# llama question



## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I think I am getting two llamas to guard my boys goats. We keep the goats in different pastures so I will have one llama with each herd of goats. I am planning on gelded males. The breeder I am talking to said he has never had them around goats, but he sells them as guard llamas and has never heard of one harming a goat. What do you think? Will a llama that has never been around goats be fine with goats? I just don't want another goat attack.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Will they take them back if it doesn't work out? Really can't say because every Llama is different.


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## Patch (Jul 1, 2014)

I got my llama around Dallas, and I must say I am extremely happy with the results. He was a 3 year old gelded male when I got him and takes care of the goats very well!

-Patch


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

Patch, you may have bought it from this breeder. It is North Texas Llamas. He said he has sold over 1000 and never had a complaint about them attacking goats. 

I asked if he offered an exchange policy and he said no because he only has a handful of reserved slots on the weekends to show and sell llamas and I would be taking up two of them with a return and the geldings are not his money makers. At least he is honest.


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## Patch (Jul 1, 2014)

gwith said:


> Patch, you may have bought it from this breeder. It is North Texas Llamas. He said he has sold over 1000 and never had a complaint about them attacking goats.
> 
> I asked if he offered an exchange policy and he said no because he only has a handful of reserved slots on the weekends to show and sell llamas and I would be taking up two of them with a return and the geldings are not his money makers. At least he is honest.


Yep, same guy. He has a good selection out there. I have really been happy with our llama. Most dogs won't even come close to him.

Patch


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

My llama didn't bond with my goats till they kidded then he didn't like me getting close.
I didn't have any luck with two in different pastures the Llamas just stood by the fence and talked to each other.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Not every llama is a guard llama. You take your chances when you don't get proven guard llamas. My first 2 llamas were the first ones to run away. My next llama was a proven guard llama that killed a German Shepherd that went in her field. My last llama I took a chance and was fine with her not being a guard llama but she ended up being a great team with the other guard llama. One would stay by the threat and the other would herd the alpacas to the barn.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I agree with Karen. It depends on the llama. I would prefer a llama that's been raised with goats, one who sees them as part of his herd. Some llamas may work wonderfully, others may not. Each llama is an individual. I think it takes a lot of luck getting the right guardian llama. Some seem to have a natural ability while others make awful guardians.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree...this is the same with donkeys and guard dogs...its either there or not...


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Out of curiosity - if you found a llama breeder but the llamas hadn't been raised with goats - could you bring a leashed dog nearby and try to get a feel for how aggressive and assertive a particular llama may be to threats? 

Obviously this would not indicated if/how well that particular llama would bond with goats, but could it eliminate those that may be the first to turn tail and run to the barn?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Yes. You could do that.


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## BorderKelpie (Mar 27, 2016)

Hi, I'm dragging up an older thread since it is about what I needed to post anyway. 

I am thinking about getting a llama from North Texas Llamas, but have no clue what to get/look for/train him for my goats and sheep. 

I am planning on having two separate areas to keep the girls away from the boys, but it's a small lot (little over an acre) and I don't want to throw too much livestock on it all at once. So, only one llama for now lol

Do I get a young one or does he sell mature geldings? Could one be allowed 'loose' and still help with penned up males if perhaps I maybe pen them closer to the house or something? 

What vaccines, etc do I need for a llama?

Thanks guys!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need a proven guard llama. At least 3 years old. Gelded male is good. CDT is the only vaccine unless there is something more you give in your area.


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I bought two from North Texas Llama and I am extremely happy. He just has llamas. He can't tell you if they are proven or not. He sells them based on their hair quality. The brown/black ones are cheaper. The ones with color are more expensive. The females are more expensive too. I think all his males are gelded. 

I am not positive, but I think ours are about 18 months old. One had only been clipped once and the other has never been clipped. He clips them once a year. He said all he does is worm them once a year when he clips them. 

We put ours in two different pens and watched them to make sure they would be safe. At first they just went on their own, but not to long after they started to hang around with the goats. I have them each in about a 3 acre pen with 6 goats in one and 8 in an other. They are usually by the goats, but not always. When they see something different they will walk over there and check it out. I have had my dogs on the outside of the fence and they will walk over there. I assume that would be enough to scare a coyote or dog away. They have never shown aggression towards any goats. I have had them come face to face with newborns. I have had young ones try to climb on their backs. Just last night one of my 10 week old bucks decided he would ram the llama over and over again. The llama just reached down and put his neck across the goats back and the goat walked away. 

