What Can You Do With a Llama

Thats the first question people ask - right after the "don't they spit?" question. I hope some of the writings and photos here will help you understand why so many of us have fallen for llamas. Llamas are very entertaining just being themselves, their interactions with each other, pronking in the pasture on late afternoons, or playing "king of the hill" in comical face-offs. There is just so much you can say about llamas that makes them so endearing to people. But no matter how much is said, you won't truly understand their magic until you spend time with them.

Llama Uses Include:

PETS!!

Yes many llamas make wonderful, loving pets and companions. Before my husband's brain injury, he always enjoyed his time in the pasture with the llamas. In the photos shown here he's spending time with Haili, who's since passed on, but the two of them seemed to have had a special link. If he ignored her, she peeked over his shoulder as if to say, "Don't you want to kiss me?" As he brushed her, Haili asked Jack if she's beautiful yet, and he always told her YES. So it's true, real men do hug llamas! There will be more stories of llamas as pets further down.

TAKE THEM TO SCHOOL!
One way to show off your llamas is by taking them to school and teaching kids about llamas, their care and personality. This is a picture of Kim Todaro, of Triple T Llamas in Elysian Fields, Texas showing off Winter.

4 H PROJECTS
Their intelligence and manageability make them perfect for youngsters to learn responsibility and animal husbandry. Hey, llamas can even jump!

PARADES

They are great fun at parades and other PR functions. Check out these great pictures of the llamas all decked out for the 2007 Rose Bowl Parade. This was the first time ever for llamas in this parade. They looked Great!

PACKING AND HIKING COMPANIONS

Their strength and agility, along with padded feet (much easier on the terrain), make them the perfect packing partner. For more information see Llama Adventures. The picture linked in the heading is me and Jack on a trip to the Pacific NW.

FIBER PRODUCTION

For those interested in "back to basics" crafts, their wool can be used for spinning, felting, locker hooking, etc. You can make clothing or even Christmas tree ornaments. You don't need much fiber for your own personal use. Llamas need to be shorn every spring anyway, so you can put the fiber to good use. The Lord didn't grace me with much creative ability in that art, so I usually give my fiber to others more talented. I have entered my fiber in the local county fair and so far have twice taken home the award for Best in Show.

CART PULLING

There are reputable clinics and tapes available for teaching your llama to pull a cart. To the left is Rocky Road, who lives with the Spencers in Corsicana taking a walk down their drive. He was a big hit in the Christmas parade. The Spencers took Rocky to Ron Shinnick for training. You can read about him here.

THE SHOW RING
Llamas are gaining acceptance at increasingly more fairs and stock shows. Even children can show and win in adult classes. Here is a picture of me at the Ft. Worth Stock show with Sogno. I enjoyed several good showings at San Angelo, Ft. Worth, Dallas and the Celebrity with Sogno before my husband's accident. It was always a lot of fun to visit with folks from all over the US and sometimes Canada at these shows.

GUARDIAN LLAMAS
In recent years llamas have gained increasing acceptance as guardians or watchers over herds of sheep and goats. Colorado State has a pdf file examining their use along with guardian dogs and donkeys. Here in Texas it's often the coyote or fox that will decimate the sheep or goat herd, and certain llamas can help with that situation as long as the sheep or goat owner doesn't expect the impossible from the llama. Llamas are curious so they check out any intruders and have a natural distrust of the canine family. Some llamas will run toward the predator and some even kick or stomp them. Not all llamas are meant to be guardians. The best candidates are geldings or a non-breeding female at least 2 years old. Intact males should not be trusted with guarding sheep or goats, as they have been known to attempt to breed the female of the species they are guarding. The llama will also need basic care including annual innoculations, worming as needed and sometimes toenail trimming depending on the llama genetics and whether there are enough rocks to wear the nails down. Also the llama will need an annual spring shearing, so the ideal candidate should be halterable and easily led. Another good site for reading up on using llamas as guardians is here. Some sources for guardian llamas in Texas can be found here.

Do not expect llamas to guard against packs of dogs, bears or cougars.

One day I received a phone call from a new llama owner wanting to know about feeding llamas. It seems he had purchased a piece of property and there were two llama geldings left there. As he was busy moving his family in, his 5 year old daughter was getting to know her new friends, feeding and walking them. He related to me a story about the llamas that really impressed me, even though I've known they were special creatures for a long time now. He was outside one afternoon and noticed his daughter out near the back fence. He said he'd never noticed the llamas moving very fast, mostly just strolling around. However this particular afternoon, about the time he noticed a large, strange dog heading toward his daughter, the geldings noticed at the same time and took off running for the back fence. He said he knew he couldn't get there very fast, but the llamas did, and the geldings got on each side of his daughter and chased the dog away. So llamas can also protect kids!

STORIES ABOUT LLAMAS WE'VE SOLD

In the Fall of 2005, we took a trip to Peru and fell in love with some native llamas that were by a road side.

