We went to a horse & tack auction this weekend and bought an adorable 4 nonth old cria and her best friend - a barbados (sp?) ewe lamb. We discovered when we got home that the cria was not fully weaned and probably just taken from her mom. We are bottle feeding her and she does eat some hay but what else should we do to help her through this stressful time? We have a llama book but it hasn't been much help. We'd really appreciate some advice, we've never had orphans before! Can anyone recommend a book they like on llamas as well? Thanks!

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), October 24, 2000

Answers

I bottlefed a cria this summer. I got her when she was 3 weeks old. If she's 4 months old she really doesn't need to be bottlefed anymore. I weaned mine around that age & she's doing fine. A good website with lots of info is www.llamapaedia.com You can look up numerous things about llamas there.

-- Wendy (weiskids@yahoo.com), October 24, 2000.

Jean, I raise llamas here in central Ky and have had one born premature. One of your biggest concerns at this time should be what they call beserk syndrome. Where this baby has lost her mom she will think that you (feeding her the bottle) is her mom. When you feed her you should do just that, feed her, do not coddle her or pet her, feed her then walk away. Let her be with her best friend9 the Barbados sheep). You can slowly wean her from the bottle when you think she's eating enough hay/grass. That would be the time to establish a relationship with her NOT when she is drinking from a bottle. I have a book called A Guide To Raising Llamas by Gale Birutta it is a Storey Animal Handbook the price printed on the back of the book is $14.95. I will type out what it says about feeding the young llama: Most baby llamas start on hay and pasture as young as 1-2 weeks old. Babies will pick and choose; do not be concerned about limiting quantities of hay and pasture. They will naturally regulate themselves. Avoid feeding them grain until they are at least 3 months old. Babies will not readily eat grain until they are 4-6 months old; some won't even touch it until they are 10 months old. Do not encourage eating grain before 3 months old as he needs the high protein of his mothers milk. Provided that the baby his access to quality forage and free-choice minerals, grain should not be necessary other than as a treat.

It also says that this particular farm has had no problem with beserk syndrome with their babies and they have been handling them since birth. I would question how many babies they've had to bottle feed. Do you know what Beserk Syndrome is?? Your book may have some explanation but I will give you my 2cents worth. Sometimes it is refered to as Beserk Male Syndrome but it can happen to females. It is an abnormally aggressive behavior in adult llamas who were bottle fed and overly handled as babies. The botle fed baby usually bonds to humans rather than llamas. As adults they will treat humans like llamas and , in some cases, will become aggressive. Training and castration will not change this behavior.

I think where she has had her mother for the first four months you are going to get along well. I just wouldn't over handle her and try to watch her to be sure she is getting enough hay/grass. My llama mothers usually wean their own babies but I have heard other breeders wean them and take them away from their mothers totally at 6 months. Some of my mother llamas wean young and some seem to let their babies nurse longer. I have been feeding my llamas a course grain (sweet feed) but there are llama grains available at some feed stores. I have found that not switching too much is the key.If you need any further assistance you may e-mail me directly if you'd like. I hope I was of some assistance.

-- EMILY(CENTRAL KY) (BELLYACRESFARM@KYK.NET), October 24, 2000.

Berserk Syndrome generally comes in intact males who are bottle raised from birth. Castrating after the behavior manifests (sexual maturity) doesn't work. I have not seen it in llamas gelded at a young age or in Humbras. Lab Diet makes a good Llama chow that can be fed to all sorts of animals including deer and camels. I expect if the copper and magnesium aren't high then you could feed it to the sheep as well

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), October 27, 2000.