They aren't an animal you can pet. They will come to me if I call them and they stay about 5 feet away. I did trim their nails in the trailer before I let them out in the fields. They have never spit at anything when I have been around. 

We just had one of our protection donkeys bite the tail off of a goat and we are considering buying a couple more llamas. I think North Texas llama only sells them for part of the year. 

Good Luck.


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*Love the Llama!*

Unlike the :sleeping:goats(which we have had a huge learning curve on), I feel we either got lucky with our llama, or just got a GREAT ONE! "MOSES" is what we renamed him, has been a Wonderful Llama! ray: We purchased Moses at 13 1/2 years of age from someone who raised llamas for show and hair. This llama had never been in charge of anything, no goats, was never trained, wasn't _ proven_...He was for show and such, and had a name we felt didn't fit our needs...so, the ONLY thing we did was to change his name from _Prince something _to a more suited name that better defined what we NEEDED him to do for us, as we felt we needed a _SHEPHERD_, and a _Guard of our flock_...so, we unanimously voted on the name

*MOSES! *

Now, the name doesn't make a llama, and perhaps we just got lucky!!!! But, when Moses was walked back to the pasture to meet the goats he was to guard, he INSTANTLY went into shepherd mode and the girls have and continue to be his babies! It was like a miracle,:angelgoat::angelgoat::angelgoat: but went exactly as we read it should go! (yeah, one thing we did turned out like a story book!):book:

He is a Natural! See his goofy photo!

We had read and researched that you need a gelded male, who is at least over a year of age/two is better, and that overall they are naturals as guardians. There is varying information on this, but it was information we found and felt most comfortable with! He, like some of what was said above, is very curious of strangers and changes...but doesn't really want us to touch him....like, you don't touch the dog that is at the blind persons side, you don't TOUCH MOSES either!

We investigated dogs, as that was the other highly regarded option...well, the short of that was they would need training and we really had no idea of how to train a dog. Plus, a dog has different nutritional needs where as a llama fits more with goats/ and/or lambs...

WE have had our llama for nearly a year, without any incidents:wahoo: Hoping that continues, as I know even a year isn't a very long sample size for success! I do know some have used females, and also alpacas with success, but believe gelded males are ranked most reliable.:locked2::cheers:

Moses makes funky noises, which we are beginning to learn to differentiate as we are getting to understand him. We have already witnessed a dog, and a coyote outside of our fenced area and have had no entries by any outside animal thus far. Moses is attentive, as when anyone visits the farm, he does investigate and gives the newcomer/visitor the stink eye and look over.

I hope this answers some of your questions, and certainly I don't know if a llama is the best or only option for you or your location...just telling of our experience and our choice of Moses-the llama!:coffee2: 
Even though our llama was adopted by us at 13 1/2 years of age, we believe he has a number of good years in him yet, being that we learned that the overall life span of llamas is good.

I often wonder if he thinks, why am I no longer with other tall animals/ as remember he came from a llama farm?!!!.. and now is with all of these short little girls who are always calling for their "mamas!?!" :shrug: However, Moses seems very at home in the pasture, and in the barn, with the little goats at the farm!

We are hoping to find someone soon to trim his hooves and shear him, this spring. He is getting quite shaggy looking and summer heat will be here soon. We have trimmed the goats, but tackling a 300+pound llama, well...?!!

Good luck on your decision, and if there is something you wonder ask, this forum is fantastic!:coffee2::laugh:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You are lucky. My first experience with "guard" llamas was buying 2 young ones who I was told would definitely guard. They were the first ones to run away. Not even close to being guard animals. I then got a female who was a proven guard llama and she was wonderful. We later took in a pregnant llama from a neglect case that we were fine with if she proved not to be a guard. She was not a guard while she had her cria by her side. Once the cria was grown and gone, she ended up being a great guard, working with the other guard llama.

So it is possible to end up with a guard but there are no guarantees and you can't just expect them to be a guard. My first experience proved that.


