L.A.M.A.S.
  Learning about Llamas

 

LLAMA FACTS ...and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

BACKGROUND BASICS

Llamas are members of the camel (camelid) family. The Camelids originated on the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago. By the end of the last ice age (10,000-12,000 years ago) the camelids were extinct in North America. Llamas were domesticated from guanacos in the Andean highlands of Peru 4,000-5,000 years ago,and were among the oldest domesticated animals in the world.

Primarily a beast of burden, they also provided native herdsmen with meat, wool for clothing, hide for shelter, manure pellets for fuel, and offerings to their gods.

Today there are an estimated 7 million llamas and alpacas in South America, and about 200,000 llamas and 10,000 alpacas in the United States and Canada.

PHYSICAL FACTS

  • Life Span: About 15-25 years
  • Height: 36-48' at shoulder, 5.5-6' at the head
  • Weight: 280-500 pounds
  • Average Gestation: 350 days
  • Birth: A single baby ('cria') is normally delivered from a standing mother during daylight hours. Twinning very rarely occurs.
  • Babies: Birth weight is 20-35 pounds. Babies are normally up and nursing within 90 minutes. They are weaned at about six months. Crias should not be removed from mothers to be 'bottle-fed' unless medically necessary and special interaction should be done to preserve natural behavior.
  • Reproduction: Females are first bred at 18-24 months of age. Llamas do not have a heat cycle, but are induced ovulators(ovulation occurs 24-36 hrs after breeding) They can be bred at any time.
  • Health: Because llamas and their ancestors are specially suited to the harsh environment of their Andean homeland, North American owners will find them uncommonly hardy, healthy, easy keepers, and remarkably disease free compared to other livestock.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • What are llamas used for? Uses include breeding stock, pack animals, driving animals, wool production, therapy, guardians for sheep, and companion pets.
  • 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 fiber? Grease-free, lightweight llama fiber is warm and luxurious and popular with spinners and weavers.
  • Are they good pack animals? Llamas are excellent packers. 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 surefootedness. This foot, and the llama's ability to browse, give the llama an impact on the environment equivalent to a large deer.
  • What and how much do they eat? Llamas are a modified ruminant with a three-compartment stomach. They chew their cud like cattle and sheep. Because of a relatively low protein requirement due to their efficient digestive systems, they can be kept on a variety of pastures or hay.
  • What is their personality like? 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, in addition to a variety of other low pitched noises.
  • Do they spit? Spitting is the llamas' way of saying 'Bug Off!' Normally used only among llamas to divert annoying suitors, ward off a perceived threat or, most commonly, to establish pecking order at mealtime, an occasional llama who has been forced to tolerate excessive human handling may have developed an intolerance for or fear of humans and will spit if it feels threatened by them.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LAMAS recommends that you meet as many llamas (and llama breeders) as you can before you make a final decision on whether to buy llamas or which llamas to buy. Become an informed consumer. LAMAS is not interested in promoting any specific breeders or types of llamas but we are interested in making sure that first time llama buyers are exposed to the relatively large amount of information that is available to anyone interested in finding out more about llamas.

ASSOCIATIONS

Llama Association of the Mid-Atlantic States (LAMAS)

Membership
PO Box 252
Ashland, VA 23005
Email: membership@l-a-m-a-s.org
Website: http://www.l-a-m-a-s.org/

This association covers the states of Virginia, North Carolina and the District of Columbia. It publishes a bimonthly newsletter, has frequent meetings for its members, and supports a larger conference and one or more llama shows (one presently is at the Virginia State Fair) each year. Members of this association subscribe to a Standard of Conduct drawn up by LAMAS. You do not have to own a llama to join LAMAS. Interest in llamas is the most important requirement. One can get either an individual membership or a double membership that also includes a sponsorship of a veterinary membership. There is a free brochure of LAMAS members who are llama or alpaca breeders available on request. There are also other llama association and clubs in the surrounding states: Greater Appalachian Llama Association; Southern States Llama Association; others in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. In addition, there are more associations across the country.

Alpaca and Llama Show Association (ALSA)

ALSA is the show association for the lama community. ALSA provides judge training and certification, formats and regulations for halter conformation, performance, youth and fiber classes at ALSA shows. A quarterly newsletter and 'registering' your lamas for show points are also provided. There are Regional shows and a National Show combined with a national conference each year.

607 California Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15202
412-761-0211 (voice)
412-761-0212 (fax)
Email: mailto:alsa@nauticom.net
Website: http://www.alsashow.org/

VETERINARY CARE

In Virginia and North Carolina, we have access to excellent veterinarians who are interested in working with llamas. If you have questions about finding veterinarians in our area, LAMAS publishes a list. Before llamas can be brought into Virginia, they must test negative for Blue Tongue, Brucellosis and TB and, if staying in Virginia, must be permanently identified. Contact the Virginia State Veterinary Board for more information. For North Carolina, contact the North Carolina State Veterinary Board.

