Llamas ?

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Hi All,

We are considering buying a couple of llamas for the fiber and possibly packing. And, for pets. We don't intend to try to make any money with them.

Anyone have any suggestions, comments?

Thanks

-- Doug Shutes (toadshutes@yahoo.com), May 05, 2000

Answers

Hello Doug, It is nice to see someone wanting to get into llamas for all the right reasons! We have llamas just for the fun of it!! This year we had 3 baby boys born, we have wanted boys forever, and it finally happened. These three boys bring our herd number up to 10, and at this point in time that is enough! My husband bought me my first llama in 1993, mostly because I wanted one and had been researching them for a number of years. After the purchase of our first I was hooked and soon took spinning lessons. My husband is a carpenter and has built me saddles for our llamas. I have beautiful baskets that I sometimes use on our picnic excursions, and hope to get a set of panniers soon. My young children have ridden our llamas on hiking trips. We also trained our "stud" llama to pull a cart. Unfortunately, when we moved from New Hampshire to Kentucky we didn't have room for the cart, but someday we will buy,or make one again!! One of my BIGGEST concerns about llamas is meningeal worm. Have you heard about them??? It is a parasite carried by white tail deer which have no effect on the deer but will lead to a slow and painful death to a llama. It effects their nervous system and they slowly lose control of their legs and eventually cannot function. I take this disease seriously and inject my llamas monthly with injectable ivermectin. I also keep my llamas shorn on a yearly basis due to the Kentucky heat. Heat exhaustion is also a problem if you live where the summers get hot and humid. They had days in New Hampshire I had to keep the water on them too. We got into them for the same reasons you have expressed and have had a lot of fun in the meantime. If I can be of more help to you e-mail me directly. Take Care!

-- Emily Nouvertne (BellyAcresFarm@kyk.net), May 06, 2000.

I don't have either one but, I've heard you could use the alpaca (llama off shoot)for the same things. They just have a better quality wool. Again, this is only what I've heard.

Good luck

animalfarms

-- animalfarms (In) (jwlewis@indy.net), May 09, 2000.


I love my llama!! Go for it!

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), May 09, 2000.

Lady in my area selling her mini cattle and horses and bred Llamas. If you would like her phone# please email me.

-- Bettie Ferguson (jobett@dixie-net.com), January 22, 2001.

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