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*Llama*



ksalvagno said:


> You are lucky. My first experience with "guard" llamas was buying 2 young ones who I was told would definitely guard. They were the first ones to run away. Not even close to being guard animals. I then got a female who was a proven guard llama and she was wonderful. We later took in a pregnant llama from a neglect case that we were fine with if she proved not to be a guard. She was not a guard while she had her cria by her side. Once the cria was grown and gone, she ended up being a great guard, working with the other guard llama.
> 
> So it is possible to end up with a guard but there are no guarantees and you can't just expect them to be a guard. My first experience proved that.


Gelded males over two years of age are more likely to be the best, but certainly I don't know if that's 100%, but then what is 100%?


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## BorderKelpie (Mar 27, 2016)

Wow, folks. Thanks!

I am pleasantly surprised at all the quick and informative replies. Thank you!

Ok, that settles it. I will find a young adult gelding. I have no problem with a hands off pet (I'm kind of a hands off person anyway, I prefer to love them from a respectful distance. lol) 
I am going to have to find a safe, suitable trailer so I can get one. I will start with one and go from there. 
I've already gone to Half Price books and found some literature on llamas and am scouring the internet for anything I can find.

I'm excited. My little ruminant project is really taking off nicely.


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

Borderkelpie, where are you located?


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*carrier for llama!*



BorderKelpie said:


> Wow, folks. Thanks!
> 
> I am pleasantly surprised at all the quick and informative replies. Thank you!
> 
> ...


Very COOL! I wish you luck! Not sure on your location, but if nearby you can use the one we used! It's as goofy looking as the llama(I think llamas are goofy looking anyhow...!!! )

I will have to look, but don't believe that I have a photo of the oddball structure we used! One of our two sons,(who are thrifty:cart: and good at constructing things!) built a _*BOX*_ specifically with the llama in mind!

Thrifty as he was, reused old wood siding we had recently taken off of our place, and made a goofy looking box to fit in a pickup truck bed! So, it is blue/mostly pealing blue chipped paint off of, likely cedar wood! WE definitely look like hillbillies, or something with all the weird contraptions and reused stuff we have made over the years!:cart:

Let us know what you end up doing, and how it works out!

Isn't this forum GREAT!:welcome:


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## BorderKelpie (Mar 27, 2016)

gwith said:


> Borderkelpie, where are you located?


 Just outside Dallas, TX


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## BorderKelpie (Mar 27, 2016)

odieclark said:


> Very COOL! I wish you luck! Not sure on your location, but if nearby you can use the one we used! It's as goofy looking as the llama(I think llamas are goofy looking anyhow...!!! )
> 
> I will have to look, but don't believe that I have a photo of the oddball structure we used! One of our two sons,(who are thrifty:cart: and good at constructing things!) built a _*BOX*_ specifically with the llama in mind!
> 
> ...


Yes, it really is! 
I would love to see your llama limo!


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*Guarding*



SalteyLove said:


> Out of curiosity - if you found a llama breeder but the llamas hadn't been raised with goats - could you bring a leashed dog nearby and try to get a feel for how aggressive and assertive a particular llama may be to threats?
> 
> Obviously this would not indicated if/how well that particular llama would bond with goats, but could it eliminate those that may be the first to turn tail and run to the barn?


Hmm... That might help!?

Strangely, our naively, we just assumed our llama would do the job when he arrived! Crazy, when I read this and think back to it all, but luckily...it worked!

The guys led him back to the goats and the pasture, and he went into instant attentiveness to our little goat herd!


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*"Llama Limo!"*



BorderKelpie said:


> Yes, it really is!
> I would love to see your llama limo!


Haha! That's a good one, the llama limo! It really isn't pretty! Made out of old wood, barely fitting on the trailer, or in a truck bed! :stars:

:cart: I will see if I can get a decent pic! :cart:

I guess it looks the most interesting when it is loaded up, ...just sitting on its own, ...makes it look like a pealing wood, oversized box, with some hole for windows, hinges, a latch...and did I mention it's pealing old blue paint!?


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## jody_woodall (May 2, 2016)

*my 1 1/2 year old female llama is chasing my nanny goats*

My 1 1/2 year old female llama, never been bred is chasing my nanny goats, not any of the kids. She lays with and licks all the kids when they are born and watches over everyone really good. I just think she is in heat maybe that is why she is chasing the big nannys. Should i breed her? 
Any advice?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Don't breed her. My experience was that they are very protective of their cria and will attack what comes near it. Also had no interest in guarding when pregnant.


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