LlamaWeb maintains a list of veterinarians in the US who work with llamas and alpacas. See it here: http://www.llamaweb.com/Vet/Location.html

REGIONAL HEALTH CONCERNS

While llamas are relatively healthy, our major health concerns in this area are meningeal worm (carried by white tail deer) and heat stress. Both issues can be dealt with in advance, but can be problems if ignored. Frequent wormings, especially with ivermectin, can help ward off parasitizing by the meningeal worm. Shearing, providing cool and airy shelter, and knowing the signs of heat stress can help us through our hot, humid weather. It is also a bad idea to bring llamas from a cooler area here between June and October. They just can't acclimate fast enough. Breeding for babies between July and September is also avoided to reduce heat stress. For more information, contact your veterinarian or a request llama breeder.

REGISTRATION OF LLAMAS & ALPACAS

If you buy a llama, you should know that there is a registry for llamas, alpacas and guanacos. This is now a closed registry for llamas and there is a separate closed registry for alpacas. If you should buy an unregistered lama, you might find it difficult to register and also difficult to sell its unregistered babies. The registry aids in tracking the heritage of the animals that we buy. The registry can also be a computer source to locate progeny, trace lineage, etc. in aiding you to find specific llamas. Registry forms can be obtained from the Internet site now.

International Lama Registry
PO Box 8
Kalispell MT 59903
406-755-3438
Email: ilr@lamaregistry.com
Website: http://www.llamaregistry.com/

WEBSITES ABOUT LLAMAS

LAMAS (http://www.l-a-m-a-s.org/) has a detailed website that introduces you to the association and its members. A Calendar of Events, a current membership list and many links to more llama information is available.

LlamaWeb (http://www.llamaweb.com/) is another site with regional and national links and information provided by Dale Graham.

Llamapaedia (http://www.llamapaedia.com/) is another source with practical medical articles provided by Greta Stamberg, DVM.

There are several e-mail listservs for the camelid community:

MAGAZINES ABOUT LLAMAS

There are several publications about llamas which offer different perspectives about llamas and the llama breeding community.

Llama Life II is a glossy 'newspaper' which also has articles on training, etc. but also tends to air issues of interest and concern to llama owners. $20/yr. for 4 issues.

5232 Blenheim Rd
Charlottesville VA 22902
805-734-3633
Email: llamalife2@aol.com
Website: http://www.llamalife.com/

Llama Banner - a magazine that deals with llama shows, sales, 'A day in the life of a llama breeder',etc. $24/yr. for 6 issues.

PO Box 1968
Manhattan KS 66502
785-537-0320
Website: http://www.llamabanner.com/

LamaLink.com is a monthly magazine, "your connection to the lama world". Includes short articles and classified advertising. To get on mailing list or place articles and ads:

LamaLink.com
470 Riverside Road
Kalispell, MT 59901
406-755-5473
email (subscriptions): subscriptions@lamalink.com
email (editor): editor@lamalink.com
Website: http://www.lamalink.com/

BOOKS ABOUT LLAMAS

LAMAS has a lending library for members that has available an extensive list of llama books and videos for beginner and experienced llama owners. Contact

Beth Rowe
Forest Hill Llamas
Rt 1 Box 119
Staunton VA 24401
540-886-0265
Email: srowe@cfw.com

Other introductory books and videos

Caring for Llamas: A health and management guide by Clare Hoffman, DVM & Ingrid Asmus

Tips to the new llama buyer from High Llama, PO Box 172, McCall, ID 83638

Llama Basics -tape #1-video
Breeding,Birthing and Newborn Care -tape #2-video
Let's Go Packing -tape #3-video

All three video tapes from Taylor/Gavin Communications, PO Box 4323, Boseman, MT 59772, (406) 586-6872

Llama Training with Bobra Goldsmith: What Every Llama Should Know -video Rocky Mountain Llamas, 7202 North 45th St., Longmont, CO 80503 303-530-5575

The TTEAM Approach to Llama Training and Handling -book & videos. Marty McGee Bennett, 403 Apodaca Hill, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Email: martylma@trailcom Website: http://www.trail.com/~martylam/

Spin Off, the Magazine for Hand Spinners Interweave Press, Inc, 306 N Washington Ave, Loveland, CO 80537

Sources for assorted llama books, videos, supplies

Useful Llama Items, 5458 Razorville Rd, Bryon IL 61010 1-800-63LLAMA Website: http://www.useful-items.com/

LLAMA EVENTS

Visit the LlamaWeb Events section for a list of llama and alpaca related events around the country.

If you are a member of LAMAS or ALSA, they will keep you informed about various Conferences, Workshops and Clinics and Shows being held. However, you do not need to be a member in order to attend.

The LAMAS Annual Conference. This is a good regional get-together which also provides information and education of regional interest and exposure. An annual banquet and fund raiser with a 'Silent Stud Service' auction are usually held with the conference. Medical research funds are raised at these functions. A Futurity Halter Class is held annually with the produce of the 'Silent Stud Service'. LAMAS sponsors the Virginia State Fair Llama Show in September.This show combines conformation. performance, and fun classes with ALSA show status. It is a great opportunity to see a lot of different llamas and llama owners at the same time. There are several other llama shows and wool festivals in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina throughout the year. Consult the LAMAS newsletter and website for current dates.