FACTS ABOUT LLAMAS PHYSICAL FACTS Life Span: about 15 to 20 years Height:
36" to 47" at the shoulder, 5' to 6'5" at the head Weight: 250 to 450 pounds Color: A llama may be solid, spotted, or marked in a wide variety of patterns,
with wool colors ranging from white to black and many shades of gray, beige, brown red, and roan in between. Reproduction, Birth and Babies: Females are first bred at 16 to 24 months of
age. Llamas do not have a heat cycle; they are induced ovulators (ovulation occurring 24 to 36 hours after breeding). Llamas can be bread at any time of the year. A single baby ("cria") is
usually delivered from a standing mother, normally without assistance. Most births occur during daylight hours, which is better for the cria and most certainly more convenient for the llama owners. Twinning
is a rare occurrence. Normal birth weights are between 20 to 35 pounds. The cria usually stands and nurses within 90 minutes depending upon the cria's size and the mother's condition. The baby is
weaned at 4 to 6 months. Health and Basic Medical Needs: Because their ancestors "evolved" in the harsh environment of the Andean highlands, North American llama owners have found them to be
generally easy to care for. The recommended primary care of yearly vaccinations, routine wormings, and regular toenail trimming help llamas remain hardy and healthy. What are they used for?
Contemporary North American llamas are primarily recreational animals. They are bred and raised for packing, wool production, cart pulling, animal facilitated therapy, companion animals, exhibiton in shows,
parades and fair, and guardians of other livestock such as sheep. The llama is becoming increasingly popular as a project animal for 4-H, Scouts, FFA and other youth activities. For the outdoor
enthusiast and athlete, there are numerous activities and competitive events that team up the llama and his owner. Llamas are great family fun! Can you use their wool? Grease-free and
light-weight, llama wool is warm and luxurious. A valuable commodity sought after by fiber artists, such as weavers and spinners, the wool is a marketable product for llama owners.
Are they intelligent? Yes, which is why llamas can quickly learn to accept a halter, follow on a lead, load in and out of a vehicle, or carry a pack. Are they good pack animals?
Sure-footed and agile, most llamas are excellent packers and can carry an average of 80 pounds or 25% of their body weight. Their two-toed foot with its leathery pad gives the llama a low environmental impact
equivalent to that of a considerable hiker's athletic shoe. Their ability to browse lessens their intrusion on the native vegetation, which is one of the reasons llamas are gaining in popularity with
environmentally conscious users and managers of our public lands. Historically llamas have carried packs for man; however some llamas have ben rained to carry a small child. What do they eat?
Llamas are modified ruminant with a three-compartment stomach. Like cattle and sheep, they chew their cud. Because of a relatively low protein requirement and an efficient digestive system, they can
be kept on a variety of suitable pastures or hay, with the supplementation of recommended vitamins, minerals and salt. A llama costs significantly less to feed than other comparable-sized animals.
What is their personality like? Because they are highly sociable herd animals, llamas need the companionship of other llamas. Independent yet shy, llamas are gentle and curious. Their generally
calm nature and common sense make a trained llama easy for anyone to handle and an excellent choice for a child's pet and companion. What sounds do they make? Llamas communicate by
humming. They also express themselves through a series of ear, body, and tail postures. On rare occasions they will alert their companions and human keepers with a distinctive alarm call to the
presence of unfamiliar dogs or other creatures which they perceive as threats. During breding males make a distinctive orgling sound. Do they spit? Llamas will spit at other llamas in
order to establish the pecking order within the group, to ward off an unwanted suitor, or to say "Stop it!" A llama who has been mishandled, feels abused, or threatened may occasionally spit a humans. Are they registered? Yes. The International Llama registry issues registration certificates and maintains a current database which grows yearly as more llamas are registered. Two
idenntification processes gaining prevalence within the llama industry are blood typing and microchipping. These efforts not only help protect the llama gene pool but also assure new buyers that llamas are a wise and
pleasurable investment. |
