Adopting a Llama

[SkyWarrior]

I may be adopting a llama tomorrow. (Yes, I know they need buddies -- that'll be my next project)

I'm a big animal person. I own chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, cats, and Malamutes. I was a sled dog racer for years. I'm an intermediate rider when it comes to horses, trained in English and have done some jumping. I'm a professional pet author too. I've been reading up on llamas but either I'm missing some crucial information or I've got the wrong books.

Here are my questions:

Telling an adult llama's age -- can it be done successfully or am I just making an educated guess by how worn the teeth might be?

This llama has supposedly been trained for packing. Where would I find inexpensive packs for said llama?

What should I look out for when adopting a llama? General health, yes. Decent conformation, I can handle.

Can I stake out during the day and put in a fenced pen/barn at night? I don't have fencing on my 10 acres yet. When I stake out the llama, I'd be home -- otherwise in the fenced area or barn.

What do llamas think about chickens?

Huge thanks!!!

 

[ksalvagno]

It would be really hard to tell age from the teeth because they constantly wear their teeth down. There really isn't a way to tell age on an adult llama. If it is a male, I would have fighting teeth checked out and trimmed if needed. Most geldings don't grow their fighting teeth after gelding but some still do but at a slower rate.

Basically looking healthy. Maybe see if they have any health records so you can see when the llama was last vaccinated and wormed. I wouldn't want to see matted fiber on their body or obvious signs that they hadn't been shorn in years but that isn't a show stopper, just be sure to shear the llama next spring (or when you get him if you live in a warm state). If he does have a lot of fiber on him that you can't see his body condition, then I would want to get my hands on him and feel his backbone and ribs to see body condition. You don't want too fat or too thin.

It really is not desirable to stake out a llama. But if that is your only option right now and you are home to watch closely, they are staked when on the trail. Also llamas need a shelter to completely get out of any type of elements.

Be sure to have the llama shorn for the warm weather. They are prone to heat stress. Here in Ohio we shear around the April/May timeframe. Also, you will just have to see how the llama does with chickens. Each llama is different. And yes, he will need a buddy.

As far as a pack, I would start with Stevens Llamatique or Quality Llama Products or Useful Llama Items. I'm not sure where else you could get a llama pack.

 

[SkyWarrior]

It would be really hard to tell age from the teeth because they constantly wear their teeth down. There really isn't a way to tell age on an adult llama. If it is a male, I would have fighting teeth checked out and trimmed if needed. Most geldings don't grow their fighting teeth after gelding but some still do but at a slower rate.

Basically looking healthy. Maybe see if they have any health records so you can see when the llama was last vaccinated and wormed. I wouldn't want to see matted fiber on their body or obvious signs that they hadn't been shorn in years but that isn't a show stopper, just be sure to shear the llama next spring (or when you get him if you live in a warm state). If he does have a lot of fiber on him that you can't see his body condition, then I would want to get my hands on him and feel his backbone and ribs to see body condition. You don't want too fat or too thin.

It really is not desirable to stake out a llama. But if that is your only option right now and you are home to watch closely, they are staked when on the trail. Also llamas need a shelter to completely get out of any type of elements.

Be sure to have the llama shorn for the warm weather. They are prone to heat stress. Here in Ohio we shear around the April/May timeframe. Also, you will just have to see how the llama does with chickens. Each llama is different. And yes, he will need a buddy.

As far as a pack, I would start with Stevens Llamatique or Quality Llama Products or Useful Llama Items. I'm not sure where else you could get a llama pack.

Thanks, Karen! The information you gave me confirms things I had more or less thought I would do since I didn't see anything else on the web or in the books.

The stake out system is what the current owner is doing. (sigh). I want to put in two corrals for horses, but panels are $$$ so I figure it's a start and increase the fencing as I go. I'm planning on horses next year, so I will have to have something in.

Thanks again!

Maggie