to smaller llamas and they are being sold as a "small llama" or "miniature llama". Registered miniature llamas when full grown are no more than 38" high at the withers. Proportionally they should be the same shape and conformation as their larger relatives. The development of the miniature llama seems to be proceeding without genetic anomalies and loss of conformation. For more information on breeding and care of miniature llamas visit www.miniaturellamas.com (back to the list)
Do llamas spit? Do horses kick, do dogs bite, do cats scratch? Of course they do. These are their means of defending themselves against unwanted attack or discomfort. The llamas only mode of defense is to run away or to spit. Llamas rarely spit at humans unless the human is perceived to be a threat or is attempting to harm the llama in some way or has done so in the past. If a person gets spat on by a llama, they usually deserve it. When the llama is threatened, it first warns the intruder by putting its ears back and raising its head. If the intruder fails to heed the warning the llama will usually spit a warning shot that contains whatever is in the mouth at the time (which may be nothing, grain, grass or the like and is relatively innocuous). If the intruder persists, the llama pulls up its cud (chewed grass, grain, or whatever) and spits that. The cud smells quite bad and sticks to whatever is in its way. No it doesn't sting and won't make you blind as rumor goes, but it will make you want to go and get a shower! So, the bottom line is, the llama will be nice as long as you are, but if you tease him you may have a smelly souvenir to take home. (back to the list)
How do llamas get along with other livestock? In our experience llamas get along with almost any livestock. We have raised our llamas with miniature horses with no problems. We know others who have raised their llamas with cows, horses, pigs, goats of all sizes, sheep, chickens, donkeys (miniature and full size). Generally, they quickly learn to cope with whatever it is. Sometimes it is harder on the other livestock to learn about the llamas, but a few lessons in green slime usually puts everyone on a good footing. (back to the list)
Are llamas easily trained? Llamas appear to be extremely easy to train, partially because they are very curious and seem to want to see and learn about everything. That means they pay close attention, something much less true of dogs, cats and other domestic animals and livestock. However, this is a two-edged sword, they are easily trained both positive and negative behaviors. So, you have to be careful to be sure you are rewarding what you want to happen and not rewarding what you don't want to happen, otherwise, you can quickly train them to do exactly the opposite of what you desire. For more about training see Showing. (back to the list)
How many offspring does a llama have? The momma llama, referred to as the Dam, usually carries her baby, called a "cria", for 11 1/2 months give or take two weeks. She usually only carries one cria at a time and twinning is very rare. She generally gives birth to her baby while standing and the baby is usually up and around and feeding within 20 to 30 minutes. The mother can be rebred in about two weeks after giving birth and if she is bred at that time, she will have her cria on just about the same day the next year. Most mamma llamas can continue to have babies their whole life. Sometimes a pregnancy is lost during the first three months, and so, some llamas do not have a cria every year, but occassionally skip a year now and then. (back to the list)
How
much room does it take to raise a llama?
Most
breeders try to keep their pastures at 3 to 4 llamas per acre of good
grass. Some raise more than that on a acre, especially if they are in a
"feed lot" situation, in which they feed hay and grain due to the lack
of adequate grass. The primary reason for keeping the number of llamas per
acre low is to reduce the likelihood of parasite infestation which occurs when
llamas are forced to feed on pasture which contains large amounts of
manure. Llamas are generally very clean and will not eat grass over the
manure piles, but if too many are raised in a small area, they may not have a
choice. Llamas, especially males, tend to use a few well placed manure
piles rather than spreading it all over the pasture. This aids in cleanup
as well as reducing parasite problems.
