llamas

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I would like to get a llama, could anyone tell me about them. Like how much they cost, what do they eat, and do they get along with other live stock? Do they spit? Anything you could tell me would help. Thank you! Pat

-- Pat (planold5@aol.com), February 16, 2000

Answers

Pat, yup, they spit. They really really spit when they're spitting mad (sorry). Prices are all over the map. If any one in your area has llama's, they could give you a better idea of the prices. Sometimes a pet llama will be sold for $50-100, but usually they are more. If there aren't any llama owners' in your area for you to speak with, check around at feed stores, vets' offices, county extension offices, places where animal people might post for sale notices. Also the people who work there might be able to give you an idea of prices and who has llamas.

Generally llamas get along with other animals. Individuals vary however.

If you aren't in a tearing hurry to buy a llama, wait until this summer when the various county and state fairs start. Many times llama breeders will either be showing there or have exhibits set up. Also fiber related events would be good places to check. Llama fiber is spinnable. Like all fiber animals, some llamas produce good spinning fiber and some don't. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), February 16, 2000.


We have an older llama gelding who lives quite peacably with our sheep & goats. He does sometimes spit, mostly at the goats who won't obey him, and only when really provoked. We chose this llama because he had been with sheep & goats for a long time and we hoped he would be a good guard. He has been so far. He is much cheaper to keep than a dog, he eats hay, oats, corn, loves sweet feed. He's fun to groom too. We have found other inexpensive llamas for sale, but the catch is that they want to sell you two, to keep each other company. Maybe if they are raised only with other llamas this is true. We figure if we were going to buy two, we would want a breeding pair, but mostly they want to sell you an older gelding and a young one. Anyway, they can be found for $100 or $150, if you search. The above posted ideas are good ones. By the way, our llama is gentle, even with youngsters and we just love him! Hope this helps. Jean

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), February 16, 2000.

Llamas are pretty comon around here, people got into the biz, a few years ago now they are everywhere and there is little market. Someone whom we don't know gave a friend of ours 7 of them in the past month. I hear they make good jerky.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), February 16, 2000.

I have been raising llamas since 1992 and have been lovin' every minute of it. I got into them by accident, thought I would like one when they were not so common and while we were at a llama festival in our previous town my husband bought me one. We have had 5 babies (known as crias) born into our care and currently have 7 llamas total. We recently relocated 1000 mile away from home and my husband informed me we needed to sell them before we left. It took me about 10 minutes to inform him if they couldn't go I wasn't going!

LLamas will SPIT some more than others. I have two that are more prone to do it than the rest of the herd. They seem to be the ones who like their grain feedings the most. They also have the ability to spit GREEN bile-like fluid. Remember, llamas have only two forms of defense, kicking and spitting! A kick can be quite an experience but they seem to have to be quite provoked! I had one llama who has kicked both of my kids, just once. To be honest, they were playing with his tail and they deserved it.

Still my kids LOVE our llamas and I trust the kids to take them all over the farm alone! The kids have chosen their own personal llamas and have trained them theirselves (my kids are 9 and 6 years old).

Prices vary widely. Where we came from, in New Hampshire they were about $800 for a pet quality male up to thousands for breeding females. At an auction here in Lexington Kentucky last spring they all sold reasonably at $300 on up. Remember, sometimes you get what you pay for! NEVER accept a bottle baby unless you know what you are in for. Llamas get what they call beserk syndrome, where they think YOU are their mother. They will defend you from your family and have been known to do some serious damage to people.

My suggestion to Anybody willing to pay anything for an animal is to, "BUY THE BOOK FIRST." If its not worth the price of the book (which some books are reasonably priced) maybe you shouldn't be getting the animal!

-- Emily Nouvertne (BellyAcresFarm@KYK.NET), February 22, 2000.


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