Returning to our ranch in Texas, we jumped on several websites and finally chose Jack and Deloris's ranch. It was a find that turned out better than our highest expectations.

The llamas at High Acres are not just llamas. One can find llamas in a number of places. The difference is Deloris. She puts lots of love and attention into those animals and it shows up in their disposition and personality. And what price can you put on that? Just ask the couple that owns one. Or two. Well, OK, three.

We ended up buying her whole cria crop of 2006. They are happy, well adjusted, halter trained and bursting with personality. No other farm animal we have ever owned comes even close to the joy these animals bring us everyday. Feeding time is a riot, grooming time is quietly punctuated by humming, and we walk them every day and now see the things they see.

Deloris's love for these animals will be apparent the minute you set foot on the farm. And they love her.

Our highest compliments and unreserved recommendation.

Roger and Sherrill Winter, Willow City, Tx.

2/2007

The llama in the forefront is Speed Racer. I received this from JoAnne Masters who purchased him: "Cassie was outside working with the goats and Speedy kept running up and humming. He would then run back to the stalls. He did this three times before Cassie decided to go look. Somehow Tammy (the goat) had locked herself in a stall. It was Speedy to the rescue!! Everything was fine as soon as Cassie let Tammy out. Lassie watch out, Speedy's here now!

This was Boots as a cria. Boots and his dam, Misty went to Ken Van Tassel several years ago. I received this email from him:

"The first time out for these guys was to a "Trades Day" in Clifton. All sorts of vendors set up in the street down town. We just walked around with all the kids just having a good time with Misty and Boots. I think those two guys were having having just as much fun. They were great. Next we walked in the Fair Parade. I had two of my grandsons helping me. From the parade we had an invitation to visit the Sunset Nursing Home. This is part of a Lutheran Church retirement center, a large facility and very well though of."

Ken continued with, " We waited for the weather to cool before we made that visit. There were several very nice patios at the home and the residents came out to visit with Misty and Boots. You should have seen the eyes and smiles of those people. Misty and Boots were very well behaved." Ken finished his email with "I want to continue to do these things. They are both great pets and I enjoy tending to their needs."

Luck of the Irish was born on St. Patrick's Day in 99 and later sold to Bobby and Becca Till who foster care children. They use the llamas to teach their foster kids responsibilty and self confidence. To the left you can see that Lucky and his handler Harold cleaned up at the San Angelo show. Lucky at 8 months old had taken 2nd in obstacle out of 14 . The next year Lucky was again in attendance with Harold. To my surprise and delight this couple took first place in his class. Boy I was laughing and crying at the same time. Later Harold sought me out and gave me a big hug and said "Thank you so much for letting us have Lucky"

Dancer is the llama at the heading of this section with the funny face markings. His new owner says to the question of 'what do you do with a llama?' "Get a big laugh out of them. Heidi Lou wrote: I have to tell you a neat story. I was coming home from work one evening and two baby goats were lying down on Dancer's back. Dancer was also lying down. As I pulled down the driveway, one of the baby goats started jumping up and down on Dancer's back. It was TOO FUNNY!!! Dancer just laid there and let him carry on. I knew my husband would never believe this story and it was over 15 minutes until he would arrive home. Suddenly both babies start bouncing up and down and then they hop off Dancer's back and start racing around on the ground. My husband pulls up and I start off "You're not going to believe what I just saw..." Well no sooner had I said that and the two baby goats were both on Dancer's back again bouncing up and down. My husband and I couldn't quit laughing. Dancer thinks the babies are his and they continue to cuddle with him nightly.

I have loved getting to know the wonderful folks that we've sold llamas to. I think a special kind of person is drawn to llamas. It's hard to see them go, but always a joy to see their new owner's faces light up.

Cecil Ann and Jimmie purchased several llamas from me including Luc to the left here shown in his Christmas finery several years ago. Cecil Ann is featured above also with Luc's companion Rocky and she tells me that Luc too is learning to pull a cart now that he's older.

Luc is called around their farm "The Politician" because he's the first one to greet visitors to the farm. He's also been to schools with his buddy Rocky to visit the kids.

I know all my llamas that have gone to live with the Spencers are getting so much love and attention!!

I hope you've enjoyed the stories I've shared about llamas here. As long as I'm able to live in the country llamas will share my life. My special pet is Sarai (shown here getting brushed with Night looking on) who is very jealous of me. If I show any attention to another llama she immediately pushes between us and hogs the show. She'll even push between me and another person that I might be paying too much attention to. It's inconceivable to me that llamas have such a bad reputation as being ill mannered spitters. If you ever want to talk llamas email or visit us, we'll set the record straight.

Deloris and Jack Gardner

email llama1@highacresllamas.com

(Please use a llama related subject)

830-997-0295, Fredericksburg, Tx.

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Llama Care and Breeding

updated 09/07 Deloris Gardner