(back to the list)
Do llamas kick? Llamas can kick and some have very accurate and well placed kicks. I have had several brushes kicked from my hand without my hand being touched. However, most llamas do not usually kick and only do so when there is direct and usually purposeful contact with the hind legs. One of the ways males fight is by grabbing each others legs, and thus, many males become very sensitive about their legs. However, llamas can easily be taught to stand to be handled and to not kick, if they happen to be kickers. Unlike hoofed animals, llama have a soft leathery footpad and so if you were kicked, usually you would just think you had been slapped. The llama kick generally causes no damage, unless it just happens to catch you in the wrong place or you get caught by an untrimmed toenail. (back to the list)
What do you use a llama for? Traditionally llamas were beasts of burden and they are still used to carry heavy loads for packing trips or treks and to and from areas where other modes of transportation cannot go. They are mainly used today, however, for their valuable fiber, as pets, as public relations animals going into school, hospitals, nursing homes and businesses, in advertising and publicity, for breeding (see Llama Care) and showing (see Showing), for cart pulling, as caddies on golf courses, as lovely pasture decorations and as guard animals (see Guards) for small livestock such as sheep and goats. In some countries llamas are used as a source of food, but not usually in the United States. Llama manure has proven to be an excellent garden and lawn fertilizer, easily composted and almost odorless. (back to the list)
How much weight can a llama carry? Llamas like their cousin, the camel, are beasts of burden. They can carry up to 1/3 their body weight. It is not unusual for them to carry loads of 100 or more lbs for 8 hours a day, day after day without complaining or packing trips or treks. This is assuming that they are healthy and well conditioned. Like us, how well they do depends on what kind of shape they are in. (back to the list)
Do you shear llamas like sheep? Llamas are sheared for their fiber like sheep, but only rarely are they full body sheared. Usually shearing is a modified cut such as a barrel or lion cut in which the neck, leg, and tail wool is left on. The primary reason for shearing llama in addition to gathering the fiber is to reduce the possibility of heat stress injuries. Some people keep llamas primarily for their fabulous fiber and use it to make luxurious clothes and this is the primary use for llamas in South America. Most llama owners in the United States shear their llamas in the spring to help them cope with summer heat. Then they may sell the fiber to spinners or keep it to use themselves for a variety of purposes. (See Llama Care, Shearing, Heat Stress) (back to the list)
Do llamas bite? Llamas have no upper teeth in the front of their mouths, so if you got your hand caught in one's mouth, it could do very little damage. They have a soft pallet on the top of their mouth which aids them in pulling grass and leaves when they eat. They are usually very gentle and careful to pick things out of your hand with their split upper lip which they use like fingers to pick up food. Due to their quiet, gentle nature, it would be very rare for a llama to be aggressive (if it were, this would indicate a serious problem with the llama). Adult male llamas do have 6 fighting teeth which they use in fighting each other. In domestication, the prudent breeder/owner cuts these teeth off flat so that they can do no damage. Llamas do have chewing teeth in the rear of their mouths that they use to chew their food and their cud. (back to the list)
How long does a llama live? It is not unusual for a llama to live 15-25 years, and some live a good bit longer. Many continue to breed and birth babies, to serve their other primary functions and maintain to their usual activity levels their whole lives. (back to the list)
How much does it cost to raise a llama? With good pasture, the average size llama will cost around $250 per year to keep, including veterinary costs. That is less than it cost to keep the family dog. Costs of course vary according to uses. If you show the llamas or use them in public situations the costs, of course, will be higher due to transportation, entry fees, veterinary costs and supplies for grooming and so forth. (back to the list)
Do llamas get sick very often? Llamas tend to be one of the healthiest animals we know of. They are rarely ill and recover quickly when they become ill. However, llamas are very stoic, so that sometimes it is difficult to tell when they are ill, until they are very ill. So, one needs to know the llamas "normal behavior" so that they will know when the llama is acting "Just-not-right", the first sign that intervention needs to be made. Of course, like other livestock, llamas are susceptible to parasites. However, because of their neat dung pile habits, parasites are spread among llamas less easily than other livestock. They tend to have fewer common diseases than most other livestock, though we immunize (see Annual Vaccinations) them against some of the common livestock diseases just for safety. The biggest threat to llamas raised in the USA is probably heat, which can be controlled relatively easily with proper precautions (see Heat Stress). Another significant threat to llamas is the meanegeal worm (see Illnesses) (back to the list)
How hard are llamas to raise? Compared to most other livestock and pets, llamas are quite easy to raise. Actually, if you have a good fenced pasture, minimal shelter, access to clean water and hay available for times when grass is not growing, you have practically everything you need to raise a llama as a pet, yard ornament or friend. Minimal training is necessary, as is annual vaccinations, periodic toenail trimming, monthly worming, and for adult males kept with other llamas, periodic teeth trimming. If you wish to do other things with your llama different activities will require additional training (see Training) and acquisitions. (back to the list)
Are llamas friendly? Yes and No. Llamas are friendly like a cat. When they want to have attention they will let you know, otherwise they would just as soon you leave them alone. They are very curious about everything and will almost always come up to see what you are doing or what you have. But, just because they come up doesn't mean they want to be touched. Some will approach and allow you to scratch their necks or rub their back. Others would just as soon never be touched, except on a lead. They are not unfriendly, but they choose their friends and their opportunities for interaction. The more they get to know you the more they are tolerant of your handling them. The key is always getting their trust. If they trust you, they will do whatever you want. (back to the list)
YOUR QUESTIONS?
Your Llama facts questions! If you have questions that are not covered either here or in our Llama Care page, then type it in the grey box below and we will try to answer you as soon as we can. If we don't know the answer, we will try to find out and get back to you. Please limit you question to 96 characters and spaces. If you have room provide your email address.
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