Frequently Asked Questions
Background Basics
Llamas are members of the camel (camelid) family. They were domesticated
from guanacos in the Andean highlands of Peru 4,000-5,000 years ago. Primarily
a beast of burden, they also provided native herdsmen with wool for clothing,
hide for shelter, and manure pellets for fuel. Today there are approximately
7 million llamas and alpacas in South America, and 40,000 in the United
States.
Physical Facts
Life Span: About 15-25 years
Height:40-45 inches at the shoulder, 5.5 to 6 feet at the head
Weight: 280-500 pounds
Average Gestation: 350 days
Birth: A single baby (cria) is normally delivered without
assistance from a standing mother during morning hours. In the High
Plains of the Andes every night of the year, the temperature drops
below freezing. Births in the morning hours allow the newborn to dry before
nightfall.
Babies: Birth weight is 25-35 pounds. Babies are normally
nursing within 90 minutes. They are weaned at about 6 months.
Reproduction: Females are first bred at 14-24 months of
age. Llamas do not have a heat cycle, but are induced ovulators. Thus they
can be bred at any time of the year.
Color: Wool ranges from white to black, with shades of
grey, beige, brown, red, and roan in between. It may be solid, spotted,
or marked in a variety of patterns.
Health: Because llamas and their ancestors are suited
to the harsh environment of their Andean homeland, North American owners
will find them remarkably hardy, healthy, easy to care for, and relatively
disease free.
What are they used for?
Uses include breeding stock, pack animals, sheep guards, wool production,
pets (very safe with children), therapy, and cart pulling.
Are they intelligent?
Llamas are intelligent and easy to train. In just a few repetitions
they will pick up and retain many behaviors such as accepting a halter,
being led, loading in and out of a vehicle, pulling a cart or carrying
a pack.
Can you use their wool?
Grease free, lightweight llama wool is warm and luxurious and popular
with spinners and weavers.
Are they good pack animals?
They are excellent pack animals. They can carry 50-120 pounds, but
are not ridden except by children. Their two-toed foot with its leathery
bottom pad gives them great sure footedness. This foot, and the llama's
ability to browse, give the llama an impact on the environment equivalent
to a large deer.
Do they make good sheep guards?
Single llamas in herds of sheep have proven extremely effective in
deterring coyotes, cougars, and even bears from the sheep. They have a
much longer life expectancy than dogs, and eat the same food as the sheep.
What and how much do they eat?
Llamas are a modified ruminant with a three compartmented stomach.
They chew their cud like sheep or cattle. Because of a relatively low protein
requirement due to their efficient digestive systems, they can be kept
on grass or a variety of hays. It is said that 3 llamas can be maintained
at about the same cost as 1 large dog.
What is their personality?
These highly social animals need the companionship of their species.
Independent, yet shy, llamas are gentle and curious. Their calm nature
and common sense make them easy for anyone, even children, to handle.
What sounds do they make?
Llamas communicate with a series of ear, body, and tail postures, as
well as a shrill alarm call and a humming sound.
Do they spit?
Spitting is the llamas way of establishing the pecking order at meal
times, or for a female to ward off an annoying suitor. Only llamas that
have been pestered too much by humans, say at a petting zoo, will tend
to spit at human beings.
How much do they cost?
Here at KHQN we sell females starting at $500.00 and males at $300.00.
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